So You've Just Graduated During A Pandemic
Start writing a post
Student Life

So You've Just Graduated During A Pandemic

What does the future hold when no one knows what's going to happen next?

31
So You've Just Graduated During A Pandemic

2020 has been off to a rough start and it seems like this year has lasted much longer than most, and while we joked in 2019 that we'd be starting the new Roaring 20's, we forgot about the 1920s, that led to a Great Depression. For many seniors graduating class of 2020 (high school and college), things have been a little weird. Your commencement ceremony was either held virtually on Zoom or you were able to have a drive-by graduation put on by your school or your family. You missed out on walking across a stage and receiving your diploma. Your graduation trips were canceled, your family couldn't celebrate with you, and many of you weren't able to hug your friends goodbye and wish them the best of luck on their future endeavors.

For college seniors, things were put on an awkward pause. You don't know when you can return to your dorms or apartments to pick up the rest of your belongings and move out, especially if you went home for your one-week Spring Break and weren't able to return to your college town. You're not sure if your graduate school classes will be held on-campus or online. The job you applied for is not allowing you to work, so it feels like you're suspended in time.

But what can be done, really? All we can do as a collective group is to sit and wait until we hear some good news, or see some positive changes. While some states and countries are slowly reopening and allowing people to return to work and the "new normal" is put into effect, other states are stuck in the Twilight Zone, with their residents unable to visit family, gather to celebrate graduations and marriages and other joyous events, and many people have found themselves still unemployed, wondering how to pay their bills and support themselves and their families.

For those of us that have graduated as the class of 2020, we must look at the bright side. We will go down in history as the class that graduated in a pandemic. We must remember the changes that were made and the new things we learned and had to adapt to. We must not take for granted the positives that have come from this. We learned new skills and picked up on old hobbies. We spent more time connecting with family and friends. We laughed, we cried, and we tried to make the best out of this terrible situation. We will come back stronger, more knowledgable, and hopefully, more humane and caring. We will be the class that history will never forget.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

91199
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

65736
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments