Graduation Celebration

May is usually graduation season in America. If you are in your senior year in high school or college， you probably anticipate the arrival of your graduation eagerly. Indeed， the completion of education is as significant to everyone as learning to walk is to an infant[嬰兒，幼兒]. So a big celebration is a sure thing.

In America， a graduation dance party for senior high school students is called a prom[正式舞會]. It can be quite a costly[昂貴的] party. Formal attire[衣服] is the dress code[衣著規則]. Girls will be in their beautiful gowns[女式禮服]， boys in tuxedos[無尾禮服]. It is more or less like a royal ball. Generally， a gown may cost a few hundred dollars. Some people may rent one but most do buy their own. After all， this is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

In some wealthy neighborhoods in America， parents will hire a driver and a limousine[轎車] to pick up and drop off their children. Limo rental costs from dozens of dollars to hundreds of dollars per hour. Since a limo can accommodate quite a few people， every passenger can chip in to lower the individual cost.

A prom is considered a social party for coming-of-age teenagers. If you are looking for a date， prom is the place for beautiful people. Someone you may know in class suddenly looks so different in their gorgeous outfit and makeup. Dancing is a good way to promote interaction with friends or strangers. If you are over the legal drinking age， you can have some adult beverages[飲料]—as most American teenagers consider drinking a rite[儀式] of passage. However， if you aren’t a legal drinker， you can still enjoy yourself with something non-alcoholic.

Compared to a high school graduation party， college graduation is more mature. At the bachelors’ degree graduation ceremony， each graduate will accept his/her diploma[畢業證書] from a university officer when his/her name is called. It is not uncommon that students keep their bachelors’ gown for life instead of renting it. Celebration parties vary at different colleges. Some may have the cap-throwing photograph， some may throw a reception with a graduation cake and champagne， while some may follow the previous graduates by leaving a footprint on campus to remember their graduation year.

Graduation is undoubtedly a joyous[充滿歡樂的] moment. No matter if you are a family member of the graduate or just a tourist on campus， it is exhilarating[使人興奮的] to witness the scene and say “Congratulations” to the new graduates.