By Agatha Muhaise
Twitter: @Agie256M
The graduation season is upon us and if you are finalist you’ve probable been thinking of throwing a party with all your friends and family to celebrate this educational breakthrough. Completing university is an immense accomplishment in life, but it does not mean it’s the end of life. Students tend to get so caught up in the celebration and overlook what will happen afterwards. What will they do after university? Our economy is clearly not providing enough job opportunities for the graduates. Given that the unemployment rate of youth has risen to 62% as per last year. Therefore since there is no place for job seekers in our country any more, the only option left is to be our own job creators. This can start with saving up some money from the graduation budget. And we do not only mean the little tokens guest drop in your hoodie. Take a cost-saving standpoint, instead of throwing a graduation that can rival a wedding reception, cut down your budget and keep some income to start up a small business. After all it’s the memories that matter, not the expenses. Here are some tips you could consider to make a cheap graduation party and also leave a possibility for future plans.
The guests: In the old times people would just have an intimate affair, like dinner or lunch with close family and a few friends. You can decide to embrace this system. Instead of inviting the whole clan, and making a guest list of over 200 guests, some of whom do not even know your name. Then trying to figure out a way to accommodate them all. Invite just a few of your close friends from school, and your significant family members. It is okay to have a guest list of about 30 or 20 people that matter to you and played a role in your education achievement. It is much cheaper that way.
Invitation: Dodge making expensive invitation cards and transport costs to send them around. It does not take a platinum made card to attract someone to come to celebrate with you, it is the thought that counts. You can opt to use social network to send your invitations, like facebook, watsapp or twitter to your close friends. For the officials guests that have access to email, just email them their invitations. There are also free applications that allow you to design the cards yourself in case you want to send decorative cards. Even bulk SMS can be another option. This way you are able to save money from designing, printing and distribution expenses.
Entertainment: The guests are not all strangers, therefore you do not need to worry about entertaining them. They will enjoy keeping each other company. Just bring a simple public system if the crowd is a bit large for audibility. But still your home theatre and laptop, plus your own playlist can still do the trick. You do not need to hire a professional DJ, musicians or the silk events system for a simple graduation party.
Alternatively, you can always party the campus style. Crank up the music and just hold a farewell university drink-up party with friends. Call up all your friends, buy drinks, have a barbeque and maybe a bonfire. Or you can just take your friends out and have a great night. After all its bout celebrating and having a good time. You do not have to waste all your savings on a one day event and wake up the next day with nothing to show for it expect a few gifts. You are entitle to have a good time, just be astute and hit two birds with one stone. This is the generation for survival for the wisest, have a good time but keep your future in mind. Congratulations to all graduates.
