CAPS OFF Graduation is right around the corner

CALEB LAXTON | REPORTER

As high school seniors across the country don their caps and gowns this spring, they will be celebrating a major milestone in their lives: graduation. For many, it marks the end of a long journey filled with friendships, academic challenges, extracurricular activities, and personal growth. But there are two sides of this story.

On the positive side, graduation is a time to celebrate accomplishments and look forward to the future. Many students have worked hard for years to achieve their academic goals and earn their diplomas. Highschool graduation is just the start of their journey. Graduation ceremonies offer a chance for families, friends, and teachers to come together and recognize these achievements. It brings about a time for speeches, cheers, and tears as graduates take one last look back at their high school experience and prepare to move on to the next phase of their lives.

Graduation can also be a time for reflection and personal growth. Many students use this milestone to take stock of their experiences and think about what they’ve learned. They may reflect on the friendships they’ve made, the lessons they’ve learned, and the challenges they’ve overcome. For some, graduation marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth. in Oviedo, this complete overhaul of the city’s character may render it completely indistinguishable from anywhere else in American suburbia.

However, there are also some less positive things associated with high school graduation. For some students, the transition to college or the workforce can be overwhelming. Getting into colleges is hard enough despite the potential financial burden. They may also struggle with the demands of higher education or the pressure to find a job. Some students may feel lost without the structure and support of high school and struggle to adapt to the new challenges they face.

Additionally, graduation can be a bittersweet experience for many. While it marks the end of one chapter, it also means saying goodbye to friends, teachers, and a familiar routine. Many students may feel a sense of loss or sadness as they leave behind the familiar surroundings of their high school and move on to new challenges.

Overall, graduating is a complex and multifaceted experience that can be both positive and negative. It marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another, filled with opportunities, challenges, and personal growth. While there may be some challenges associated with this milestone, it is ultimately a time to celebrate accomplishments and look forward to your future.

The sights of cranes, the orange vests of construction workers, and dirt piled onto sidewalks seem to be nigh inescapable. Sprawling apartment complexes seem to be constructed in no time at all, with the glitz and glamor of Ikea light fixtures and brandnew exercise equipment always visible through the windows below.

While the economic invigoration and modernity that these developments bring are promising to many, it begs the question of where this growth stops. For instance, it is unclear if these shiny new apartment complexes will bring equal opportunity to the city, or, as has been seen in many places across America, a steady increase in rent for locals.

It is obvious that large real estate and construction companies are not developing Oviedo out of the goodness of their own hearts; as with most things in America, there is a profit to be pursued. There seems to be a deepening conflict between the longstanding small businesses and institutions in Oviedo and the newest coffee shops.

While coffee shops are obviously not an ontological evil, one must ask what the ramifications of the gentrification and development they serve as a harbinger for are for the working-class community in Oviedo that may not be able to afford any rent increases.

The obvious detriment to rapid urbanization is the displacement of wildlife. Oviedo is representative of the “concrete jungle” metaphor to its most literal conclusion; the city overflows with animals, plants, and other natural structures. Sandhill cranes strut across the streets, bobcats and other dangerous animals are often the subject of panicked neighborhood Facebook posts, and the infamous chickens make themselves known sonically in the downtown area. However, one should definitely make sure to keep in consideration what could potentially happen to Oviedo’s biological diversity if the all-consuming beast of urbanization continues to encroach upon habitats and ecosystems. During the aftermath of gentrification, when the real estate companies are satisfied, when Oviedo is nothing but a labyrinth of geometric apartment buildings, where will those celebrated chickens be able to rest?