I am not a graduate this year; actually, I still have two years until I graduate college so a pretty long time. My boyfriend though is a graduate this year with his bachelor's degree. It took him a lot longer than it takes some other people and that's okay. I feel really bad for him though because he is finally done and ready to start the rest of his life and doesn't even get the chance to celebrate his amazing achievement. He doesn't get to walk with the other graduates at ECU. He doesn't get to stand on the huge football field and turn his tassel. It's very sad. Not only that, but we can't even throw him a watch party because you can't have gatherings.
I feel especially bad also for the seniors graduating high school. I know in high school I looked forward to going to prom and having that special day to dress up and have fun with my friends at night all dressed up. Everyone in high school looks forward to that night. I also looked forward to graduation day - it's what you look forward to all of high school. You get to walk across that stage and receive a diploma then take pictures with all of your friends. It's an amazing day. But this year our seniors don't get to experience that, which is very sad. I feel very bad for them, and I think they have been stripped of celebrating their milestones.
After this is over and everyone returns to their normal routine, these 2020 graduates will not get to do that. The college graduates will have to find a job and start their adult lives, and the high school graduates will be attending new schools maybe even in different states to start their college or career. It's scary to think about for them, I am sure. You only get to graduate high school once. When that moment is gone, it's just gone. They are not going through the same thing as those of us who get to return to normal are going through.
To the graduates (high school or college) you need to know you will be okay. Eventually, you will settle in and what you decide to do will become your new normal. You will get the hang of it and this will just be a memory of something you had to work through. It may even take some time to decide what you want to do or what you want to settle in as, but you will get there.
