Perspective From a Graduate on the Pandemic

PERSPECTIVE FROM A GRADUATE SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT TRESS JACOBS ON THE PANDEMIC

Tress Jacobs, A’20

This worldwide pandemic seemingly came out of nowhere and took us all by surprise. It took from us some of the most precious moments one could ever hope to experience in their last year of high school. It’s because of this that I believe the Class of 2020 will always be remembered as the class that shone the brightest, even in the darkest of times. Throughout this unfortunate situation, my class has shown me time and time again that even though we weren’t able to finish out the year in person, we’ll always be family.

Due to COVID-19, my class and I unknowingly experienced a lot of lasts as seniors: our last school rally, our last tailgate, our last walk through the school halls. Despite this, we have also experienced a lot of firsts: our first virtual class, our first graduation parade, and our first outdoor socially distanced graduation. There are times when I get down about not getting my picture-perfect senior year. But any time I get even a little sad, my classmates are there to remind me that we are going through this together, and no matter what, we will persevere. The sheer camaraderie between us as a class is honestly such a beautiful thing to see, and I am truly happy to know that I am a part of it. My classmates have gone above and beyond to be there for one another despite our current situation. This pandemic has taken a lot from us, but it’s also shown us that there is always more than one way to do something. It has brought out the more creative side of many of my friends. A friend of mine had a drive-thru birthday party, in which cars lined up with signs, party poppers, hats and plenty of confetti. Each car drove by playing birthday music, while the birthday girl handed out cookies and stood for socially distanced pictures. It was one of the most creative and cutest ways I’ve seen someone celebrate their birthday!

Truthfully, I thought this pandemic was going to divide the class into cliques because we are no longer attending school together. If anything, it has done the opposite. My mom told me that most of the time the hardships that people experience together bring them closer to one another, and I can honestly say it’s true. During this pandemic, I’ve gotten to know some of my current and future classmates in ways I wouldn’t have been able to under regular circumstances. By that, I mean room tours, pet show-and-tell, family encounters, and so much more. COVID-19 is not something to play around with; it’s a very real issue with real consequences. Even so, I can’t help but be a little bit grateful for it, because amid all of the bad, it has helped the Class of 2020 realize that there will always be a bright side to things when we have one another.