The Significance of Your Graduation Toga, Cap, Hood, and Diploma Graduates wear their caps and gowns with hoods as they walk down the aisle to get their diplomas. This has been practiced in many parts of the world for years. But do you know how this tradition started? Each of the items that you wear and receive on your graduation has a hidden story and meaning.Your Toga or GownThe toga or gown is called an academic dress. Its origins date back to the 12thor 13thcentury in Europe. It was then known as thehoupland. There are a lot of stories about how it was first one. One source reveals that in the 12thcentury, students had to improvise by wearing long robes with hoods because of the insufficient heating system in their universities. It was later on made the official graduation dress to prevent students from wearing excessive outfits.Another source claims that the first academic institution to use the toga was the University of Coimbra in 1321. This practice was then brought by English settlers to the United States.Togas or academic gowns are usually below-the-knee in length and their colors vary according to your course or level of education. High school graduates normally wear white togas while college graduates wear the black ones.A toga represents a students accomplishment or educational attainment. Bachelor degree togas come with wide bell-like sleeves, while postgraduates wear togas with closed sleeves that have long slits for their arms. Doctorate degree graduates have togas with sleeves marked with three colored velvet lines. The front part of the gown is also marked with these lines.Your Graduation CapThe graduation cap looks like a square board. In fact, it is sometimes called a mortarboard because it follows the shape of a device masons used to hold mortar. The cap, some sources say, is said to symbolize intelligence and superiority. It originated from a biretta that was used by scholarly clergies. During the 14thand 15thcenturies, these square hats became popular and fashionable as artists, students, humanists, and every learned person wore them.Other stories also claim that the cap or mortarboard was used by professors in the 15thcentury in order to cover their heads. Their caps usually had embroidered decorations, feathers, or strings of pearls.The cap becomes more symbolic when its tassel is transferred from the left to the right side. This is done to signify the official graduate status of a student.Your HoodA graduates hood identifies which field of study he finished. Colleges are assigned colors so graduates will be easy to recognize just by looking at their hoods. Here are the usual color assignments:Liberal Arts: whiteBusiness: olive brownSciences: yellowEducation: blueNursing: apricotFine Arts: brownIndustrial Arts: dull goldPhD: dark blueLaw: violetYour DiplomaWhether you are graduating from grade school, high school, or college, the most important thing you will receive on that special day is your diploma. That piece of paper showing proof of your achievement.According to a source, the first diplomas were made from paper-thin sheepskin. They were handwritten and then rolled. A ribbon was used to tie each one. Later on, as technology advanced, diploma makers started using parchment paper. Present-day diplomas are already framed, not rolled out and tied in a ribbon.Your diploma contains information about your educational background, as confirmed by the official authorities of your educational institution. Their signatures, along with your name and academic achievement (including honors, if any) awarded to you.Now that you know how valuable each item in your graduation costume is, take extra care of them. And be proud that you are wearing them. After all, not every student is privileged to walk down the aisle in their togas and caps to get their diplomas onstage.Happy graduation and congratulations, Kagay-anon graduates!