To the class of 2021:
I know you’re feeling a lot.
It goes without saying that this year has been extremely dark. The repercussions of COVID-19 have been hard for everyone. There’s something about being a college student during a pandemic that hurts a little more. We are painfully aware that we’ve lost part of an experience that so many others got to have… and it’s one we’ll never get back. It isn’t fair.
We’ve made friendships and connections over the past few years. A lot of us finally felt like we were happy and had found our place, only for it to be ripped away from us.
We are mourning what could have been — one of the best years of our lives.
Sitting here, almost a whole year later, it feels different. I’m experiencing less of a feeling of sadness, and more of a sense of intense anger. I’ve heard from friends at other schools who have already watched their graduation get canceled. My university has yet to announce the status of our graduation, but my hope is not high. We need to stay safe, and canceling large events is certainly in the best interest of public safety.
We shouldn’t be here.
We keep hearing that we are the ones who will show incredible resilience as we enter the workforce, that we have new skills and an unparalleled ability to adapt to the new challenges of being alive.
This is true. But that doesn’t mean it’s fair.
We, the class of 2021, deserve to grieve. We do not have to keep looking on the bright side. This has been, and continues to be, a nightmare. We keep waking up, doing our part to keep ourselves and our communities safe, and it doesn’t seem to be enough.
Let yourself feel the anger, sadness, and pain we’ve been taught to suppress. It is possible to feel both thankful for what we have, and heartbroken about what should have been. Grieving is cathartic. It is an integral part of being alive. It does not indicate selfishness. It does not make you a bad person.
We will get through this together. Remember: we can do hard things.
