“I was a senior in high school in 2020.” That is going to be a phrase that shocks the next generation at the dinner table. The senior class is grieving for experiences that we’ll never have, and milestones we can only fantasize about. Homecoming, graduation, prom. These are all events that were meant to be highlights of the year but are now nothing more than mere hypotheticals.   

As I start to begin the college application process, I am often asked to write essays about my future. “What do I see myself accomplishing in college?” “What type of community am I looking for?” In typical times, I don’t think I’d have any problem looking ahead at where I want to be and what I want to do, but in these atypical times, I do. I’m finding it hard because I can’t start thinking about my future when I’m unsure if I’ll have closure for my past. 

 These past four years of high school have not been easy ones. I switched schools, went through drama, and sacrificed sleep and free time for good grades. At the end of each hard day, I’d remind myself that when I reached the finish line, it’d all be worth it. However, at this point, it’s starting to look like the finish line is fading away.  

To all my seniors, this year is crazy and unconventional, and it’s okay to grieve. Remember, though, that it is still our time. As we work through this year, let’s try to find closure in the little things. The last week of finals, the last Thanksgiving at home, or anything that means a great deal to you. Together, let’s try to make some peace with what’s been given to us, so we can begin to feel comfortable with writing our futures again.