As the 2018 graduation draws nearer for BSM seniors and families, the event has undergone a key change: its location. This year, the once Haben-bound graduation is moving outside to the stadium.  

Obviously, the change in venue provides much more room for the ceremony to occur. With weather permitting, the graduates would enjoy the fresh air in comparison with the oftentimes stifling Haben Center Gym. But on the flip side, inclement weather could quite literally put a damper on the parade. However, students are looking forward to the new location. “I’m super excited to have graduation outside this year. The Haben doesn’t have any [air-conditioning], and it doesn’t have the best lighting; the turf will be outside and has a lot more room. Having it outside in our red gowns is exactly like the high school musical movies too, so it’s pretty iconic,” senior Julia Duda said.

Apart from the possibly inclement weather, the turf also has a few more negative sides. The Haben pales in comparison to the turf in terms of total area, but this doesn’t necessarily work to the turf’s benefit. The turf has much less elevated seating options (besides the main grandstand, which is another way in which the Haben has proved to be a good venue for the event). “The turf is much more spaced out, so viewing could be hard,” Duda said.

Although the space of the turf may imply more seating options, the number of people attending will be the same. “Seniors will actually be given the same amount of tickets, so the size of the seating will remain the same,” Assistant Principal and Junior/Senior Dean Ms. Andersen said.

That being said, Andersen sides with the seniors with her support for the switch. “People like to be outdoors this time of year. It’ll be nice if the weather permits,” Andersen said.

Andersen claims that the decision to move outdoors has made the already complicated graduation a much larger logistical feat. “The decision about the weather has to be made one day in advance. The maintenance staff has to be ready for two different graduations,” Andersen said.

With the obvious weather predicament posing the largest threat to the 2018 graduation, Andersen has also identified a few smaller cons to the event. “I really hope mosquitoes aren’t a problem. Also, the walk from the theater will be much longer for seniors, so painful shoes might be a bigger problem,” Andersen said.