Getting caught up in a pandemic was not on my agenda for senior year as I'm sure it wasn't for the graduating classes of 2020. If there is anything I can say I've learned about life is that nothing goes according to plan. But as painful and disappointing as life can be, that's just something we all have to accept whether we like it or not.

I think, in no means to compete with any other graduation year, the class of 2020 does have it the worst. And as traditional as we want all activities to be, I'm sorry to tell you, but it is not possible. Parents and students are driving themselves insane trying to push for the impossible. As long as we are under the current state we are in, this is the new normal. It gets to a point where you have to let it go. Everything happens for a reason and everyone has to learn to make the best out of a bad situation. And that does not mean protesting, it means accepting the things you cannot change.

Furthermore, students and parents are harassing state and district officials to change the rules and how things are being conducted. These officials are also people. Their jobs aren't to do as you ask, their job is to do the best they can to protect and serve the citizens. They chose to save a couple of lives at the expense of letting some seniors walk across a stage.

These graduates may have to walk the stage with a mask, or even not at all depending on the protocol in their respective states. It's ungrateful for anyone to argue for a traditional graduation when there are people dying every day from a global pandemic that could infect anyone. Globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. Although 3.4% looks like a small number, 380,00 isn't. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening.

Stop telling these graduates they deserve something that's not even possible. Nobody owes them anything. It's called life. No one is entitled to anything, we all get no less than what we deserve. Your happiness lies with you, not what some other people do for you. We are entering the next chapters of our life and it's time we start developing that adult mindset. Stop throwing tantrums, face the issue, and accept it. When graduation comes around no matter how it's being conducted, the one thing you'll remember is being surrounded by loved ones.