So it's your senior year of college and basically the whole world is on lockdown, I can relate.

I had a lot planned for this last semester, but I also have a lot planned for the rest of my life. Your senior year might be ending short, but your life is only beginning. It took a lot for me to come to terms with my college years coming to an end. College was always a huge long term goal of mine, when asked about my long term goals, the answer would always be "graduate college," (seriously, it's written in my elementary school yearbook.) While everyone else wanted to become a baseball player or have babies or become a famous pop star, my goal was to go to college because I've always wanted to make a difference in this world we live in.

Now that college is (almost) over along with the lack of closure because it was cut short, it feels like there's nothing left for me to achieve, but there is. College was my one long term goal, but I know there is more out there for me. There will be tons of opportunities beyond college that will allow me to grow and develop into the person I'm trying to become. I am beyond grateful that my school has promised seniors that we will have still a ceremony, even if they ultimately have to reschedule (yay for SUNY!) I'm also excited to move on to new opportunities, get professional experience, and further my education. I hope that all schools find a way to give their graduates the graduation ceremony they dreamed of, but even if it's impossible to attend a ceremony, you still did it! You still graduated college despite all the challenges. All those finals weeks and staying up until 3 a.m. were totally worth it because you get to leave with a degree, proof that you worked so hard and that's a huge achievement that some people can only dream of. You should be proud of yourself, regardless of a flashy commencement ceremony.

You're allowed to be upset at the circumstances, but understand that you still have the chance to change the world and grow as a person. Attending university has expanded your horizons and allowed you to become the thoughtful, intelligent person you are today and no virus or pandemic can take that away from you.

Stay healthy and safe, don't be an idiot and go away for spring break, and make sure you still focus on those online courses to ensure you actually graduate.