Graduating in the midst of a pandemic.
We waited twelve years for this, not knowing that ‘this’ would be social distancing and quarantine. My senior class had so much left to give, but our last three months of high school were lost to something entirely out of our hands, and it is heartbreaking.
There is no list of emotions I could compose that would adequately represent how we feel. The truth is, unless you are a graduating senior, you probably wouldn’t understand. Senior prank, senior spirit week, senior parade, senior ditch day, senior prom, senior sunrise, honors night, our last assembly, and graduation are just some of the irreplaceable moments my class will never get the chance to experience. Visiting colleges, saying goodbye to our teachers and our campus — these are not things we can get back. Our schools are endlessly trying to make up for this, and while we appreciate it, there is no yard sign or drive-through ceremony that can replace these precious, unforgettable moments.
It is an emotional, confusing, and terrifying time in the world right now. There is a virus killing millions of people. The economy is crashing. My class will graduate only to face all of this head on while we are barely entering the world as adults. We will now have to chart a new and unforeseen course into adulthood, and it will by no means be easy. We have imagined our lives after high school a thousand times, and the days that always seemed so far away are now our unquestionable reality. On top of the usual anxieties, the universe has thrown in another obstacle: a pandemic.
The loss and pain that COVID-19 has brought is beyond comprehension, but what lies on the other side of this tragedy? We’ve seen the extremes of humanity. We have seen hate, ignorance and fear, but we have also seen great acts of courage and compassion. My senior class will ultimately learn and grow far more from this pandemic than we can possibly imagine right now. It will teach us to press on in the face of fear and confusion. It will teach us that despite unconventional celebrations and goodbyes, we should be proud and excited to take on new responsibilities and goals.
When asked how coronavirus has impacted senior year, I could take the euphemistic approach to cover up all the emotions my class has endured. However, it would not be an accurate representation of these past few months. I ask you to think of your final moments of your senior year. Think of your graduation, all your family and friends crowding around you, hugging you, telling you how proud they are of you. Today, there is no crowding and there is no hugging. There are only Zoom calls, masks and ‘6 feet apart’ guidelines. We respect and understand these regulations. We want to flatten the curve. We want to see the end of this pandemic. But we also want to graduate the way our parents, teachers, bosses, coworkers and friends were able to. We want to say goodbye to highschool. We want closure.
Unfortunately, this is simply not possible right now. All we have is the future, and all the possibilities it has in store for us. We graduated in the midst of a pandemic, we did our part, and we will continue to as we move forward. This experience has altered our last memories of high school, but it will also be the driving force that pushes us to work that much harder in the next stage of our lives.
