What Was Supposed To Be Our Graduation Day
All photography by Amy Xie - @amyxiephotography
Class of 2020, congratulations! We did it grads.
Today I was supposed to be in Gainesville graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. My family was supposed to come visit from Miami and Ecuador for the special day. We were going to celebrate with my little half-sisters at Disney World tomorrow. It was going to be such an amazing time for all of us.
I was looking forward to writing a graduation blog post this semester but never thought it would be like this. What an unexpected turn of events that has taken away one of the most important days of our lives that we’ve looked forward to for the past four years.
I was so excited to see all my friends gather in the O’dome to celebrate our accomplishments. For our families that traveled from all over to witness us cross that stage. I was awaiting that final bittersweet moment at the university I consider home, and the place that has inspired so much growth and given me so many unforgettable memories and opportunities. I have loved every second I’ve spent as a student at the University of Florida, and I could not wait for that weekend of celebration, emotion and pride.
Yes, our graduation day and final few months enjoying our beautiful college town as undergraduate students were taken from us. However, that doesn’t take away from what we did accomplish.
Getting our bachelor’s degree from a top 7 institution with some of the best programs in the nation is no small feat. We. Did. THAT!
And we did it in a way that will go down in history. Despite the unprecedented circumstances, we pushed through. We remained strong. We adapted. Because that’s what Florida Gators do. I am so incredibly proud of all of us. Of all 2020 graduates across the world.
So what’s next?
In times like these, the answer to that question might be unknown for many. I certainly have no idea what my next endeavor will be. I always envisioned myself graduating with a job I loved in NYC lined up and ready for me. That after graduating, I would spend a couple of months home in Miami with my family, and that then I would pack my bags and start my next chapter. I was determined to make that my reality, but soon realized it might not be. At least not right away.
This was a tough pill to swallow. I was immediately overwhelmed and anxious. I didn’t want to disappoint my family and peers by not being successful in achieving that goal. But I am not alone in this. We are in this together, and we will come out of it stronger and more equipped than ever for dealing with any curveball that might be thrown our way in this lifetime.
I encourage all of us to remain positive. I know it’s easy to feel disheartened. After all our hard work and dedication, we deserve to have the future we’ve dreamed of and worked towards. But we are not giving up.
Keep applying to jobs that interest you. Keep having conversations with mentors, professors and professionals that are here for us. Take this time to work on your craft, explore new interests, read that book you’ve been meaning to read, improve on a set of skills that might make you stand out, practice self-care and set your intentions every day.
I’m taking this time as a breather, but also as an opportunity to improve myself. Graduating from the University of Florida with honors is one of the proudest moments of my life. But I’m not stopping there. I’m determined to continue pursuing my dreams and having the time of my life while doing so. I believe in myself. I believe in us.
So cheers to us, Class of 2020. The class that persevered and got that degree. We’re not letting anything stop us.
As we Gators like to say: In all kinds of weather, we’ll all stick together.
Happy graduation and Go Gators!
Xoxo,
Arianna
