that make the

Class Of 2023 Unique

Lilly Kersh

Every graduating class of seniors is special in its own way, but the class of 2023 is leaving the University of Georgia as an especially unique group of students. From experiencing a pandemic to celebrating some of UGA’s biggest wins, these alumni will have stories to tell about their college years for the rest of their lives.

Experiencing the pandemic

In March 2020, the world came to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic began affecting daily life. Most of the class of 2023 graduates were on their first college spring break as freshmen when they got the news that class would not resume in-person.

This year’s graduates had every year of college affected by the pandemic, with initial changes in their freshman year and lasting differences throughout their time in Athens. Classes switched online, Zoom entered daily routines and student life changed forever. The class of 2023 had their college experience affected by health concerns, masking, testing, quarantining and more.

While life seems much more normal now, with optional masking and most aspects returning in-person, the class of 2023 will forever be among the group of students who experienced getting their degree in the pandemic and working through the challenges of being in university throughout a global health event.

Back-to-back football national championship victories

The class of 2023 experienced not one, but two college football national championships, unheard of in the history of Georgia football and rare in college football history in general.

As juniors and now seniors, these students cheered on the Bulldogs through two major wins, celebrating between the hedges and in the streets of Athens. Georgia’s last national championship win hadn’t taken place in over 40 years, making the 2021 and 2022 championships truly memorable for enrolled students and a historic time in UGA’s legacy.

Turbulent election years

The state of Georgia made history by having two runoff elections, both while the class of 2023 attended UGA. Louisiana and Georgia are the only two states in the country that hold runoffs in general elections when no candidate receives a majority of the vote. Runoffs took place in the 2020 US Senate elections and the 2022 midterm elections. On Jan. 5, 2021, Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated incumbent Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively, in runoff races. On Dec. 6, 2022, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was re-elected to the US Senate, defeating Republican and former UGA running back Herschel Walker in the runoff.

As Georgia became a political battleground garnering national attention, UGA’s campus hosted candidates from both parties. The class of 2023 was on the frontlines of these pivotal elections, experiencing two runoffs in just four years. For reference, there have only been 12 statewide runoff elections in Georgia’s history since its current election system was adopted in 1968.

A changing Athens restaurant scene

With the trials and tribulations of the pandemic came a lasting change to the city UGA calls home. A number of Athens establishments closed their doors in the past four years, making the class of 2023 some of the last students to experience local spots.

Caledonia Lounge, The Grit, Uncle Ernie’s Pub n’ Grub, The Max Canada, Mama Jewel’s Kitchen and Classic City Eats all shut their doors within this time frame. Even downtown chain restaurants Subway, Scoville Chicken, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Cinnaholic have been replaced, contributing to a changing food scene.

While many restaurants were able to reopen, such as Gyro Wrap, The Grill and The Globe, the class of 2023 said goodbye to many local favorites for good.

At the University of Georgia’s spring 2023 graduations and commencement ceremonies, graduates from various degrees and programs celebrated the milestone in regalia, most notably caps and gowns.

The tradition of the cap and gown dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Professors and students alike wore gowns daily, according to the American Council on Education.

In the late 19th century, representatives from U.S. colleges and universities met to make recommendations for the dress code still in use today, according to the UGA commencement website. The graduation dress code standard was established in 1932 by a newly formed committee created by ACE, which also made updates and changes throughout the coming decades.

The color of caps and tassels, hoods and gowns—also known as doctoral gowns, vary based on this area and level of study—bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral.

Graduates completing their bachelor’s wear the traditional black robes and a mortarboard or tams cap with a tassel representing their area of study.

Those graduating with their masters and doctoral degrees at UGA are distinguished by a black hood with silk lining in the color of their respective university. UGA hoods are thus lined in red and black. The hood symbolizes a graduate’s continued commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, according to the Princeton University Princetoniana Museum website.

Students graduating from UGA with their doctorate also wear a velvet tam cap, gowns faced down front with velvet with three bands along the sleeves and a gold tassel. The three bands along the sleeve are used to represent the graduate’s area of study.

Graduation dress is used to symbolize a student’s achievements and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. The graduation ceremony acknowledges a student’s transition to the next stage of life with the moving of the tassel from right to left.

— Morgan Willis