Thursday, February 23, 2012

One of the most important accessories of graduation: stoles


Graduation ceremony is around the corner and every graduate is getting geared for the biggest and the most imp day of their life. As it is an essential day for graduates’ of any other stream, same is for the doctoral graduates too. If you are a graduate (or going to be one), then you must have started getting ready for this important day as well. You must be looking forward to receiving graduation diplomas from your respective professors.



If you want to look the best on this day, then you must wear the graduation robe specially meant for the doctorate graduates. The doctoral gown is generally black with sometimes piping in your college colors. Though there are fewer options for the colors in the cap & gown, you can still choose some attractive accessories to make it look interesting. One of such accessories is graduation stole.



Graduation stole has its own importance in the graduation robe. Colorful stoles are the essential elements that represent an exceptional academic achievement to everyone who have finished their affiliations and degrees. Graduation stoles complete the attire. It is rather important for the graduation event as well. Doctoral regalia can be clubbed with big stoles in flashy colors, like gold and silver. However, you can also choose the color that matches with the piping of the gown.



If you don’t want to spend too much amount on a brand new set of graduation attire and its accessories, then you have a choice of making the graduation stole on your own. Making your own graduation stole is not as impossible as you might have thought. You simply have to keep certain things in mind while making a graduation stole. A graduation stole should be V-shaped on the back of the wearer’s neck and its straight ends should come forward. It is made of a satin fabric with few stitches on its sides.



Here are some simple steps to make your own colorful graduation stoles. You may begin making your stole by selecting the right fabric. You can buy a bridal satin to make the stoles. You will easily find this type of fabric in the market. If you are not good at fabric stitching, then you may also need a guide for the stole making process. Buy some books that teach how to stitch on a sewing machine. Besides, you will find lots of websites, with the help of which you can easily make your stoles tight before your graduation day comes. Some of the fabrics also contain embroidery. This fabric will save your time to put on some accessories later on. Embroidered fabric also gives an elegant look to your stole.



Apart from the stoles, make sure you buy graduation cords as well, which are another important accessory for the graduation day.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Domestic Uses of the Sliding Frameless Glass Doors


The slidingframeless glass doors have their design origin from a Japanese design. They were first used in North America. Currently, the use of the use of these doors has become widespread and is said to be growing at a rate of about seven percent per year. This can be attributed to the rising cost of house construction. This cost has led to a decrease of the available space in most houses. Therefore, it becomes very necessary to use the available space in the best way possible. One way is to use of these doors. This is because they do not swing rather they slide. Once they get to the end of the door they usually turn and stay against the wall perpendicularly to the door way. These doors have found many applications at our homes.
These doors are used in the areas of relaxation in our homes. These include the swimming pools, the lawn tennis court and the patios. The doors are used to enclose these areas which are found outdoors. These doors are suited for this purpose because of a number of reasons. One, they will protect a swimmer from the wind chill after a swim. As they offer this protection they will not block the natural light from getting into the swimming pool area. Two, when these doors enclose a tennis court they will keep the balls within the court except for those that will go too high. Another advantage of these doors is that they will not shatter when hit by the tennis ball or even crack. This is because the glass that makes this door is tempered and can be very thick. This glass is known to be weather resistant and is therefore very durable despite the weather conditions. Three, these doors will provide you with a natural view of the garden outside your patio as you relax. This is attributed to the transparency of the glass that makes these doors. This also makes the patio more vibrant than normal due to the natural light.
These sliding glass doors are also used in the interior of the house at the living area, the bathroom and bedrooms. These doors are used as wall partitions, doors or curtains. They are used as doors because of the way they open which saves a lot of space. Another reason for their popularity is their availability in various colors which contributes into adding of the house decor. Their usability as curtains is because they can provide privacy whereby they come integrated with beautiful blinds. These blinds also come in various colors and are available in two different styles. This is an artwork which adds to beauty of your home.
Finally, when the glass doors are used to partition the rooms you enjoy two advantages. First one is the protection from noise in the adjacent room. This is very necessary where one of the family members is a fan of loud music and the other is not. The second is the provision of accessibility when you move stuff across rooms and is a result of these doors opening full length.

Tinting Operable Glass Walls


Sliding glass doorsare a wonderful addition to your home as they let in the fresh air in large amounts as well as natural lighting which accents interior décor. However there is the danger of glare especially in very warm weather. The sun’s rays coming into your home may actually be harmful to your health as well as the furniture in your home. This is especially if you use clear glass for your doors. Clear glass lets you have a great view of the outdoors much unlike the obscured view offered by smoked or opaque glass. It may be necessary to tint your clear glass so that you can continue enjoying the breathtaking view while protecting your interior décor and your health.
Decide on the color of tinting material that best suits your décor idea and determine the size you require to cover your glass doors. Measure the size of window to determine the exact amount of material you need to get the job done. Ensure you get at least 10% more material than the exact measurement so that you cover for any mistakes that you may make in your installation.
Tinting materials are readily available from hardware stores and other home improvement outlets at reasonable prices. There are also a variety of colors to choose from so your décor theme will not be interfered with or changed due to the tints. Another great advantage of window tints is that it acts as a protective film for your operable glass walls in case your glass is shattered. In such a case the film holds the small pieces of glass together avoiding a mess on your floor.
After getting your tinting film, measure and cut it to fit exactly on the glass on your door. Repeat the measurements so that you are completely sure that they are correct. Hold the film up against the glass so that you are sure it fits exactly. Cut straight with the help of a metal straight edge for precision.
Make sure your glass door is sparkling clean by wiping it with a wet towel to remove all the dirt that may have stuck on the surface. An ammonia-based solution is best to clean out your glass doors so that they are shining and clear. Dry this window cleaning solution completely out of the surface and do not put up the tinting material until the glass is completely dry.
When installing your glass tint, use a roller to remove any air pockets and bumps that will form between the film and the glass. These will ensure that your film is well placed and that the glass remains clear for you to still enjoy your view without obscurity. Smooth out the film completely and make sure the edges are neat and that there are no kinks, scratches and tears. Such a well placed film will further enhance your décor adding value to your home too.
At the end of the day you should be able to see clearly out of your tinted glass and the peace of mind from knowing that the harmful glare is eliminated is priceless.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Why to move tassels

Academic graduation ceremonies, particularly those from undergraduate and graduate school institutions, are steeped in history and tradition. From the robes worn to the hoods dawned to the colors chosen, every detail has meaning. Some traditions, such as which colors represent which field of study and what type of hood may be added to a graduation cap & gown, are long-standing traditions going back centuries or more. Other traditions, such as moving your tassel from one side of your cap to another, are newer traditions.

The origins of academic dress including hats, graduation tassels, gowns and hoods date back to the 12th century when universities first began to organize. While European universities vary in the traditions they use, American schools follow a uniform costume code established by Gardner Cottrell Leonard in 1893.

Caps are usually black and generally made from cotton, broadcloth, rayon or silk. They match the gown material and are only velvet when used for a doctoral degree candidate. A long tassel is fastened to the middle point of the top of the cap. While there is no long-standing official tradition for placement of the tassel, many schools have adopted a practice of asking candidates to start the graduation ceremony with their tassels on the front right side of the cap until the degrees are conferred, at which point tassels are moved to the left front side of the cap. The practice is done as a substitute for individual hooding, which is a tradition where master's and doctor's candidates have a hood with their specific discipline colors placed on them by a school representative when their degrees are conferred upon them. The practice is a visual indication of the fact that the person can now claim title to the academic degree he earned.

Gowns have pointed sleeves and are worn closed. Gowns for master’s degree candidates differ slightly in that they have oblong sleeves and doctoral degree candidates wear gowns with bell-shaped sleeves. Most gowns are black with trimmings in different colors depending on the discipline of study, although some schools require gowns in their school colors.

Like caps and gowns, hoods have a black base and vary in length depending on the degree being earned. Bachelor degree hoods are shortest, followed by master's degree hoods and doctor's degree hoods. Doctor's degree hoods also have panels on the sides. Hoods are lined with the official colors of the school giving the degree and are trimmed with an edging in the color of the discipline which the candidate is receiving his degree.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Graduation ceremony: spend wisely

These days, everything is becoming expensive. Even the education has not been spared from this curse. Right from the school and tuition fees to stationary, everything is going out of budget. In such scenario, you must spend wisely on everything. Graduation ceremony is an important event in a student’s life. However, this day holds its own expenses which are mainly due to the graduation attire and the accessories accompanying it. As a result, you feel the need of altering the expenses so as to fit everything in your budget. You can achieve this with little planning and few tricks though.

For the kindergarten graduation ceremony, your kid requires preschool graduation caps and gowns. For the graduation day, students require their graduation regalia. Hence, everyone starts thinking over as to where to buy caps and gowns. However, buying these robes and their accessories can be an expensive task. Hence, renting them is the best choice. Most of you don't need to buy caps and gowns since you won't need it often. You can just rent caps and gowns or buy them from a cap and gown for sale for this momentous event. There are ways to find out if caps and gowns you'll be renting will suit you; here are some helpful ways you can use along the way for caps and gowns rental:

You can ask the local registry of your university if they are renting caps and gowns. Most schools provide their own caps and gowns rental facilities to make the students uniformed when it comes to caps and gowns during graduation time. There are also times when the school wants a particular color for caps and gowns so you should know what precisely to rent.

Keep graduation tassels, this will be your personal souvenir of the event. If you are a school owner you can buy graduation tassels and have it personalize with the students' name. This way, they will have souvenirs of their graduation day. It's best to become sensitive with the how your students and their parents feel during this time.

There are online caps and gowns rental store where you can find varieties of graduation gowns and accessories. Most of these shops are providing great deals to those who are interested to rent. You can also consider purchasing in sets so you will not have a hard time in renting again next time you will graduate or someone else in the family. The purchasing idea is best for institutions that always conduct graduations each year, you can buy in bulk and have these rented by your students.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Repairing Operable Glass Walls Rollers


Glass doors afford you a most striking view from the comfort of your home or office. There is also the advantage of fresh air and natural lighting from the large window panes. Such a set up is also said to increase productivity due to the increased sense of well being. The main idea of having sliding glass doors is so that they can glide easily to open and close. This may sometimes be a little difficult since the rollers may experience some issues from time to time. However, it is always easy to rectify this with minimal skill. You may actually do this without necessarily having to hire a technician.
When the door is stuck it may be that the rollers are experiencing some friction. The first thing is to use a good quality oil to lubricate them so that they move with a little more ease. Remove any dirt particles that may have lodged on the track. These prevent the door from moving swiftly along the track. If your rollers are plastic, the debris may actually be stuck on the wheel itself as the weight of the door is exerted on it by the rollers.
Even after lubrication, your door may be wobbly or stuck. In this case you need to adjust the rollers. There are small holes used to do this either at the front of your door or at the edge. All you need is a small screwdriver that fits into this hole. Insert it and turn anti-clockwise to tighten your wobbly operable glass walls or clockwise to loosen tight, stuck ones.
It may be necessary to remove the wheels and replace them if they are damaged beyond repair. To do this lift your glass door off the bottom track and move it away so that the top track wheels are also dislodged. Make sure you are careful while doing this and ask for an extra pair of hands to assist you so that you do not break the glass panes.
Ensure there is a strong workbench or table within the room and place the door on it to inspect the rollers. If there are any that are broken, cracked or completely worn out, replace them with new ones. Take out the screws directly above the adjustment holes to get the rollers out. This may need some level of caution since it is easy to pull the frame and the glass pane separate in the process.
Also check both sets of tracks to ensure that there are no signs of wear and tear. If these are damaged then remove the mounting screws and replace these tracks. Be sure to tighten the screws back so that the tracks are firmly held in place.
Replace your refurbished glass door into the top track first by tilting it towards you until the rollers are in place on the top track. Turn the door until the bottom rollers are locked into the bottom track. Test your door to ensure that it does not wobble or get stuck and you are good to go.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Faculty and Academic Regalia


When people graduate from high school in the United States they wear academic regalia like graduation hoods, and graduation robes. There are other people who wear these items also. The people that work at schools and educational facilities are known as faculty. Faculty that works at educational facilities like Universities and colleges are required by their campus rules to wear their academic dress at least two times a year. Colleges and Universities have commencement or graduating ceremonies in the spring of the year and again in the fall of the year. Faculty is expected to attend these services wearing their academicals. 

You will notice when you watch a high school class walk across the stage to get their diplomas that they all have the same gowns on and the same hats on. They match completely because each of these students is on equal footing with the other students. No one is ranked as having more education than the other. There is a valedictorian that is considered to be the student of that graduating class that had the best performance and scores throughout their high school career but even the valedictorian is dressed like all of the other children are dressed.

In college commencement services you first notice the differences in the robes and the caps they are wearing when the procession of teachers, professors, and faculty come through to take their seats. You notice that not all of them have on robes of the same color, and the hats are not all alike. Some of the faculty will have on hoods and some of them are wearing colored cords. Some of them have outfits on that have one color on the robe and then two colors on the hood draped around their neck and then a third color is piped on that hood as well.

When the students begin to file in to take their seats you will once again be taken aback by the fact that they are not all wearing the same colors. At first it appears as if they all went to different schools or something. Then you begin to notice the differences and what they mean. Every color and everything that is on this attire has a significant meaning. This is because not everyone in a college is graduating or receiving a degree that took the same amount of effort to get.

You have different colors on the robes dependent on the different discipline the student studied. So people who studied science classes have a color, and those who are graduating from medical classes have another. Then you have different colors and the shapes of the hoods change in reference to the amount of years the person has been attending school and the level of education they are said to have. So people who are receiving their bachelor’s degree do not have the same identical attire as those who have a higher degree like a PhD. These subtle changes in the outfits makes it possible for you to tell the status of one faculty member from another with ease.

Defining Academic Regalia


Academic regalia are actually the term used in the United States for the academic dress that is the traditional clothing choice for tertiary education and sometimes for secondary education facilities. Generally this form of attire is only worn by those that have been accepted as students of a University or to individuals with a status that gives them an entitlement to the attire at the university. This form of clothing is also known as academicals and as academical dress. Sometimes you will hear the attire referred to as caps and gowns. 

A long time ago the academicals were worn on a daily basis by both the university students and the professors or educators of the campus. Today the only schools that still dress in this manner on a daily routine are the ancient universities. Most schools have begun to wear this sort of clothing only when they have formal ceremonies like graduations and commencement ceremonies. 

In the years that these garments were worn daily the majority of all schools and institutions wore the same outfit and not much has really changed today. The academicals will consist of an outer garment fashioned like a robe or a gown. This garment may open in the back, or it may open in the front, or it may be possible for the garment to merely be slipped over the head of the person. The individual wearing the robe will wear clothing beneath it. Most of the time the clothing worn under this piece of cloth will be clothing that would be considered dress outfits. Boys will usually wear a shirt and a tie with some type of dress slacks and girls will usually wear a dress or a skirt beneath their robes. These clothing underneath the gown would be of the same type an individual would don to go to church, a wedding, or a funeral. 

To go with the gown will be a head piece that matches the other piece of the academicals. The head piece can be graduation hoods, or it can be a tam, or maybe a bonnet and it may be the mortarboard cap that is so familiar in the United States. 

The academic dress that is commonly worn by students in the United States and scholars in the British Commonwealth are based on the academic dress that was a part of Oxford and Cambridge universities. Oxford and Cambridge had copied this form of dress from the medieval universities that were located in Europe. The major difference between the clothing worn at Oxford and Cambridge and what is popularly worn in the United States is that at the learned institutions there is a prescribed set of dress known as a subfusc that is to be worn under the robes. 

For the most part everyone accepts the fact that wearing casual attire under these prestigious garments is unacceptable. There are some institutions that have had to bar individuals from proceeding with their ceremonies because of the garments they selected. Generally this had something to do with the outerwear and not with the pieces that cannot really be seen.

Receiving Graduation Diplomas from Home School


The wearing of the academic regalia including the robes and the mortar board caps with the graduation tassels in the colors of the school you attended is one of the rites of passage that every student looks forward to. Leaving the learned halls of the high school they have attended for the last four years and entering into the world of adults with a ceremony that shows everyone that yes indeed they have fulfilled all of the states requirements to be considered educated. 

There are however a large number of children who are educated from home and they do not get to participate in their communities festivities to honor the ones among them that achieved that degree of education. These young scholars worked as hard and as diligently for the last thirteen years to become worthy of the pomp and splendor that is awarded to their peers but alas the state says if you did not attend the public school or if your parents did not send you to a private institution that had accredited teachers then you are not allowed to participate in the procession and display. A lot of home schools have decided that they will also hold ceremonies to show their children that they did accomplish all they were supposed to and that their parents are equally proud of the accomplishments and would like to share the news publicly.

It does not matter if you are educated at home or in the public school system you have to learn the same materials so that you can pass the test the state gives to prove that you received an education. These state mandated tests are what we use to judge the level of learning a person has and whether they can say they are finished with their first leg of academic studies. In order to prove that the person did indeed meet all of the requirements that was necessary everyone receives graduation diplomas. Even the ones that were schooled from their homes receive a certificate stating they have a good enough education to be considered equal to all of those people who attended the public system for the mandatory twelve years. Well, thirteen years if you count the kindergarten year and fourteen years if you count the new pre-k year that some children attend.

For a child to not attend the public institutions they must report their test scores to a government agency and periodically they have to attend a session where an official administers a test and looks over their work they have been doing. This provides a check and balances system for the people who want to self educate their young. A lot of parents join together as a group so they can share instructional materials and they can plan outings as a group. These groups of parents are generally the ones that put on the program to celebrate their children’s completion of the required studies. There are even some places that help people to study for their GED that hold these programs.

Different types of educational ceremonies

Graduation ceremonies are probably one of the most important events of an institution and are organized in most of the institutions. These events have been organized since several years and these were offered only by the top universities back then. The University of Cambridge and Brown University were some of the first universities to offer this particular event. However, things changed and other institutes adapted this resulting in every college offering a graduation ceremony. It is more of a tradition and it needs to be done in order to end the journey of the students. Schools have also adapted this way of praising and thanking the students and wishing them luck, however, college and school events are a bit different. The dressing is quite similar as you need to wear graduation caps and gowns in, both, schools and universities. Also accessories like graduation cords are needed. Another similarity is the event speech which is given by an individual in the final batch. Basically, an individual gives a short speech representing his/her last batch and wishing the batch luck for their futures.

Graduation in Universities

This is probably the most common academic event as these ceremonies were the first ones. Different universities have different ways of organizing such ceremonies but these are quite similar. You will often find that the color of the attire in most of the universities is either black or dark blue. University graduations are a bit more important as these mark the end of the studying journey of an individual and mark the start of a new career which involves an entry into the practical world. Therefore, such events mean that the particular day is the last day of the pupil in the specific institute. Several awards are given on this day for top achievers and people who have been outstanding in other parts of the institution.

Convocations in High schools

These are also quite important but high school convocations are not that old and have been implemented in recent years, which is why not all high schools organize this event. High school convocations, basically, give the individuals a taste of what they can expect in the future and how they will have to attend formal events in their colleges. These are organized in order to mark the success and the achievements of the students. Also, parents are often invited so that they can share the moment with their children. High school convocations also mean a farewell for several pupils and it is basically an end of friendship for many old friends as different students will go to different countries for their education. This, however, does not mean that you should stay sad at the event and you should rather enjoy this moment with your friends and family.

Graduation for preschools

Preschools have also adapted this occasion and most of these preschools organize this event in order to reward the students by offering a day of fun. Preschool graduations are solely organized for fun and entertainment and for the students in order to recognize their hard work. Usually parents are invited so that they can support their children.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Alabama Graduation Diplomas Options

For the children who attend the educational facilities provided by the state of Alabama there is actually more than one type of graduation diplomas they can earn throughout their courses of study. All of these types will allow them to walk with their classmates on the night of graduation wearing the typical garb of a robe, a mortar board cap, and graduation tassels. The big difference is that some of the students will take classes that are designed to better prepare them for the continuation of their education and some of the students will even be preparing to attend tech school after they have completed their high school years.
In Alabama in order to be able to walk with the class and get that piece of paper saying you have finished your public education requirements a person must have a total of twenty four class credits. This is the standard amount for the regular student. If a pupil has enrolled in the classes and the study plan that will prepare them to go to college with a more advanced amount of knowledge then the number of credits they are required to have will increase. The additional numbers are decided by the different school boards in the separate districts.
The credits that these individuals must obtain in order to get the standard diploma are divided into different subjects. They must have a total of twenty four credits but four of those credits must be earned in English classes, and four of those credits will need to be from math classes, and then they will also need four of them to have been earned taking science classes, and another four will need to come from the social studies curriculum.  To finish off the required twenty four the student will need one half of a credit in the courses of health, and computer application, and the study of the arts. Then they are required to have five and one half credits awarded to them for their studies from extracurricular activities.
The students will also be required to pass exams in the core subjects of math, and science, and social studies, and reading, as well as one in language. In the future the children enrolled in the Alabama public school system will be required to take an online course and pass it. This requirement will not go into effect until the year 2013.
When the young scholar has taken the advanced courses they will need two of their credits for their extracurricular studies to be in foreign languages. One of the ones they need for their math will have to be issued from Algebra II or form trigonometry. Their science requirements will make them have to have passed a class in either chemistry or physics. These diplomas are harder to earn and the pupil will need to apply themselves more but they will better prepare them to attend the university.
The other two types of diplomas available require all of the same things as above but the extracurricular classes have to be tech or industry related.

Monday, February 6, 2012

A misconception: Do buy from a sale, you don’t get quality


Yes as the title suggests we are here to clear out the misconception of not buying from a sale because people say that clothes on sale may be of a poor quality. Cut the crap what are we talking about, don’t we know that companies keep their goods on sale to clear out their inventories. In fact we should be looking towards such opportunities do that we can buy for cheap.
John a friend of mine bought gown, cap and 
academic regalia 
ceremony of his son and boy! They were so good. I know for sure that gown sale is the most awaited thing in the city for the students and their parents.Students are happy because they know that their parents will be buying them there favourite graduation dress from the sale. The children do not bother whether the graduation dress is a branded one or bought from a sale. What matters is that they will get to wear the most beautiful dress. The reason for the happiness of the parents is not because they are ready to buy only cheap graduation cap and gown but it is far more than that.
For them good thing about sale is that it is available at various 
graduation hoods 
.Now days the parents are very busy in their work. They hardly get time to take proper care of the household activities. People are so much occupied with the workplace that they have hardly any energy left to fulfil the responsibility towards their children. They feel sorry for their children because they are not able to spend time with them. Still the parents are always eager to do as much as they to make the child happy. They like to drop their children to their school in the morning and also pick them up from the school in the afternoon but due to time constraint they are not able to do so.
Graduation ceremony is one of the events that give them an opportunity to do whatever their heart desires for their children. They don’t have time to go to one shop after another searching for the correct high school gown and cap and graduation stole. So the option of buying academic attire fromsale is a great relief for them. The best thing about sale is that we know before what is the sale all about and if we want certain thing from there then we get them simply from there.