A Tribute to the Class of 2020
Of the three classes I grew up with since 2017, the class of 2020 were the ones I grew most closely with. You were my friends, whom I could talk with for endless hours and be silly around; my older brothers and sisters, whom I could always count on; and, my inspirations, whom I had looked up to and always had so, so much to learn from.
This virtual university thing… at first, it broke my heart to realize you don’t get the chance to be celebrated on your massive accomplishment altogether through a lavish commencement. I pictured a week where I’d be running around with a handful of bouquets for my dear friends, spending sleepless nights writing letters, my eyes swollen throughout the week. I could almost see myself getting all dramatic, as if I would never ever see you guys again — especially my friends from outside of the USA.
However, ever since the semester had practically ended in mid-March, the lines have blurred to the point where it became unclear when the “end” of a semester, or college, is. It feels as though the end of our Columbia life is no longer marked by a specific date arbitrarily determined by the university telling us that this point and on we do not belong in the Columbia campus. It made me wonder what it would mean to define each endpoint of our “chapter” on our own terms, writing out our stories at our own pace.
If there is anything I am grateful for about the quarantine, it is that this whole situation has reframed the way I view what it means to be connected. So many of you have demonstrated resilience and strength by keeping an astonishingly positive outlook on this whole situation. There may be no formality of a “graduation ceremony,” and we may all be physically separated, but I have witnessed how each one of you was undaunted by the circumstances, celebrating your achievement with your loved ones in your own way. Perhaps there is no need to cry over our farewell.
After all, in this interconnected world, the longevity and tightness of our friendship lie entirely on our hands. You guys have always been by my side, and will continue to be just one call away.
Congratulations, seniors. I admire your strength to no end.
