by Kyra Lennon

Created on: May 15, 2010

It's nearly graduation time, and many students are counting down the days to summer! Soon they will be revelling in the feeling of excitement at taking the next step, but also thinking back to everything they've been through to get to this point in their lives. Graduation is a pivotal moment in the life of a teenager, and it just wouldn't be the same without some graduation songs to excite and inspire.

1.Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield - My first graduation song pick comes from Natasha Bedingfield. She allegedly wrote this song for her younger brother as a way to inspire him. The lyrics encourage getting out there and experiencing everything for yourself and embracing every opportunity. "Drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins."

2. School's Out by Alice Cooper - A proper "old skool" graduation song. Although it was released in 1972, this song is still well known. Alice Cooper was inspired to write the song after he was once asked what were the greatest three minutes of his life. One of his answers was "the last three minutes of the last day at school". Everyone can relate to that feeling, and Cooper managed to perfectly embody it  in this song.

3. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson - This is a song about hope. It tells the story of a young girl who dreams of escaping the small town she came from and being free to explore who she really is. "I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly, I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky". Many will feel this way on graduation day. 

4. Leave The Memories Alone by Fuel - Imagine this graduation song being used during a slide show of high school memories. A real tear jerker, it will remind students of all the good times they had with their friends.

5. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day - "Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road, time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go". This is the opening line from Good Riddance. The intention was not to be a graduation song, but somehow the lyrics still fit!

6.Don't Stop Believing by Glee Cast/Journey - A bit like School's Out, this song talks about holding onto the feeling of a magical moment. It's about telling yourself you can reach your goals.

7. The Climb by Miley Cyrus/Joe McElderry - Optimism seems to be the theme with graduation songs, but this one has a touch of realism. It's about striving for what you want, but also about realising you can't win them all. The important thing is the journey

8.I'm So Excited by the Pointer Sisters - Another old but great song for graduation. It's fun, lively and excitement is built right in!

9.Things Will Never Be The Same by Roxette - On graduation day, as well as feeling excited about the start of something new, there will also be a lot of goodbyes. Good graduation songs should bring emotion, and this Roxette track will certainly do that. It's about not knowing when you will see someone again, something that will surely be on the minds of the graduates.

10.Taking Chances by Celine Dion - The title kind of says it all! It's about taking a leap of faith instead of worrying about what could go wrong. It's gentle encouragement to cease an opportunity instead of letting it pass by. 

Every graduation song on this list is sure to envoke powerful emotions, some of happiness, some of fear, some of anticipation. But the one thing they all bring is a message of hope for the future. All things must come to an end, but with these songs you will always remember how your graduation marked the start of a whole new journey.

Learn more about this author, Kyra Lennon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.