You can bring a 5x7 clutch. I brought a plastic bag. They didn't search anything.

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

Nana is going to be displeased.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

I saw people getting turned away with their bags. ALso signs on a stick were a no.

A few years ago, they gave me a hard time about my "interior bag," inside my clear bag, that held my medical supplies.

Their guidelines say medical bags are permitted on a "case by case basis," and they tried to tell me that my T1D supplies (BG monitor, glucose tabs, glucagon, and insulin pen for use if my pump fails) did not need to be in the insulated canvas, quart-sized bag that was inside the clear bag. I guess they determined my "case" was not worthy of allowing a "medical bag." After reminding them of the intensity of my need, they allowed it, but they definitely scrutinized me and gave me serious attitude.

Wow. That’s awful. I’m so sorry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

I saw people getting turned away with their bags. ALso signs on a stick were a no.

A few years ago, they gave me a hard time about my "interior bag," inside my clear bag, that held my medical supplies.

Their guidelines say medical bags are permitted on a "case by case basis," and they tried to tell me that my T1D supplies (BG monitor, glucose tabs, glucagon, and insulin pen for use if my pump fails) did not need to be in the insulated canvas, quart-sized bag that was inside the clear bag. I guess they determined my "case" was not worthy of allowing a "medical bag." After reminding them of the intensity of my need, they allowed it, but they definitely scrutinized me and gave me serious attitude.

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

I saw people getting turned away with their bags. ALso signs on a stick were a no.

Anonymous wrote:We’ve been for FCPS and GMU graduations. FCPS doesn’t pay for the good a/v, hence the crappy sound. GMU does, obviously. A vast difference..

Agree.

The difference in sound quality between the GMU graduations and the FCPS graduations is significant.

But also, some people do not understand how to talk on a microphone

We had several dofferent speakers and name readers at our high school graduation yesterday afternoon.

Some of the speakers, like the student speakers were clear as a bell.

Several of the people reading names, particularly some of the women, were impossible to hear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parking isn’t bad. The mania when the doors open with people running to hold rows of seats is something else.

Also, the acoustics up high are awful. You won’t understand a word.

That's crazy. I thought people aren't allowed to reserve seats.

They aren't allowed to reserve seats

Yeah, just sit in them. What are they going to do?

You're recommending initiating a confrontation at your kid's graduation ceremony, even if you win you've already lost.

Big families will block off big blocks of seats. To get prime seats, get there 30 minutes before the doors open, anything more than an hour isn't necessary. EBA isn't that big, you can show up any time and get seated (as long as you can handle the stairs.)

George Mason does not allow families to block of big groups of seats. If you try to save more than 1-2 seats, the ushers will stop you

We’ve been for FCPS and GMU graduations. FCPS doesn’t pay for the good a/v, hence the crappy sound. GMU does, obviously. A vast difference..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

It’s so ridiculous. I don’t want people seeing my pads and tampons.

It’s 2026. No one cares.

Anonymous wrote:Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

It’s so ridiculous. I don’t want people seeing my pads and tampons.

Did they actually enforce the clear bag rule? I can’t see dealing with not letting Nana bring in her handbag. This isn’t a Taylor Swift concert.

Other things to know…

Eagle Bank does three graduations a day, so you don’t want to get there earlier than the students and staff would, unless it’s the first graduation of the day. Otherwise, parking is a huge mess.

Staff and students are asked to arrive 90 minutes early. I can’t find anything specific, but I’ve seen things hint at family being able to enter an hour early.

Accessible seating areas are limited, so if you have a large family, they might not be all able to sit with the person who needs the accessible area.

As someone mentioned, not all schools walk the same way, so try and get information from your student on what side to sit. Some schools will all walk across the same way, some will alternate left and right sides. The stage should be in the same location for all graduations.

We had our graduation there yesterday. As others said, the sound system is a hot mess but they use the Jumbotron so that helps with closed captioning.

Our school had large prime sections of seating reserved that later seemed to fill in so not sure if all the guests filled up or if they started letting others sit there.

GMU sells concessions. They let you bring in an empty water bottle but I didn't see any drinking fountains to fill up (admittedly didn't walk around too much to find one).

Our school almost filled the entire arena so it's very possible latecomers will be sitting up at the very top.

Our stage was on the east end and if you want to see your kid's front/face as they walk to get their diploma, sit on the north side as they walk from right to left across the stage. But, someone else said chantilly did theirs differently so your kid should know from rehearsals if there will be two lines or one.

Definitely pick a spot outside the arena and have your kid meet you there. It's one hot mess afterwards.

Also, while they asked people to not make excessive noise, no one respected that and it was impossible to hear names being read.

Having said all that, very appreciative that Mason hosts so that no ticket limit is imposed.

Anonymous wrote:For our ceremony grads could not bring cellphones with them, so be sure to pre-arrange a spot to meet up after- they let them out the North Side of Eagle Bank so pick a spot over there before you drop off your grad

+1

We did not do this. Big mistake!

For our ceremony grads could not bring cellphones with them, so be sure to pre-arrange a spot to meet up after- they let them out the North Side of Eagle Bank so pick a spot over there before you drop off your grad