To the class of 2020:
This isn’t how it was supposed to end. It was your turn. It was your turn to walk in the graduation gown to Pomp and Circumstance. Finally, that inspirational graduation speech pertained to you. You’ve worked for it. High school seniors, it was your turn for those senior rites of passage- senior nights with your teams, one last concert, senior breakfasts, prom. College grads- you worked on that thesis endlessly and never got to defend it in front of that panel of professors. You earned those cords at graduation and now you get to wear them from the comfort of your couch while your university honors you in the safest possible way. What about those carefree days after finals where you were supposed to be with your college friends for one last time? Those moments were taken away from you.
Class of 2020, you’ve been robbed. There’s no soft-close on this chapter of your life- it was slammed in your face. Graduates, your launch into the next phase of your life is uniquely yours. The trail is yours to blaze but the departure time is unknown. The future is shrouded in uncertainty. Job markets? Freshman orientation in the fall? Summer internships? nobody can look you in the eye and tell you what to expect. That’s a hard life lesson to learn right out of the gate. Here’s what we know: you’re allowed to grieve the loss of your senior moments. It’s okay to feel sad about it. Maybe you’ve cried. Maybe you’re angry. You may feel scared. Grief and loss are real. Fear is real. A mix of emotions is real.
Know this, class of 2020: We see you. The future is uncertain- but bright. All your hard work was worth it and will take you far. The world needs your ideas, your creativity, and your vitality. Right now, life is day-by-day. Use this time to pay attention to your feelings. Cope with them in the healthiest ways you know how because once you hit that trail, we’re going to watch you blaze on. Congratulations Class of 2020!
Written by: Amy Wagner
