Card-Writing Guide

Graduation Card Wording That Actually Means Something

How to skip the clichés and write a graduation card the recipient will keep.

Graduation cards have a clichรฉ problem. "The world is your oyster," "the sky is the limit," and "oh, the places you'll go" have all been said so many times that the words themselves have gone numb. The good news is that the way to write a memorable graduation card is simple: be specific.

Name what the graduate did. Mention the late-night studying, the major they fought for, the internship that did not work out, the friendships that did. Specificity proves you were paying attention, and paying attention is what young adults rarely get from the older people in their lives.

Resist the urge to give too much advice. Most graduates have been receiving advice for months. One sentence — your single best, most honest piece of advice — will land harder than ten generic lines. If you are not sure what to say, default to belief: "I have watched you become someone I deeply admire, and I am excited to see what comes next."

If there is money in the card, slip it in without ceremony. The card itself is the gift; the cash is a bonus.

Wording for Graduation cards

Looking for the words themselves? The Graduation wording library has dozens of samples organized by tone — heartfelt, funny, short, religious, and more.