Graduating from university is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Students deserve to be given a graduation ceremony, despite COVID-19.
Recently, while scrolling through my social media feed, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of people out celebrating and partying, heads locked together while posing for their selfies.
Two years ago, COVID-19 stole two years from us. Two years which should have been spent on campus. This virus forced us to spend our last two years as university students at home, learning in an utterly monotonous manner. With this came the struggle of having to teach most of the topics to ourselves.
With no disrespect meant to any lecturer – because they did more than their utmost, from trying to grasp how technology works to having to deliver lectures online while speaking to a screen – it is more than understandable that there were instances where us students would not bother speaking up from our screens.
Some of us were shy while others had a household full of people and couldn’t resist the embarrassment of their family members chatting in the background.
Two years on and COVID-19 has been dictating our every move, our every outing. I, had been extremely weary too and I still am. I wear my mask for eight hours every day. I avoid going to busy restaurants. I avoid hanging out with my friends in enclosed spaces. I pick who to hang out with and whom I shouldn’t, probably because they’ve been out with too many people the week before. This, all because I respect my parents and elder family members.
Graduating is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is what most of us dream of from the very first day we set foot on campus. The pictures, the celebrations with our family and friends, the many posts on social media just to show what we’ve achieved, just as if graduating isn’t something we achieve for ourselves but it’s something we have to achieve simply to boast about.
Two years on and COVID-19 has been dictating our every move, our every outing
However, for some, for myself and for my colleagues, graduating means seeing the pride bounce off our parents’ face when we collect our graduation certificate. For some, it means taking photos wearing our gown with our parents and grandparents because, let’s face it, no one is here forever.
This is all we ask for. Sharing this experience with my loved ones is all I ask for. I would like to have the opportunity to worry about the slightest details such as which black shoes fits best or matches the gown best. Will I topple over while collecting my certificate? Will my heels be too high?
This is all we ask for. This is the last experience we get to share with our friends. Not even a decent buscade will do this year, probably. Yes, friends, some even family. This is the last time we get to tap each other on the back and say “we made it”, “we’ve come this far”.
This is our last chance before the courts and the office become our only friend and ‘family’ turns into “a colleague I had a debate with over lunch”, or “a colleague who is defending my opponent”.
I do understand the concerns being raised with respect to COVID-19, believe me, I do. I do understand that many persons are considered ‘vulnerable’ and want to spare their life. I do understand that a crowd isn’t the best decision but the partying is still happening, schools are still scheduled to reopen next semester and it would be a pity if they didn’t.
I do understand that many of us have contracted the virus and that, for some, it was probably the worst experience they’ve ever been through. However, I also recognise that the virus is here to stay and it would be a pity if we understood this at a later stage.
It would be a pity if, down the line, graduations will be held but they won’t be held this year. It would be a pity if certain events take place and our graduation ceremony is left hanging, yet again. Why not organise our graduations? Why not invite our parents to this event as well? After all, we wouldn’t have made it without their support and sacrifice.
Then what if people don’t want to make it because they’re too scared of contracting COVID-19? Then so be it, they may opt out from joining on those wonderful nights. Let us, however, give people a choice, to start off with.
Let us embrace education. Let us embrace the satisfaction it brings with it. The mental well-being it brings with it. The sleepless nights. The stress and anxiety. The C you got when you thought you’d gotten an A but it’s still worth it in the end. Cs or As, we’re still graduating right? It’s all worth it in the end... Or is it?
Rebekah Spiteri, Master of Advocacy student