The Student Room Group

my uni's robe hire is broken so i might miss graduation

so i was class of 2020, really looking forward to graduation and finally got the email to get roes and tickets and told we would get to keep our cap as a waiting fight, went thought the ticket process with what i assumed was no issue, during it i got told nothing about robes while doing so so i assumed it was a separate thing on the same site, couldn't find how to get them so emailed the company multiple times over 2 weeks as they said it was all limited, only today i got a reply, after 2 weeks saying it had to be all done while booking tickets and thats it.


i now have no idea if i will get to go to graduation all because the hire company's website broke, they claim the order can't be amended and "are currently trying to solve this issue" on their own site, thats already broken, and they suggest i just show up early.

im not an fool, i order stuff online a fair bit from multiple websites some not even in English, i know for a fact nothing was said about gown or photograph hire, it feels like iv been kicked while im down after 4 years of study and a year of waiting im being told "sorry our sites to trash guess you're stuck, we got told via email no robe no hire
Go anyway, show up early, people always forget things I bet there will be at least 1 leftover
Call the site and try to manually book a robe, or make a new order.
Is there anywhere else you could order a robe?
Call the uni and ask them what you should do
Have you tried lifting a phone? Getting petulant with 1s and 0s will get you nowhere
Reply 3
Original post by Roasted Potato
Go anyway, show up early, people always forget things I bet there will be at least 1 leftover
Call the site and try to manually book a robe, or make a new order.
Is there anywhere else you could order a robe?
Call the uni and ask them what you should do

I'm planning to call if I don't get a reply via email I'm just really not good on the phone (like really really not good on the phone)
Iv contacted my unis graduation team to see if they can help

As for getting a private one that is an option but my uni uses a really odd hood that's not sold anywhere so I'd have to have it custom made.

Going early is a possibility option but for me a big worry is travel
Well you're not going to get better on the phone by not phoning people...

Seems clear the phone/human interaction is the appropriate form of communication here to get a solution. Email flat out sucks for a lot of problem solving, it's far too easy to ignore for one thing.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm planning to call if I don't get a reply via email I'm just really not good on the phone (like really really not good on the phone)
Iv contacted my unis graduation team to see if they can help

As for getting a private one that is an option but my uni uses a really odd hood that's not sold anywhere so I'd have to have it custom made.

Going early is a possibility option but for me a big worry is travel

Do you have anyone that can ring the uni with you?
No one is even going to see the hood. What uni are you at? Do you have any friends would could make the hood for you and then get a normal gown and just secretly attach it and remove it before you give it back?
Go the day before graudation and get a hotel if travel worries you. Or bring someone with you

You seem to have a lot of worries and fears and you will chat it up in your head. Get someone with you, make it a positive experience and you'll get over it eventually. These things are normal things and some people defo find them hard but you can do it!
1) Contact the company by phone and try to resolve.
2) Contact your uni and let them know your predicament. They will often have a couple of spares knocking around on the day.
How is this even an issue. And you're sure you're graduating uni...?
Original post by Bang Outta Order
How is this even an issue. And you're sure you're graduating uni...?

In farness I can understand why plenty people simply hate phonecalls. I've spent too many years in call centre work to ever really be happy on the phone again. Some things you just can't effectively do by text though.
Original post by StriderHort
In farness I can understand why plenty people simply hate phonecalls. I've spent too many years in call centre work to ever really be happy on the phone again. Some things you just can't effectively do by text though.

Are you op? I was talking to op. And nah he or she is graduating uni. Their time on the phone has just begun assuming they'll be working or dealing with even more dire situations. I'm not even addressing the phone issue though. I'm merely addressing thee robe situation. Literally ask your uni for one. I'm confused, is robe borrowing for graduation normally an issue... I assumed the robe is a standard yet trivial part of graduations around the planet.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Bang Outta Order
Are you op? I was talking to op. And nah he or she is graduating uni. Their time on the phone has just begun assuming they'll be working or dealing with even more dire situations. I'm not even addressing the phone issue though. I'm merely addressing thee robe situation. Literally ask your uni for one. I'm confused, is robe borrowing for graduation normally an issue... I assumed the robe is a standard yet trivial part of graduations around the planet.


Are you OP? I was commenting to you. If you want to Pm them 1 to 1 then Pm them but this is an open discussion? If anything I'm agreeing, it just needs done. :tongue:
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by StriderHort
Are you OP? I was commenting to you. If you want to Pm them 1 to 1 then Pm them but this is an open discussion? If anything I'm agreeing, it just needs done. :tongue:

What

And no I'm not op, I'm not answering a question directed to them like you were. So idk why you're asking if I'm op.


Anyways.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm planning to call if I don't get a reply via email I'm just really not good on the phone (like really really not good on the phone)
Iv contacted my unis graduation team to see if they can help

As for getting a private one that is an option but my uni uses a really odd hood that's not sold anywhere so I'd have to have it custom made.

Going early is a possibility option but for me a big worry is travel

Calling them will be infinitely quicker, as it's harder to fob people off when in direct contact. I highly doubt that they can't make some arrangements for you, as any robe hire company will be used to any eventuality.
Original post by Bang Outta Order
What

And no I'm not op, I'm not answering a question directed to them like you were. So idk why you're asking if I'm op.

Same reason you asked me? I dunno why the pricklyness, pretty obv I'm not the OP since I already replied to them :tongue:
Original post by Anonymous
I'm planning to call if I don't get a reply via email I'm just really not good on the phone (like really really not good on the phone)


It can help to jot down a list of things you need to ask about before you make the call, so you can refer to it while you're talking. That ensures that you cover all the points you need to raise, and helps take some of the stress away.


Iv contacted my unis graduation team to see if they can help

As for getting a private one that is an option but my uni uses a really odd hood that's not sold anywhere so I'd have to have it custom made.


You should be able to buy one from the University's gownmakers -- almost certainly that's the company that hire out the gowns for the ceremony.


Going early is a possibility option but for me a big worry is travel


Then getting there early is likely to relieve one of the anxieties about travelling -- that of getting somewhere late.

The gown hire people will have spares for those who have forgotten to order; have ordered too late; have ordered the wrong thing; who have got the sizing wrong. Getting there early will get you earlier in the queue to get this resolved.
Original post by StriderHort
Well you're not going to get better on the phone by not phoning people...

Seems clear the phone/human interaction is the appropriate form of communication here to get a solution. Email flat out sucks for a lot of problem solving, it's far too easy to ignore for one thing.

Replying to this in case anyone else in the same situation comes across this in a panic like I was. For Ede and Ravenscoft, I called them. They said there isnothing they can do once pre-orders close. You can’tmanually order a gown for the higher price or be put ona list for a pre-order if anyone drops out- I asked! Youhave to get one on the day, they recommend you come2 hours before your ceremony. They are on a first comefirst serve basis so they say it’s not guaranteed.Although I don’t think they are tight for spares. I willupdate with what happens at my ceremony!

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