By Brandy Jane

Hi, I’m Brandy, and I’m a first time mom of a high school senior (I imagine readers saying “Hi, Brandy,” in their heads, like we’re in an AA meeting). My son just started his senior year on August 19th, and we are already being hit up for money for graduation…which is EIGHT months away! Eight months, people! Can’t they let parents get through the first few weeks before they start asking for kidneys and whatnot?? “They”, being Jostens, the worldwide leader in overpriced graduation crap that they will convince you that your child absolutely NEEDS.

For those of you who haven’t had to go through this yet…hold on to your socks!

So Chris (my son) brings home this big envelope last week, and it’s full of the things we can choose from for graduation. Things like jewelry, announcements, “senior wear” (t-shirts and whatnot with the graduation year on them), etc. There is a paper with what looks like a “GREAT DEAL” because it’s called a Knight Pack, we are the Blue Ridge Knights, and gives your kid everything that Jostens thinks your kid has to have in order to graduate. Announcements, thank you cards, a special tassel for their graduation cap, clothing that includes 2 tees, a sweatshirt, and sweatpants, a duffel bag…you get the picture. The price for this “GREAT DEAL”? Just a measly little $285! Yeah, $285!! That does NOT include any jewelry at all! Oh no, you’ve got to order that separately.

To find out if they have other options, I go online and look around on their site. They DO have other package options!! One, if you can believe it, is MORE expensive!! As I laugh at this, and feel bad for the people who actually need such a large amount of stuff,  I hit pay dirt. I find a package that fits what we need, and gets my son what he wants. The price? One hundred dollars LESS than the “GREAT DEAL.” Don’t be sucked in, people…shop around. If you don’t need 25 announcements, don’t be talked in to paying for them.

Did I mention that there is jewelry to think about? It’s not just class rings these day; there are necklaces, bracelets, and DOG TAGS! You read that right…customizable DOG TAGS! I’ll admit that they are pretty cool looking…but every little thing you add to the design of the tag costs money. Just to see what it would be like, I let my son design a tag. He didn’t go overboard with the bling ,he’s not a bling lover, but the final price would have been over $600…for a dog tag. I told him that for $600 that darn thing better sing to him! We decided to design a class ring instead. This ring is BAD ASS! It also costs half of what the dog tag would’ve cost, so…WINNER!