Graduation feelings during the 2020 epidemic
Be grateful and cherish the present moment
Text/Brian Hsieh
Translated by Zhou Weiwei
As I write this graduation speech amid the pandemic, I can honestly say that I have mixed feelings. The most intuitive reaction is that I am one of the victims of this epidemic. After four years of hard study in college, the long-prepared graduation exhibition came to nothing, the much-anticipated physical graduation ceremony was cancelled, and in the end, even the time to hug and say goodbye to my best friends was deprived of me. What’s even more cruel is that graduating at a time when the national unemployment rate is at a record high is really adding insult to injury. The resentment in my heart reached its highest point. I believe I am not the only graduate who feels such a sense of loss. When things are beyond human control, this kind of crazy mentality should be common to everyone.
But when I have the opportunity to think about it calmly, surprisingly, a feeling of gratitude arises spontaneously. I am so lucky to receive a high-quality and comprehensive university education. I have parents who wholeheartedly support me in art. I can make many motivated and like-minded friends in university. Even during the online class, we never forget to cheer each other up. To be honest, people like me, who have everything they need and don’t have to worry about life, really have no right to complain.
While the epidemic is on the rise, the George Floyd incident has "again" pushed the long-standing racial tension between black and white in the United States to another peak. The reason why I emphasize "again" is because in recent years, conflicts and confrontations between white police and African-Americans have occurred, and even tragic incidents of manslaughter and death have continued to occur. Each tragedy has made headlines and sparked heated discussions, only to end in vain. Compared to many of my African-American peers, my situation can be said to be unique. What else can I complain about?
If you vote for the hot topic in 2020, COVID-19 and the "Black Lives Matter" civil rights movement will definitely win and be ranked second. In the two incidents, many precious and innocent lives were taken away in an instant, causing extreme emotional tearing and tension among families, communities and even races. Looking back at the lack of graduation exhibition and graduation ceremony that I complained about before, it suddenly seemed insignificant. It cannot be denied that in the past four years, I have been equipped with knowledge and skills, and challenged and inspired by the application of thinking in institutions of higher learning. I should celebrate and cheer for the fruits of my hard work. After all, this is an important milestone in life that cannot be ignored.
However, what I emphasize even more is that because there are too many unpredictable storms in life, we must learn to practice keen observation in the turmoil and pay attention to the pulse of society. At the same time, we should always remind ourselves that even if things change a lot, we should never forget to be grateful and cherish every moment.
▲Xie Qirui, a freelance visual art designer, is the eldest son of Zhou Weiwei, the former community unit editor of this magazine. He just graduated from the art department of The Cooper Union in New York this year. Thanks to his parents who have wholeheartedly supported his career in art design since he was young, allowing him to continuously absorb new knowledge in aesthetics and visual arts, develop his creativity, and practice his true self.
Expectations are broken, promises remain
Text/Ellison Lee ‧Translation/Yanong
The word "expectation" is my life annotation for 2020.
"Expectation" categorizes every exit in our life and makes life orderly. Whether the level is set high or low, life is parallel to our expectations and perceived rights. Expectations guide our emotions in relationships, measure the success of our careers, and respond to people, events, and things around us.
The same is true for the 2020 graduates. We hope to finish the last academic year in a grand and grand manner just like last year's graduates. Many people filled out their orders early to buy graduation gowns and square caps for the graduation ceremony, and also discussed arrangements for attending the graduation ceremony with their families. It is expected that we will be together for another eight weeks before we say goodbye to these mentors and friends who have taught and molded us over the past four years. At that time, we still didn’t understand that such small expectations could not be met!
As one university after another closes its campuses in a domino effect, we are horrified by the fact. Senior students leave their dormitories in a hurry, leaving behind furniture, no time to say goodbye, and no chance to complete their studies. With the start of home-based epidemic prevention, everyone is isolated everywhere without classmates. The early days of being at home can be particularly difficult, leaving seniors feeling angry and dissatisfied, especially as graduation season comes and goes.
We are still angry that years of expectations were violently smashed like a glass! Expectations that we once thought were concrete dissolve into our hands and disappear without a trace.
In fact, no one has ever promised us all of this. Who has been told with certainty: "In the future, you will..."; who has the ability to make things happen as expected? Who can have complete control and decision-making ability over life? If you can think of anyone who could do that, I'm sure that's a lie.
No one ever promised me that I would be able to walk into my college graduation the way I expected, or that I would be able to finish my senior year the way I wanted to. This is my self-expectation, and I fully believe that God will humorously agree and fulfill my self-made dream. The 2020 graduates grieve for perceived losses, and their frustrated and purposeless anger reflects the blow of shattered dreams.
The past school year was an unexpected end to our self-written life adventure, as our original plans unexpectedly ended. However, in the end, we are not the authors of this biography. I am just a character in the story, but I desperately want to create my own ending. I am understanding that the development of the story is ultimately beyond my ability.
People advised me not to set my expectations too high, as if lowering them would increase surprises, and I would. But this year, I have completely given up on any expectations! I began to take hold of the promises: identity, calling, and heritage in Christ.
In 2020, although expectations are shattered, the promises remain.
▲Li Rouming, graduated from Wheaton College in the United States, majoring in politics and psychology. She is the daughter of Wu Xinhui, the editor-in-chief of this magazine.
Facing the ever-changing 2020
Text/Daniel Su Translated by Yanon
The new crown pneumonia has really had a very serious impact on the graduates of 2020. When the epidemic spread, it was the final stage of study for fresh graduates, but it was suddenly suspended. Although it cannot be said that this is the worst experience, after all, we still have a lot, but the college experience is so "died" and it feels like it is ruined.
In early March this year, the virus spread far faster than people imagined. Some people thought the end of the world was coming, and some stopped all activities. The number of confirmed cases around the world has increased exponentially, and various countries have implemented varying degrees of lockdown. The United States is facing the impact of the virus, and our schools are uncertain about how the next semester will operate. Can we continue classes and bring these four years of school to a reasonable end? Or do you need to postpone your graduation ceremony? There were many different opinions at the time, ranging from uncertainty to certainty. At the time, we had no idea that everything was going into overdrive and beyond expectations.
Students began to hear that other schools were closing their campuses and requiring students to go home. Our school has switched to online teaching, and students can still choose to stay in the dormitory or go home. Suddenly, everyone's mood changed inexplicably, and a gloomy atmosphere filled the campus. It felt like classmates were casually saying goodbye to each other wherever I went. Not only me, many classmates also faced such a frustrating scene.
I chose to stay in school because I couldn't imagine spending the last few years of my senior year without my best friends. But it backfired! I remember that during lunch, I was talking with my friends in the cafeteria about what we could do in the next few months. Just after leaving the cafeteria, I met a friend who asked me to check my email - the school requires all students to go home immediately. Just like that... During the two weeks of so many changes in the world, I was deprived of even the right to stay in school!
The next few days, it’s really hard to find motivation. It was speechless to complete my studies alone at home. There was no graduation ceremony, no special ending or celebration. Four years of accumulated struggle and growing emotions came to an abrupt end, as if I had never reached the end.
The coronavirus has brought about a lot of uncertainty, whether it’s finding a job or setting goals. It has brought sadness, regret, and separation. The added social unrest and divisions have prompted me to reflect deeply. Perhaps it is these experiences that have shaped the graduates of 2020 and left a mark that will last forever.
▲Su Enquan, the son of Pastor Su Wen’an, the editor-in-chief of this magazine. A graduate of Biola University in California, he majored in history. In the face of the social unrest in the United States in recent months, he emphasized: "There is no grace greater than God's forgiveness."
Derek Lee graduated from the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Sustainable Development, and is the second son of Wu Xinhui, the executive editor of this magazine.
Priscilla Pang is a graduate of AW Dreyfoos Art High School and the daughter of editor Lin Minwen of this magazine.
Joshua Ishii, graduated from Pleasanton Unified School District Independent Study and is about to enter college to continue his studies. He is the eldest son of KRC administrative colleague Zhang Baowei.
Ethan Yu (pictured right), graduated from Tatnall School and is a good tennis player. The son of KRC director Dr. You Ruilun.