What It’s Like to Graduate From College During a Pandemic
This is what my senior year of college looks like: copious amounts of coffee, a seemingly endless stack of texts to read, some houseplants and my planner, and — of course — my reliable laptop.
Like many other students, I will be graduating with my bachelor’s degree during the Covid-19 pandemic. I have to admit — I didn’t care that I couldn’t celebrate my graduation until I began my final quarter of classes. It sunk in while I logged into classes during my last first-day-of-school. In March, after a year of online education, I’ll be done.
I can’t help but think of all the things I’m missing: waiting in line for a cup of Tony’s Coffee before an early-morning class; reading under the sun in Red Square; meeting friends for bagels in Zoe’s; working on assignments in Miller Hall’s beautiful glass room. These experiences are unique to my college experience at Western Washington University, my life in Bellingham for the last three years, but the sense of loss and disappointment is universal.
Finishing my last year of college online has been incredibly hard. Canvas and Zoom have been, at times, impossible for even my professors to navigate. I feel as though I’m teaching myself much of the content, and struggle with inconsistent and confusing schedules. There’s a reason that, in five years of higher education, I had only taken one or two online courses — I just don’t enjoy them.
One of the things I loved most about being a student at WWU was the sense of community; I chose to major in creative writing because of that community. The in-person aspect of higher education is especially important in an area of study like creative writing. One of the most invaluable elements of these courses is being able to workshop your written work. You need to be able to sit with a small group of students to discuss your most recent work, to get their insight and answer their questions, but that requires a great deal of trust. That sense of trust is lost over Zoom, as you miss out on building connections with your classmates.
I don’t mean to sound whiny or ungrateful. I know that graduating is still an accomplishment, even without a celebration. I know my school will hold in-person commencement ceremonies once large gatherings are safe again, and I can attend that. I know I’m not the only person to miss out on celebrating a major life event; I’m just sad to miss out on something I’ve looked forward to for the last five years. I’ve worked hard for my degree.
I wish I could have those memories to look back on — walking the stage, celebrating with my family and friends. I wish I could celebrate the way students normally do. So I’ll get a cake and some balloons, maybe find a cheap cap to decorate. My boyfriend and I can make dinner and watch a movie. I’ll do what I can until I can do what I want.
To the other grads of 2021 — congratulations!
