May 2024

Being broke is part of the rite of passage for many college students across the country. While tuition costs are often at the core of the college finances discussion, for many college students the day-to-day expenses are a far bigger concern than how much they will owe their creditors once college is over and it’s time to repay their student loans.

It’s nearly impossible to attend a graduation ceremony and not hear the processional, “Pomp and Circumstance.” The march has become a graduation staple, but the tune was actually written for a different purpose. Sir Edward Elgar is the composer behind “Pomp and Circumstance,” which was named after a line from William Shakespeare’s “Othello.” Sir Edward composed the song in 1901, and the march was intended for the coronation of King Edward VII. When Elgar received an honorary doctorate from Yale University in 1905, the march was played in his honor as a recessional. Once Yale used the march, other universities began to play the march as well. Eventually it became the trendy thing to do and “Pomp and Circumstance” became forever ingrained in graduation custom. Today it is hard to imagine a commencement ceremony without the famed processional and the requisite cap, tassel and gown.

Graduation season is here! For family and friends of the graduate that means finding an appropriate gift. And what could be better than something that would help the new grad navigate the next four years like a ‘pro’ and save time, frustration, and money.