I was talking with DS today. He said most students are swamped with end of semester things, but that he’s pretty carefree (CS classes have high workloads, but they’re pretty evenly spread throughout the semester, and tend to emphasize weekly psets over midterms and finals). I told him to do what he had to do and then be extra nice to BDD kids 
Graduation is coming up, and I don’t believe how quickly these four years have flown by! Now I need help with what the menfolk in my family should wear - my husband will probably wear a coat and tie. My father doesn’t own a coat that fits him anymore - can he wear a shirt and tie and not look out of place? Same question for my son - he’s a freshman at a different school and has outgrown his suit (it fit when he left for college, but now he says the pants are too short). Can he wear khakis and a shirt and tie? And I assume the same attire goes for both class day and the actual graduation day itself?
It can be hot. Nobody needs to wear a suit to graduation unless they wish to. I don’t recall what my 85 yo father wore but it sure as heck wasn’t a suit; neither was my 18 yo son wearing a suit. “Decent” is the operative word. Business casual is plenty.
ETA just looked at photos. My FIL wore sport jacket no tie. My husband wore business casual (khakis and button down). My 18 yo son wore a (decent) t-shirt. My father probably wore a decent shirt and slacks.
@donnaleighg that’s good to know. I was assuming jacket and tie was mandatory as students in the School of Music get fined if the men don’t wear a jacket and tie to certain events like convocation, and the women are required to wear dresses! (I just can’t believe that in this day and age.)
@donnaleighg - you have helped me so much over the past 4 years, and once again I want to thank you! That removes a lot of my stress surrounding graduation. Thanks so much for still being here, and still answering.
Like @IxnayBob said, my kid is swamped. 
She didn’t get out of class until 7 last ngiht and has another full day today. She has a handful of kids staying with her too so she is really bummed she can’t show them around. I love her excitement though. That has to carry over to the new kids to see the current freshman so happy and willing to play tour guide.
@Faulkner1897 get a list of the different events. I don’t know if they are open to parents but there are quite a few performances tonight. Also, Get someone to show you all of the RC’s. One of my favorite things to do is eat at a different dining hall when I visit my daughter. They are so vastly different and unique. Each one has its own character and style- and then visit all of the different Butteries. The basements are perhaps the most amazing part of each RC. That alone will take you all day to explore.
A note for those coming to Commencement: be prepared for rain. Bring umbrellas and/or ponchos. If it rains, a lot of the events will still be outdoors.
I’ll be at Commencement, and will probably wear a jacket and tie–but mainly because I have a tie with bulldogs on it.
I am so glad I tagged along for Bulldog Days. Took a tour of Trumbull and Berkeley, went to student panel session in Silliman this afternoon, went to the welcome showcase last night (Dean Jeremiah Quinlan gave a shout out to college confidential), and attended a “reflections on the admission cycle” talk led by the director of admissions Margit Dahl. Yesterday was beautiful, today has been cold and rainy, but the campus is really buzzing. I wonder if they ask the current students to wear Yale gear, everyone seems to be decked out!
One of the admissions people commented that the extensive parent program listings were designed to keep the parents away from the kids so the kids could immerse themselves in the Yale experience. I have barely heard a peep from my daughter, and I am glad for that. I hope she is having a great time.
Many wear all their Yale gear on campus because they don’t always feel comfortable wearing it in their home towns.
^My graduated daughter lives in Cambridge, MA. Imagine how she feels
@donnaleighg - she must fell very proud, her parent’s did not homework for her .
Question: Wondering if after you moved in your kids (Frosh) did you find they ditched you Friday night or did any of you make a point of having one more dinner with your kids? Not sure how quickly the cord is cut 
They may stick with you if you agree to take the whole suite out for dinner.
We did take D out for an early dinner, said goodbye, and left for the long drive home. It seemed like a lot of parents were still around and suitemates were all at different places.
@Faulkner1897 They wear Yale gear year round. It is a staple part of their wardrobe and in many forms from sweats to sweaters and tee shirts. Half of what my daughter brought with her is now home because she rarely wears any of it.
@tonymom we moved her in, went to the reception that was held by the dean of her college and then grabbed dinner at the noodle bowl place near her RC. We were exhausted and both emotionally drained. Her,due to excitement and myself for obvious reasons. Her suite was all in the same boat and they all got together the next day for convocation. It was a very long day. I would plan on dinner with your kid. Tell him it means something to you because once you leave- it will be for a long time. Im only an hour away and I cried for a long while. Its a big change.
My son (who lives on Old Campus) is having friends come to visit him from Friday night through Sunday morning during Spring Fling. He was wondering what the least expensive parking option would be for his friend’s SUV. I advised him to ask a campus policeman but perhaps someone has a suggestion?
Can you tell me more about convocation? Where does it take place, where can the parents watch it from etc.
Is there a lunch provided for parents on convocation day? Any other activities specifically for the parents?
When I look at the calendar, I see that they have quite a few breaks in the fall. They get entire week off for Thanksgiving. How common is it for the kids to stay in dorms for some of those breaks? We are from the West, so there is no way I am flying my daughter back for every little break there is.
@Kelowna Thanksgiving and Spring break, most kids leave campus. Thanksgiving break starts the Friday before, the day before Harvard Yale football game. Many will stay in New Haven for that and leave afterward. If it’s in Cambridge, they go up to Boston, go to The Game, and then depart Boston. It’s a big social event and definitely part of the Yale “rah rah” spirit. Some opt out completely and leave earlier.
It’s rather lonely on campus over those two breaks, frankly – my senior year I stayed over Spring Break b/c I need to finish that darn Senior Thesis! I chose to either go home or travel — visiting my GF or home with friends who didn’t live far away. Dorms close over winter break but there’s accommodation for international students who need a place to stay.
I did work study and earned enough spending money to travel quite a bit – don’t recall asking my parents to book many flights if at all, for me after freshman year.
@Memmsmom could you expand a bit:
Can one wander the RC dining halls without a “proper ID”?
What is a Buttery? How does one visit?
What is in the basement of a Residential College?
I have yet to visit the campus, but eagerly anticipate visiting in late August!
The RCs are all gated, but if you look like a respectable parent, chances are around 99% that the first student going in will let you come in with them. No one is going to stop you wandering around. The Buttery is like a “grill” or snack bar, typically (always?) in the basement. The basements of the RCs have various amenities which differ from RC to RC. Gyms, art studios, ping pong tables, etc. etc.