Let’s face it — we all expected the pandemic to be under control by now. I think most, if not all, seniors can agree that no one expected their last year of college to end like this. While last year’s seniors had an unexpected and abrupt end to their college careers, we hoped this year’s seniors would have to suffer such drastic changes as well.
While the senior class as a whole has been affected by the pandemic, December graduates have been hit especially hard.
For starters, they don’t get to walk.
In-person graduation was canceled for December graduates. While they are allowed to walk in the May 2021 commencement, there are several factors that might make it difficult to return to Waco in the spring, if spring commencement is still able to occur in person.
Being a new college graduate comes with many responsibilities — a new job, finances and maybe even living in a new place. Once you graduate college, you
don’t get the luxury of a summer vacation, and leaving work in May might be difficult. Maybe you’re working a new job and trying to save up money to afford rent and other living expenses on your own.
Walking across the stage at graduation is one of the most cherished college experiences, and many December graduates won’t get the chance to do so.
Their last semester was cut short, and it is basically over by Thanksgiving.
While the change in the academic calendar was for the safety and protection of the Baylor community, December graduates unfortunately suffered the most from this as their last semester of college was cut short by almost a whole month. They don’t get to experience the thrill and grind of studying and taking finals on campus. While some may argue that this is one of the most stressful times of the year, it’s still precious time that they could have made some of their last college memories with.
They, along with the rest of the senior class, will miss out on special senior traditions on campus.
There’s no Diadeloso. There’s no Family Weekend, there is no fall break. There wasn’t a true homecoming. They didn’t get to run The Baylor Line one last time. While these events may seem small, they could have provided the time and space for special memories to be made. When you’re a senior, time goes by faster than ever, and you want to cherish every moment possible.
Not to mention, the job search is uncharted territory — many companies are still not hiring new employees, and the workforce is in a transition period between being fully remote and going back to in-person workdays. Job searching after college is stressful as it is, and now that the number of available jobs has been largely slimmed down, it’s even more difficult.
A good chunk of our editorial board is made up of seniors — and we all share the same worries and disappointment. We had hoped for a somewhat normal year but instead had to adjust to drastic changes to survive this pandemic.
December graduates, we feel for you. Keep your heads up and soak in these last few weeks of your college experience.
