The coronavirus has had an impact on people of all ages and economic status and the Class of 2020 has felt its effects in a profound way.

Like many of us, Northwestern’s recent graduates experienced a range of emotions fueled by the pandemic in their final year of public education.

“I was never a huge school person,” Carly Fogal said. “I enjoyed it more for the social aspects but all I wanted to do was go back to learning in a real classroom setting.”

Classmate Sydney Sevrain felt similarly.

“For the first time ever, I said something I thought I’d never say, that I want to return to school, which is just crazy and ironic, especially after years of praying for snow days, bad weather, power outages, and anything bad that you could think of that would result in a cancellation of school.”

These days, people of all ages are missing the social aspects of life and this was even more pronounced for those soon to graduated.

“I do miss my friends greatly,” Gabriella Giese said. “It’s weird not being able to make spur of the moment plans and also not being able to know exactly when I can be with them again.”

“It didn’t really hit me until recently,” Sevrain said. “But this entire thing means missing the closing of my high school career, not being able to see friends, not being able to go out, and constantly being trapped at home.”

The graduates also expressed concern about what is to come.

“It has definitely made me a little more scared about my future,” Kayla Tivner said. “Everything regarding school and jobs is much more uncertain, but it’s also made me appreciate more things, like the family I am blessed to have around me and the beautiful wildlife I’m surrounded by.”

“The pandemic has definitely taught me to cherish things, and live in the moment,” agreed Fogal. “In the future I won’t take things for granted and really understand how lucky I am.”

More than ever relationships matter.

Tivner was grateful for everyone in her life “for making this terrible time so much more bearable. I’m just trying to stay positive by focusing on the wonderful things I have in my life.”

Giese was especially grateful for a unique experience she had even in this troubled year.

“Being able to start student teaching experiences my senior year high school means the world to me,” she said. “I learned so many valuable things! I couldn’t have done it without the support from everyone, including my guidance counselor, Mrs. Zimmerman.

“I am also thankful for all of the continuous love and support my friends and family provided every day as well as academically and on the basketball court. I love you all!”

Fogal is grateful for the people in her life, including friends, family, and teachers, offering thanks “to all my friends for all the fun memories, my teachers for molding me into the student that I am, and of course my family just for being there whenever I needed them.“

Dealing with feelings of loss has been trying.

“I can’t help feeling angry and wallowing, saying poor me,” Sevrain said. “My senior year was ruined, and I’m missing out on so many things that others got, I was robbed of that, and I may also be robbed of my freshman year of college.”

But as quickly as she feels herself giving in to these negative feelings, she takes a step back.

“Almost immediately I retract that, because there are so many people who are going through so much worse, and I feel bad for even thinking it.”

“The summer after graduation is the last time we are going to be all together before we go to college,” Giese said. “And it was supposed to be a time to make memories together that we can take with us.”

“Now we are uncertain if we are going to be able to have those experiences due to the pandemic. We can only hope for the best.”

All things considered, the senior class remained undaunted even as they had been dealing with the effects of the pandemic for their very last making period.

Pam Henderson wanted to offer her seniors a chance to share their feelings and observations in “a senior reflection to be styled in the form of a commencement address.”

“Because of their foreshortened senior year, I thought this writing assignment might give students an opportunity to talk about the very real disappointment of missing out on the spring sports season, their prom, and all of the gravitas and festivities associated with graduation,” explained the language arts chair.

“Instead, every one of these seniors wrote thoughtful and upbeat messages,” she said.

“They thanked teachers, principals, coaches, secretaries, custodians and peers; they talked about wonderful memories they will always cherish, and they spoke of the bond that will forever connect the Class of 2020 and define them as resilient and forward-looking.”

“Handling this pandemic in stride is a tribute to how parents raised these kids and how their teachers supplemented their upbringing with the skills, knowledge, and tools to truly succeed no matter what obstacle is before them,” Athletic and Student Activities Director Jason Zimmerman said.

“This class worked so hard during their high school career and we could not be more proud of what they have become. I’m not sure we will ever see a class more resilient than this one.”