Graduation party games: ideas to play as a group

The traditional classics

• The papiro. The large sheet with a caricature and rhyming verses about the graduate's life, read aloud in front of everyone. To turn it into a game, have different people read one verse each, or leave a few lines for the graduate to complete.
• The laurel wreath. More a symbol than a game, but it can become the final prize of a series of dares: the graduate "earns" it by passing them.
• The surprise speech. A friend, a parent or an imaginary thesis supervisor: a speech prepared in secret, ideally short and with a few well-chosen anecdotes.

Games to play at home or in a venue

• The graduate quiz. Questions about subjects, professors, exam sessions and study habits. Collect the answers beforehand by asking classmates.
• Guess the exam. Friends act out or describe the toughest exams of the degree: the graduate has to guess which one they're describing.
• The thesis in thirty seconds. The graduate has to explain their thesis in half a minute, with no technical words. Everyone votes for the clearest explanation.
• The congratulations video. Recorded messages from faraway friends, relatives and classmates, edited into a short video shown as a surprise.

Team games for large groups

When the party brings together friends from different circles, university classmates, childhood friends, flatmates, team games are the quickest way to get them acquainted. Mix up the teams so each one has people from different groups.

• The scavenger hunt. Clues tied to the graduate's university life, hidden along a route through the city, with a final prize.
• Photo challenges. A list of photos to take within a time limit, starring the graduate and the laurel wreath.
• The bar tournament. Beer pong, darts or table football at a venue that offers them: easy to organise, and it gets people involved who don't like quizzes.

How not to go too far

Student tradition sometimes pushes towards embarrassing dares for the graduate. The rule to follow is the same as at any party: the guest of honour should have fun, not suffer. If parents and grandparents are there too, save the wilder dares for the friends-only part of the evening, and remember that graduation day is already long and emotional.

All in one route: the graduation party as a scavenger hunt

If you want to combine quizzes, team dares, toasts and a finale without organising every detail, you can turn the party into a game trail through the streets of Turin: puzzles with references to the graduate, challenges between teams and stops at San Salvario partner venues, a few steps from Porta Nuova and the Castello del Valentino. It's built in the app, works from 10 people up and costs from €10 per person.

You'll find how it works on the page about graduation parties in Turin, and if you're still choosing where to celebrate, read our guide on where to celebrate a graduation in Turin.