Please someone put me out of my misery, what is the hat called when you graduate from uni?
MORTARBOARD The mortarboard is a modification of the four-cornered, ecclesiastic biretta worn by cardinals and bishops. The biretta is an acknowledged symbol of mastership and an appropriate cap for graduates. For academic purposes, the crown of the cap was enlarged to such an extent that it required some form of support to keep it from falling down on the face. This support took the form of a square piece of cardboard. With subsequent modifications the crown became flat and square, like the cardboard, and a skull cap was fitted underneath. Of course, the cap is called a mortarboard because it resembles the square board masons use to carry mortar.
