Four students smiling on graduation day in front of the Guildhall

From us to you, ten things to do to prepare for life as a UoP graduate

3 min read

Graduation season is just around the corner - caps, gowns, celebrations and goodbyes. As you step into the next chapter, it’s worth knowing that your connection to the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ doesn’t end here and it’s not really goodbye but a welcome to your alumni community. 

In the countdown to the big day, as part of the Countdown to Cap and Gown blog series, we have written a list of ten helpful things to do as you prepare for life after graduation and the transition from UoP student to alumni.

Firstly, hello!

Alumni Team smiling at camera on a sunny day

We’re your first port of call if you want to get back in touch with the university. Whether you’re looking to reconnect, share your story or get involved, we’re here to help.

Alumni, Sponsorship and Partnership team, Recruitment, Marketing and Communications

1. What does ‘alumni’ mean?

Alumni simply refers to former students of a university, however in reality, it’s much more than that. The alumni community is a global network of over 290,000 Portsmouth graduates. Once you graduate, you’re part of a community that continues to support and celebrate you. Plus, we're not ready to say goodbye yet. Keep an eye on your inbox. Alumni communications officially begin after graduation and are there to help you and remind you of the great benefits.

2. Get graduation day ready

Check out the to discover information about your graduation, answers to common questions and other useful links. Keep an eye on your emails, too - the Graduation team will be in touch with ticket and gowning reminders.

3. The beginning of a new chapter

Moving from being a student to an alum can feel strange at first. You're closing one door and opening another. Embrace the change and take a moment to reflect on what you've achieved. This is just the beginning of the rest of your life!

4. Update your contact details

Once you’ve left, your student email will be deactivated two years after your course end date. Alumni communications will be sent to the email address within the student records system, meaning if we reach out to you on your university email, we'll lose touch one day. If this is the case, we will let you know how to update your details with us. 

5. Move important files over

Don’t lose access to work you might want in the future. Save important documents, projects, and emails from your university account and transfer them to a personal drive or email. The Google Takeout tool is very useful for this and can be accessed through the .

6. Stay connected

Follow the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Alumni ,  and  accounts. It's a great way to stay in the loop with university news, networking events, connect with fellow grads, hear alumni stories and discover opportunities to give back.

7. Check out the Graduate Toolkit

The Careers and Employability Service isn’t the only benefit graduates have access to. From discounted further study, a Fast Track route for applications, library membership, continued access to Ravelin Sports Centre, invites to University events and more - there’s plenty of ways to stay connected and reap the benefits. Discover these perks and useful resources on the Graduate Toolkit.

8. Celebrate your journey

Take time to enjoy your graduation day and celebrate all you’ve accomplished - check out the Get graduation ready blog in this series for tips on how to get ready for the big day. Share your photos, tag the university and keep the memories alive! Don’t forget to use the #UoPGrad on your social posts as we love to see how you’re getting on during graduation and beyond.

9. Think about how you want to stay involved

There are so many ways to stay part of the Portsmouth community through mentoring, speaking at events, contributing to blogs or maybe one day contributing financially. It's up to you how involved you want to be!

10. Forever purple

Graduation might feel like the end of an era, but it’s also the beginning of a lifelong connection. We are here to support you as you take your next steps. Wherever life takes you next, remember you’ve worked hard to get to this point and you’ll always be part of Portsmouth.