COLUMN: Dreaming of a graduation

BY ANDREA PEÑA

I feel that my accomplishments were taken away from me, and all the hard work my parents put in to watch their daughter graduate has been stripped away because of this pandemic.

Although I will still be moving forward, the absence of graduation has left me feeling a sense of frustration.

In 2018, I had the privilege to graduate from high school, and it was my first graduation in the United States.

Every single detail and moment was magical. The emotion of walking towards my parents with a cap and gown, my diploma in my hand and to proudly hug them, was the best feeling ever.

I still consider it to be one of the best days of my life. For my parents, it’s also the best day of their lives. They still talk about it with family and friends.

Graduations are rare in my family because not everybody has the opportunity to choose a career. I am the only one in my family that has graduated from high school, and now I’m also the first to graduate from community college.

The shift to online classes in response to the pandemic was unexpected and a drastic change for those attending a college or university.

For those unaware of the parameters of online classes, the thought of taking classes from the comfort of their home seems convenient.

But not all students would agree. While some would consider it a blessing others would consider it a nuisance.

That feeling could stem from not being able to work a computer to feeling the responsibility to frequently check Canvas.

The change to online could impact a student’s grade for reasons that aren’t related to academics.

Professors should consider extending weekly deadlines to the end of the semester in consideration of the students who are not dealing with the transition as well as others.

If that isn’t possible, the option to do so should be made known to the students of a class. This option, whether class wide or made for one student, could relieve the