It’s hard to get noticed when you’re in the middle of a sea of red. Well, scarlet, to be precise. The challenge every year for graduating seniors—how to stand out on Nickerson Field when everyone else is wearing the same thing? How do you distinguish yourself so your grandmother, your parents, or your best friend from home can spot you from way up in the bleachers?

For many, the answer lies in their mortarboard. Who knew that a plate-size square could convey so much?

This year, BU Photography sent staffers all over Nickerson Field during the all-University Commencement to document some of the best-designed caps: they range from the fantastic (a 3-D diorama of Boston landmarks) to the sly (“Game of Loans” reads one) to the inspirational (“Go out into the world and do good”). Not surprisingly, many graduates used their mortarboards to give a shout-out to the parents who helped make the last four years possible. Take a look.