UNITED STATES─This is indeed a frustrating time for many Americans. The notion of not being able to go out and live life to its fullest it’s a trying task for so many people. With that said, I feel for high school students and college students right now. I have my own reason people, which I will explain later. However, for high school seniors they are missing major milestones right now. I mean senior year is that final hurrah of being immature and not fully caring about life. Most seniors are not getting that opportunity at all. In addition to missing out to bonding time with friends, they’re missing prom and ultimately graduation.
Yeah, prom only happens once in your lifetime and to miss that for most seniors, especially girls is heartbreaking. Can you imagine not getting that opportunity to get dressed up, ride in a limousine and have that night out? While missing prom might be big for some, I think the thought of NOT getting that opportunity to walk across the stage for high school graduation is a brutal punch. I mean all the hard work throughout life to have that 2-3 hour event that culminates with the next stage of life totally sucks.
That is something my nephew is experiencing right now, as well as myself. No, I am not graduating high school, I’m not graduating from college, but I am completing my Master’s Degree in a few weeks. I mean for nearly 4 years I have been working diligently towards this milestone. I mean if being the first in my family to accomplish such a milestone is not pressure, try juggling two jobs at the same time. I mean I remember my undergraduate graduation like it was yesterday. You want to be celebrated for your hard work, getting those accolades from family and friends, but so many college students won’t get that opportunity.
Would I be lying if I told you I was not bummed? I would be because it was something I was so looking for just because it’s acknowledgment that all the work that you put in is paying off. Even if it’s just for a few seconds to walk across that stage hold your degree, take a picture and hear some cheers, it’s a ‘moment’ and it’s something you will never forget and that’s why it’s so important to me. So for all of you missing those major milestones in the educational world I feel your pain people I really do.
Not all milestones are in the educational field. So many people who had weddings planned had to postpone or develop another approach to celebrate. Which after months of planning and paying for venues, it’s a complete bust; so the stress for the bride is understood and the same for the groom. You can also tack on the notion for those who are having their first child. That is something so many people want to celebrate, but besides mom and dad, it’s just not safe to expose your newborn to a host of others with COVID-19 still very present in our lives. This does not mean we cannot celebrate milestones; we just have to approach things in a new way.
Video conference calls have become the new norm for most Americans, with some hosting weddings virtually, some undergraduates getting dressed in their cap and gown and recording their big moment with their degree in hand. You also have the same happening for the birth of a new child and other big milestones in our lives. It’s not normal people, but it is indeed the new norm at the moment. With that said, just know when this is all over we’ll get that opportunity to celebrate that big milestone we want to celebrate. It might be delayed for a few weeks or months, but it’s not the end of the world.
