Today is #graduation day for so many and I have been aching for those who have been robbed by the pandemic of their in-person ceremonies and celebrations. It’s not the graduation anyone anticipated – no crowded rooms full of proud parents and loved ones, no champagne toast with friends you’ve made in your years at school, no post-grad party to begin reliving fond memories.
And though necessary and well-intended, virtual ceremonies pale in comparison to the real thing. In truth, nothing except an actual graduation with white chairs digging into the grass or an auditorium bustling with jittery students, or endless photoshoots with friends and selfies with tassels can take its place. And no one should try and say a virtual thing is just as good because it just isn’t.
But one thing – virtual or traditional – that does not change is the achievement of those graduating. Whether you’re a senior in high school, going into the ‘real world’ post university, or getting your second, third, fourth degrees in a specialized field, YOU DID IT! What a tremendous achievement. You’ve endured years of schooling, had countless late nights, panicked about the future and wondered about job security, made lovely new friends and learned things that will likely not really even help much but are still cool things to know anyway.
Now, i hope you passionately pursue the next chapter of your life and that you are met with favor with each step forward. And I’m sure you know by now that the journey to greater achievement is never painless, never without its failures and slumps. But when those moments come – and they will – I hope you remember your resilience. You are the class that graduated during a freaking pandemic! You can conquer anything. My heartfelt congratulations to you, #classof2020
YOU DID IT!!!!!
Sincerely,
a random person on the internet