A graduation motto is a verse that is hopeful and inspiring that is used to commemorate a rite of passage in a person’s life. No matter if you need a graduation verse for an elementary or middle school graduation or even for a high school graduation, there are plenty of mottos out there that range from being deeply sentimental and encouraging, to being lighthearted and humorous.
When to Use a Motto
When you are a senior in high school, eagerly approaching the evening when you will be able to throw off your graduation cap, graduation mottos are probably something that you’ve heard of and quickly became familiar with, because you will be throwing it off to the wind that evening.
It is common for high school graduation invitations to contain a meaningful and significant verse that is carefully chosen to represent the occasion of the graduation. Depending on your school’s and the graduation committee’s requirements, there may be a banner, yearbook, or special item such as a senior t-shirt that uses the same verse. Your graduation bio could even include the motto that you chose as your graduation motto.
Examples of Graduation Mottos
It is important to brainstorm in order to come up with the perfect graduation motto that reflects the people who are being honored. The choice of graduation mottos may be influenced by cultural factors, current events, and environmental factors. Several popular songs, books, and movies can also be credited for contributing to the creation of a motto that is appropriate and time-relevant.
As you read the following examples of graduation mottos, you will find that they are classic, inspiring, thought-provoking, and provoking and they can be used in writing or speaking to commemorate a special day.
- My past has been a part of my heritage; my present has been a part of my responsibility; and my future has been a challenge.
- The past to be cherished, the present to be lived, and the future to be aspired to.
- Life is a journey that we are embarking on, our past is a thing of the past, our memories are an indelible part of our lives.
- It is said that knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.
- It is said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
- It has been said that success is a journey, not a destination. – Ben Sweetland
- The most important thing is not what you are thought to be, but what you are.
- There is a saying that says, “Don’t weep because it has passed – smile because it happened.” – Charles Dickens
- If you live as if you were to die tomorrow, then you should learn as if you were to live for the rest of your life.
- Changing the past is something that we cannot do. However, changing the future is something we can do.
- There is no way for us to discover new oceans unless we have the courage to lose sight of the shores in order to explore them.
- William A. Wordsworth once said, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream of it, you can become it.”
- I think it’s worth it to deal with the tassel.
- As a graduate, the ladder is all that stands between you and your goal of reaching the top of the ladder.
- There is bitterness in the roots of education, but sweetness in the fruit.”-”Aristotle
- The best return on investment is always found when you invest in knowledge.”- Benjamin Franklin.
- There is a field of driven snow before you as you look forward to the future. It is very important to tread carefully through it, for every step you take will be seen by others.
- A star can be reached if you hitch your wagon to it.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Take control of your future by putting it in your own hands.
- The man who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is an uneducated man by the time he graduates tomorrow.” – Newton D. The Baker, Esq.
- Despite the fact that we cannot direct the wind, we can adjust the sails to take advantage of it.
Deciding on a Motto
An individual motto may be used as part of a celebration of an upcoming graduation, or it may be used by the entire class as a motto to mark the occasion. It might be helpful if you were asked to submit graduation mottos for a deciding vote, in which case you might consider some of your favorite verses or quotations that have been popularized by famous individuals who have spread wisdom or goodwill to the world.
I recommend that you consider one of your favorite authors, a legendary hero, a character who has lived through challenges and has risen above in order to become a better person. That would enlighten you and be appropriate for this special time.
As a great graduation gift idea, mottos are also a great choice. You might want to consider engraving a motto onto an item, such as a trinket box, a locket, a sterling silver photo frame, or a leather bound journal, if you feel connected to a quotation or a proverb and know that the graduate will graduate soon.
In the event that the graduation mottos are well known or unique, they will always speak of life and shed an introspective light on a tender and transitional time in the student’s life.
There is no doubt that a graduation is a very special event that deserves its own unique and special words, words that can last a lifetime and be cherished forever.