Hundreds of students are hanging onto hope that Florida Atlantic University will reschedule their graduation ceremony after a threat canceled the last commencement ceremony of the day Tuesday.
With gold and glitter on their caps and big smiles on their faces, students robbed of their experience to walk at graduation posed in pictures to document a milestone.
"It's been a very long journey and it was going to be a very big accomplishment," said Eleni Anastasi, a sociology major and graduate at FAU.
More than 400 FAU students were lined up and waiting to hit the stage for their graduation ceremony Tuesday evening when police learned of a threat.
"We were all taking pictures, everyone was super excited, getting ready for our graduation and we got the announcement; they were going to cancel the graduation," added Anastasi.
Parents went home without the videos of their kids walking to get their diplomas.
"She's my first one too. I'm a little disappointed, but I’m glad she still made it," said Anastasi's mother, Sonia.
Hundreds of families traveled miles and miles to be here. Anastasi said she had relatives fly in from New York for the ceremony.
Wilna Triche studied long hours to get to this day. She's also a sociology major with high marks.
"I was just kind of looking forward to getting called on stage with the honors title behind it, but it is what it is what it is," she said.
Her fiance was also disappointed for her.
"I've seen her work hard countless hours of like nights without sleeping, just everything that she’s gone through for her to not walk across the stage, it's crazy unbelievable," said Luxene Medastin.
But all of the students were grateful there was no real tragedy Tuesday, the owls held their heads up high and decided the night was young to celebrate all they have accomplished.
"We’re just going to party try to make the best of it," added Anastasi.
FAU has not said if it will reschedule the ceremony for the 462 students. In a statement a spokesperson for the university said, "Every effort will be made to give these students the recognition they deserve."