It has finally come. Where we say goodbye, put on our caps and gowns, and walk across the stage…or do we? Maybe this year we all log on to zoom? I can’t speak for all universities, but this year Montclair State University will be hosting an in-person graduation. Although I’m very happy, we still don’t have all of the information we need such as the time, how many family members or friends are allowed to attend and how can we practice social distancing during the ceremony.
A little after March 1st, Montclair State released the commencement dates which got me really excited. I can’t believe I only have two months left and I will officially be done with school. Since the pandemic, many celebrations were put to a halt such as senior trips and graduation. It was a hard time for many students who had their names called over zoom. At one point I wasn’t even sure if my university would even host an in-person graduation.
There are so many mixed emotions about the “pandemic” graduation and being apart of generation Z. Generation Z is the generation that was born between 1996-2010, a little after millennials. We’re the ones who have suffered the most. Entering our early to mid-20s, the term “live your best life” has stopped, and now we’re all wearing masks, gloves, washing our hands five times a day and last year some of us flipped our graduation caps through our computer screens.
I haven’t had the experience of having virtual graduation, and hopefully, I won’t have to but I feel that if I was in that situation, I wouldn’t attend. I would simply wait for my degree to come in the mail. Virtual graduation takes the fun out of possibly seeing your friends for one last time, that final moment you can say goodbye to your campus adventures, or in my case being a Redhawk.
We worked hard for four years just to celebrate it in the end, because we finally did it. Some of us have reached goals that our parents didn’t get to reach.
With some questions in mind, how exactly will universities sum up how many guests you should have? Everyone wants to invite their parents, their favorite cousins, and their grandparents, but with a limited percentage of how many people can be in the same space, it worries me. I would have to narrow down who is important enough [besides my parents] to attend a memorable moment.
Students like Adekunbi Lahanmi, a senior at Montclair State loves the idea of in-person graduation and what it represents.
“I’m actually glad they’re still hosting graduation in person but still maintaining social distancing and safety protocols,” she said. “I worked as a student ambassador at last year’s graduation that was moved towards the middle of summer and they kept COVID-19 in mind.” “It gives us seniors a chance to still walk for graduation, it’s an everlasting tradition,” Lahanmi finished.
Lahanmi also added that she wouldn’t attend a virtual graduation because she wouldn’t have the same feeling.
“It’s a nice gesture, but I wouldn’t want to waste my time and sit in front of a screen to have my name called and that’s it,” she said.
This year has been the hardest and I hope all universities take into consideration what’s at stake if they choose a virtual graduation and the same for in-person. You have many pros and cons for both decisions, but as for all seniors just keep your head up. It’s almost over.