The Most Popular Feature in an Incoming College Year

The Most Popular Feature in an Incoming College YearMany college newspaper editors report that the most popular feature in an incoming college year is the graduation ceremony. Despite competition from other, more glamorous features, graduates continue to be the biggest story on campus. To keep this large number of students and alumni reading, editors must give them a reason to turn out for the graduation ceremony, even if it is just a few members of the class.It is common to see other features and news stories dominate graduations ceremonies, but no one aspect or element dominates the crowd. There is a very big contrast between the audience demographics, the over-all atmosphere, and the reaction of some of the students who are naturally in the front row.When there is less than ten people in the class, the graduate and his or her classmates have an opportunity to interact and socialize before and after the ceremony. People tend to get up early and head to the ceremony area as soon as it starts. It is the perfect time to catch up with old friends and catch up with new ones who are barely introduced.Many college newspaper editors report that the most popular feature in an incoming college year is the graduation ceremony. Despite competition from other, more glamorous features, graduates continue to be the biggest story on campus. To keep this large number of students and alumni reading, editors must give them a reason to turn out for the graduation ceremony, even if it is just a few members of the class.College commencement speakers often fall into three categories. The first is the traditional one: President Obama, the most recent speaker. While this may be appealing to some students, others may feel that they cannot relate to someone who was raised in another country. Additionally, these speakers have already gained national recognition, which some students may view as unoriginal.In addition to gaining a national platform, some speakers have also focused on the way they feel about a certain policy and how it impacts the over-all atmosphere of the graduation ceremony. Commonly, parents use their children as pawns by questioning the speaker's credentials and personal life. A common response to this is to ask why it is important to know the speaker's background before attending the ceremony.The third and most successful category is often dubbed the 'experienced comedian'. A student or parent who is not familiar with the topic may find the comedian's lines and personality a refreshing change from the serious topics at hand. Especially for the underappreciated graduate, knowing the comedian may help ease their fears about the speech.The students themselves can encourage the same outcome by writing funny or insightful lyrics to accompany a speech. College newspapers have featured poems, limericks, and quotations from past speakers to encourage them to come out and speak. Ultimately, in their minds, a great speaker can overcome any fears about sp eaking in front of a large audience.