I was wondering why some parents moved up to the front towards the end of the graduation ceremony. I had completely forgotten about the traditional cap toss. My older son’s college ceremony didn’t do this.

The cap toss tradition started in 1912 at the U.S. Naval Academy, according to some research. Given that I was in the stands, I opted for a wide-angle picture that included the parents and the students throwing their caps. The most dramatic photo, though not possible, would be a wide-angle, down low from the students’ position. Ultimately, I was just happy that we made it through the ceremony without any more power interruptions.

There was heavy rain which delayed our departure. We spent the extra time taking pictures with friends and waiting for a break in the storm. We were one of the last ones to leave the arena. But nobody was getting home fast. There was a huge traffic jam getting out of the parking lot.

It about 10:30pm when we finally left, happy and relieved that the graduation event was over.

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