Hello Class of 2021

I know in years past you have watched your friends and family graduate and you hear stories about all of the awesome things that they did during their senior year. You got to watch them walk across the stage and receive their diplomas/degrees, now years later you were planning out your moment on the stage and your celebrations with friends.

Then the pandemic hit.

Suddenly all of your plans were dashed, I know it must have been so hard for many of you to lose out on your senior years. To not get that final homecoming game or to go to that dance, to lose out on many summer jobs, to miss out on your sports seasons, or to not get that final play or concert.

You probably didn't imagine that your final classes would involve sitting in front of a computer screen in your home rather than in a classroom with friends. You probably didn't think you would be finishing your final semester of college in your childhood bedroom.

Now that you are in your final semester, wondering if you will get that prom or graduation. You already lost out on so much, Zoom will never replace a full experience.

Yes, virtual graduation is better than no graduation at all, however, nothing virtual will ever replace that moment that you lost, walking to shake the college president's or principal's hand as your grabbed your diploma or degree cover, with your loved ones watching on.

Your feelings are valid, you are allowed to feel frustrated and upset. Don't let anyone tell you that your feelings don't matter, some may say that there are worse things going on, they may tell you to get over it, and say "oh well that's life" but you are allowed to have those feelings.

Despite everything you are coming out of this so much stronger and much wiser, they may say that you are falling behind in the academic sense, but maybe you are adapting to a new normal.

I know this is not what you imagined your final years being, but I know for sure that this is going to be one for the history books. We are all apart of history, hopefully soon enough especially with a silver lining (vaccines!) this will all just be one bad memory.

We are all in this together, stay strong class of 2021 you got this!

Sincerely

A 2020 Graduate