Class of 2023, could I have your attention, please? Through it all, ("it" being a global pandemic, worldwide turmoil, a likely very overwhelming workload, and a somewhat uncertain future looming ahead,) you're here. Your graduation day has finally arrived.

It's easy to get lost in all of the fuss that you'll come to experience during the end of your student tenure. But the semester comes to a close, let's practice remaining in the present, and take a moment to f*cking celebrate. Cue up the Elle Woods montage of your school years because you did it! All of your hard work, deadline anxiety, and discussion board rambling are finally paying off. Soon enough you'll receive the official diploma that only cost you about 17 all-nighters and 72,807,102,340,017,214 ounces of coffee. Give or take.

This call for a humble—scratch that—shameless brag. The people deserve a space to celebrate you, and one of those spaces should be an IG comment section. So let's get ready to plot your obligatory graduation IG post.

Once you put on the look you def had planned since mid-sophomore year, we’ve got the captions to accompany your grid pic. Your degree-owning brain has been through enough already. Please peruse, use, and drink all the bubbly as you post and scroll.

Want to steal more pre-written captions from us? Subscribe to Cosmo Unlocked and I promise we won't call you out.

When you’re just oozing with pride…

  1. I’d like to thank coffee for allowing me to get to this point.
  2. I’d like to thank the Academy….
  3. Last but not least, I express my gratitude to Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.
  4. Guess I was able to make a few of those 11:59 deadlines.
  5. I personally would like to thank *me* for getting to this point.
  6. The two most important mothers in my life: my real ma and my (diplo)ma.

When you realize you’re, um, an actual adult now…

  1. I can nap now, yes?
  2. Ughhhhh, do I have to?
  3. This is the beginning of the rest of my life. So that’s fun!
  4. Woof, welcome to the real world.
  5. Raise your hands if you’re graduating and you still don’t know what to do...
  6. Where’s my party?
  7. Peace out, I guess?
  8. Graduated and still clueless.
  9. Graduated! Now what…?

When there’s really only one thing on your mind 💸…

  1. TBH, today is the one day I’m not thinking about student loans.
  2. Leave me a-loan, thanks.
  3. Graduation, aka the day your parents start collecting interest.
  4. I’m so glad I could spend all those years and money on THIS piece of paper.
  5. Hello! What is a job? Can I has one?
  6. So, like, anyone hiring…?
  7. Hiring managers: note that I'm extremely qualified to work from home, (I own many sweats.)
  8. Excuse me while I grab my “hire me” sign.
  9. Now can someone pls explain taxes to me?
  10. Accepting job offers starting...now. Inquire within my DMs.

When you’re feeling nothing but earnest-AF gratitude…

  1. Bye forever!!!
  2. All this hassle for a tassel, amirite????
  3. I’m so happy, I’ll be calling it a “glad-uation” (sorry not sorry).
  4. It’s about time!
  5. Huh. Might be too late to drop out...
  6. I’m still waiting for everyone to start singing like in High School Musical.
  7. Class is dismissed…forever!
  8. Wait, I passed?
  9. Too cool for school.

When you're ready to sing your own praises

  1. "Who needs a degree when you're Schoolin' Life?" —Beyoncé
  2. "As we go on, we remember/All the times we had together." —Vitamin C
  3. "It's about damn time." —Lizzo
  4. "Knock me down nine times but I get up 10" —Cardi B
  5. "I'll drink to that!" —Rihanna
  6. "I used to pray for times like this." —Meek Mill
  7. "Thank U, Next." —Ariana Grande
  8. “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.” —Taylor Swift
  9. "Level Up" —Ciara
  10. "My granny told me you goin' to school/Getting that degree and making it cool" —Megan Thee Stallion
  11. "I might be too strung out on compliments/Overdosed on confidence." —Drake
  12. "I know the world and I know who I am/It's 'bout time I show it" —Beyoncé
  13. "I'm happier than ever." —Billie Eilish
  14. "I took it and I ran for it/I won it then I stand on it/Money on the floor when we dance on it." —Doja Cat
  15. "I'm levitating." —Dua Lipa

When you’ve got to make the “hottest graduate” list…

  1. The adult world is about to get a whole lot spicier!
  2. What, like it's hard?
  3. You’ve seen me in a cap, now you should see me in a crown.
  4. Robe up!!!
  5. Is this what being an adult looks like?
  6. More than a pretty face. (A pretty face with a degree!)
  7. Get ready, world, you just got one degree hotter. ;)
  8. Gotta add “college graduate” to my dating profile.
  9. I know how to work a shapeless gown.

When you’re honestly just glad to be done…

  1. What is studying anymore?
  2. Mischief managed.
  3. Consider me Class of 202(done)
  4. I hope you caught that because I won’t be doing it again anytime soon.
  5. Caffeine and my TikTok FYP got me here.
  6. "Hate to see her go, but I love to watch her leave," —my Quizlet account.
  7. “Well, that was easy!” —no one ever
  8. I did that! Me! Hi! Hello!
  9. 🎵Watch out world I'm grown nowww🎵
  10. You can graduate with honors. I’m just honored to graduate.
  11. Don’t cry for me, campus quad.
  12. "First Day Out" track dropping soon.
Headshot of Annabel Iwegbue
Annabel Iwegbue
Annabel Iwegbue is an editorial assistant who covers entertainment, beauty, fashion & astrology. When she's not writing, she's either deep in her TikTok FYP or harassing people for their birth chart info. Follow Annabel on Instagram here where her account is mostly dedicated to posting Britney Spears songs on her story.