I think that the Class of 2020 has a story to tell that will be unmatched by any stories to be told in the future. As a graduating class, I feel that we have been struggling the last few months, and I’m willing to bet we’ve all been incredibly frustrated by everything going on in the world around us.

Graduating in the middle of a global pandemic has been one of the harder struggles of my high school career. I’ve lost all focus and motivation on everything school related. I hardly have the motivation to do any of my school work, however, I’ve been trying. I hardly make deadlines and it’s been a huge struggle to get anything done.

As a graduating class, we have missed out on so many opportunities. We missed our LAST prom, any class trips, pep rallies, skip days, and a final goodbye. I think the lack of that “closure” and having a proper “last day” is what is going to make it hardest for all of us to process what is happening. Even with the way our graduation ceremony is being handled, no matter how well thought out it is, we will struggle with not being able to walk with our friends. We won’t get a proper graduation ceremony, and we won’t be able to have all of our loved ones with us.

I personally have been looking forward to graduation since I was in kindergarten. I know that many of my friends and fellow classmates have been waiting to take photos with the people that made our senior year most memorable in our caps and gowns and say “We freaking did it.”

None of this is easy for any of us, but we have to also be considerate of the health and safety of everyone around us. It’s important that we take a moment and appreciate what good times we DID have in high school, even though our senior year can be viewed as “destroyed.” We shouldn’t look at it this way, though, but rather look at it as a learning lesson. We learned a lot about ourselves. We learned how to adapt, grow, problem solve and prosper in a time of uncertainty. If that isn’t preparation for life outside of school, I’m not sure what is.

I am saddened beyond all belief and logical reasoning that we aren’t going to get a final goodbye the way every other class did, however, I have rationalized by thinking about this: No other class has been able to say they went through this.

Many people have been saying that “In the sixties and seventies people were celebrating their graduation by going to war, be thankful.” Just because others have had it worse, doesn’t make this situation already bad. We were born during or in the aftermath of 9/11, we lived through now two well known recessions, and we are graduating during both a global pandemic and now a race war that isn’t just specific to Minneapolis, we are the graduating class that will be remembered. We have worked so hard to get to where we are, and that should not go unnoticed.

If nobody else tells you, I’m proud of all of the 2020 graduates and their unbelievable grace and maturity during this whole situation. This is a blessing in disguise, better things are coming.