The ‘Coronavirus Class of 2020

of CELEBRATING THE ‘CORONAVIRUS CLASS 2020’ FIRST PLACE

Isat in my car an extra minute on the morning of March 13, trying to figure out how to make my early final day of high school last a little longer.

That day was a blur of discussions about what online learning would look like for the few weeks we were scheduled to be out of the classroom. In the middle of all of that, our class met in the gym to take the senior class photo. As I waited to be placed with my row by the photographer, I looked around the gym and at each of my classmates, watching them talking and laughing in groups. I desperately wanted to drink in these last moments.

Even with the excitement that the end of year photo brought, the room felt heavy with emotion. Confusion, sadness, uncertainty. Behind every smile we put on for the camera, I know we all wondered when, if ever, we would be celebrating together again.

The feelings and thoughts I had in the days immediately following were unexplainable. Not only was I wondering what I’d be missing in those few weeks, I was worried about what we would be missing out on if we drew closer to April, and the

BY VERENA DANIEL BRANDYWINE CLASS OF 2020

situation wasn’t any better.

I thought endlessly about my last quiz bowl season being cut short, and my last season of track and field that I had waited for all year being impacted as well. I thought about the possibility of prom, graduation and so many other big events being canceled, and not having one last chance to dress up and dance the night away with my best friends. I was disappointed about the honors assembly being canceled, and our class never getting to be recognized for our hard work over the last four years. I constantly checked the news, hoping for signs that the social distancing measures were working, and we’d be going back to school in time. I realized I would probably never be back at school, and came to terms with it as best I could.

It felt like something was missing. After 13 years of school, having it all end practically overnight made it hard to find closure.

I know I’m not alone in feeling like this, not by a long shot. I know the entire class of 2020 is going through this together.

Through this unprecedented time, we’re realizing how resilient we are. For many of us, this is the first major crisis we’ve faced in our young lives. It’s kind of interesting timing in a way. Most of us were born in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. We came into the world as it was picking up the pieces and figuring out how to heal from that horrific day.

As my senior class enters adulthood, we find ourselves thrust into another catastrophe. It only makes sense that as we leave this phase of our lives, we’re doing it in a time that will be talked about in “I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing” conversations years from now.

We knew lots of changes were coming this year after graduation, and we were just getting excited to start our college

and career journeys. But now, on top of navigating the transition from high school to the real world, we’re also figuring out how to handle this new way of life in a world facing a pandemic.

We’re experiencing feelings of loss that are called invalid, or belittled by comparisons to worse situations. We feel out of touch with our friends and classmates because we might live in a world where technology can facilitate social interaction, but it doesn’t replace seeing our friends every day. But our class is finding the light at the end of the tunnel despite these dark times.

The Class of 2020, with immense support from our families and communities, is finding joy and happiness in new places. We’re taking a step back and reflecting on the hands we’ve been dealt.

This isn’t how we expected, or wanted, our high school experience to end by any means. But we know that there is an end to every good thing. We’re choosing to appreciate the time we’ve had together and continuing to look to the future for hope.

There are better days ahead. There is a new adventure waiting for us when this global crisis is finally over. It may take some time for us to be able to celebrate our academic achievements at graduation, but for now, we celebrate our memories with each other. We celebrate seeing our bonds withstanding extended time away from one another, and we celebrate this new and rare experience and all it can teach us.

That’s what we’ll be remembered for. We’ve decided that there’s not much we can do to make the school closure any less disappointing, but there’s so much we can do for ourselves and each other during this time. We’ve learned the value of everyday life that we once took for granted.

We will be remembered as the class that came together and held virtual classes and backyard proms with siblings and close friends, and decorated our doors to show our class pride. We will be remembered as the ones who used our time in quarantine to continue working towards our diploma through online classes along with finding new hobbies and ways to spend our time.

Twenty years from now, we’ll be remembered as the graduating class that used unconventional means to overcome the circumstances facing us.

Ultimately, we’ll forever be known as the Coronavirus Class of 2020, the ones who took an untimely and unprecedented event in stride and didn’t let adversity get in the way of their atypical graduation season.

For four years, we watched as you put in long hours practicing plays, making friends, volunteering in your community and studying for classes. We have watched as you bounced back when you’ve fallen, and shared your pride as you handled wins and losses with grace and class — because that’s what Bobcats do.

Your senior year may not have ended as you hoped it would, but we know you will take it all in stride — because that’s what Bobcats do.

Congratulations, seniors! Come back and see us!

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