Graduation Sensory Issues

For many students, whether they're in high school or college, graduation is fast approaching. Between finals, preparing for the next stage of their lives, and squeezing the most out of the last few weeks of school, it can be easy to let graduation itself fall through the cracks. But for those with sensory issues, graduations can pose unexpected challenges. The event, especially in bigger schools, can be noisy, frantic, and overwhelming, and the texture of the gown itself can be quite uncomfortable.

To prevent discomfort, the best thing to do is to prepare in advance. Consult an advisor at the school if possible about any potential worries. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so, ask someone you trust to assist you. Alternatively, you can glean some general guidelines based on what you already know about the event. How big is your school? Where is the graduation being held? If you aren’t familiar with the location, look up the size of the venue to get a better grasp of how many people will be there. And don’t underestimate the potential size of the crowd if it's a small school; consider how many people someone might invite to such an event. Parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and close friends may all come just for a single person, so even a small graduating class might produce quite the crowd.

Once you have an idea of the potential crowd, try to consider how long you will be there. Even if crowds aren’t a personal issue, prolonged waiting might frustrate you, especially if you are supposed to avoid using your phone or any other devices during the ceremony. However, you may be able to sneak in little distractions, as long as they are not a disruption to others. Wireless earbuds or perhaps a silent stim toy may prove useful distractions for the combination of boredom and overstimulation.

Many schools conduct a dress rehearsal to make sure the ceremony runs smoothly. If you were unable to voice your concerns earlier, use this opportunity to do so, and make sure you know your school's guidelines on what you can or cannot bring with you into the graduation ceremony itself as a graduate. We do not condone breaking any rules and take no responsibility for any consequences if you attempt to bend them.

Do you have any graduation stories to share? Please comment below and tell us how you navigated your graduation.