First and foremost, I want to congratulate the graduating class of 2021. Hats off on being the first class to walk in and out of a full school year during a pandemic. We’ve all faced many challenges this past year, but there have been many achievements as well. As a member of the class of 2021, it’s easy to spend too much reflection on the negative last year. However, it’s important not to lose sight of all the good things either!
As I talked and worked with many different students throughout Brevard County this year, I often heard things like, “I can’t enjoy my last year of youth” or “I wish that I could have just had a normal year,” and that really made me think about how easy I had it when I was a senior in high school. I would have hated for the world to go into lockdown during my final months there.
I think the only people who can utterly understand how you feel are the Class of 2020 graduates. They missed the opportunity to bond with their classmates and cement the lifelong friendships that usually form during that time. Traditions like proms and senior trips were cancelled. Sporting events and tournaments also couldn’t take place. Graduation ceremonies had to be cancelled or altered. Students lost the chance to celebrate their milestone achievements with family and friends. Many people also lost more than traditions, activities, and ceremonies. Families suffered from loss of employment, housing, or life in their immediate circles. These events often overshadowed what was happening in school.
We were all forced to adapt to major changes. But during this tough time, you all learned lessons that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. Here are some of the things that you can take with you as you continue into the next chapter:
Learning To Adapt To Change
Everything about the past year had to do with learning and adapting to unexpected changes. Whether it was how you were learning and attending school, the way you were communicating and interacting with your fellow classmates, or how you were dealing with and managing all the changes, none of it was normal. But one thing is certain, and that’s that change is constant — and the more that you experience it, the better you’ll be at dealing with it in the future.
Learning New Life Skills
As I like to say, some of the best learning can occur outside of the classroom! Some of you took the opportunity to pick up new life skills during your extended time at home: cooking, cleaning, laundry, budgeting, home improvement work, home repairs, etc. Not only do you now have new skills, but many of you have also developed a hunger to keep learning and expanding your abilities. Cherish that, as it will serve you well in the years to come!
Learning and Working Remotely
Just as you were distance learning from home, many of your parents were (and may still be) working remotely. Many have speculated that working and learning remotely will start to become the norm in a post-coronavirus world, as most of us have proven that we can balance our personal lives with our school or work responsibilities. Harness the newfound independence that comes with this flexibility as you continue through life — it will most likely come in handy!
Spending Time with Your Family
While many of us were forced to stay at home, we also had the chance to spend more quality time with family members. That includes the furry ones, too! I don’t think anyone was happier during that time than my dog, Boscoe. Staying at home reminded many of us about the importance of bonding with those we love, and that’s a lesson we won’t forget anytime soon.
At the end of the day, just know that everyone from your parents to your teachers (including me) is incredibly proud of you and all that you’ve done. We want you to stay motivated and keep up the momentum as you continue with your education, whether that means pursuing something academic, working toward a hands-on technical skill, or even developing a new hobby. Being homebound taught us a lot of things both good and bad, but now it’s time to take the silver lining and run with it.
- To the Graduating Seniors of 2021 - June 30, 2021
- Your Final Semester in High School: What’s Next? - March 24, 2021
- 3 Fun and Productive Things To Do While Attending College Remotely - August 19, 2020
