We are all feeling it, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has impacted jobs, the economy, mental health and the overall function of a person’s day-to-day life. As stressful as these times are for us adults, it is important to consider the impact it is having on our younger generations.
While recent circumstances are impacting everyone differently, it is important to consider their feelings. Many of their remaining childhood milestones are being robbed from them- one by one. These milestones include sports’ seasons, proms and the biggest one... graduation.
Although unprecedented, it is important for us to not take these canceled gatherings lightly. Our seniors deserve to be celebrated, and we are here to help, even if it is “untraditional.”
Canceled Celebrations: Your Options
It is hard to stay optimistic about graduation when the ability to have one is up in the air. Forget all the memorable moments leading up to it like prom and grad bash. Seniors everywhere are a bit disheartened and rightfully so. This is supposed to be a time for making memories and cherishing their remaining nostalgic moments before making major life decisions.
Graduation celebrations are going to look different globally. Whether your senior’s graduation celebration is standing strong, rescheduled or homemade, they are no less necessary for the senior. The last few months have been disappointing enough for all of us.
If your graduation is postponed, hold a family dinner with the senior’s favorite foods and having a small “graduation” dinner to recognize their achievements. Obviously, it is not the graduation celebration that was anticipated, but it can fill as a placeholder and may even open the door to important conversations about the future and what is going to follow school.
If your senior’s graduation is still a-go, you best go big or go home. This has not been the ideal start of a year for anyone, let alone the end of a milestone. Now is the time to utilize this extra time together to talk through those important conversations.
Delayed Graduation Ceremonies
The anticipation has been squandered for many as graduation ceremonies have been pushed back, delayed or canceled altogether. You don’t have to give up all the fun of planning, prepping and celebrating.
You can buy graduation décor, have a pop-up photoshoot near your home and celebrate in little ways as much as you can. Although nothing about this time has been ideal for our high school seniors, their senior year needs not to be wasted.
When it comes to delayed graduation ceremonies, keep your mentality steadfast. Plan and prepare the same but feel relieved to know you have some padded time to get ready. Just like how every senior is different, their celebration should be too.
Is your senior graduating high school or college? This could change things up. These are two very different transitions in life. One bridges the gap from total dependence to a taste of independence, responsibility and a long-lasting commitment to a degree that may or may not stick with your senior when it is all said and done.
What You can do to Make Senior Year Special
Your options are limited, but that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating your senior. Although they can’t participate in some of the big events of their senior year, there are still things that can be done for them to look forward to.
Surprise them sporadically with some of their favorite things. Maybe that is a day surrounded by movies and popcorn, taco night over Zoom with their best friends or having some gifts delivered that they can utilize in both quarantined life and life after they graduate. Perhaps everything they need to make their favorite cold brew will suffice.
Grad bash may not be a thing for the class of 2020, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start mapping out a trip post quarantine. Odds are their ceremony got pushed into the summertime, so although delayed, they can still enjoy a last hurrah before this next step in life.
Plan a trip ahead but buy that travel insurance; If you are concerned for health reasons or don’t want to risk canceling that too, you can always get social with virtual celebrations.
A Virtual Celebration
A fun way to celebrate our seniors when graduation parties are put on the back burner is the “Adopt a Senior” campaign. Graduation parties haven’t been much of an option for the class of 2020, but that isn’t stopping people from celebrating grads in a fun way.
The “Adopt a Senior” craze is allowing people to stay socially distant while still showing seniors they care. Schools are creating groups on Facebook that are set aside specifically for their graduating class. Parents, loved ones or the graduate themselves post a small bio along with their photo with the words “not adopted” plastered on the top of the post. Anyone who feels led to “adopt” the senior or multiple seniors to surprise them in fun ways comments on the post.
The owner of the post changes “not adopted” to “adopted” and connects with the now adopted senior to learn about some of their favorite things. Many seniors create an Amazon Wishlist that allows all those participating to purchase gifts sent directly to the graduate.
This is a fun and special way for an “untraditional” graduating class to embrace their unique situation in a fun and creative way. This is a beautiful milestone in a young person’s life, and it deserves recognition.
Our florists at All About Flowers in Strong, AR, are here to make every milestone special. We pride ourselves on bridging the distance by sharing the beautiful gift of flowers with our same-day flower delivery. Provoke a smile and celebrate both big and small milestones. Although this year’s graduation celebrations are “untraditional” to say the least, they are no less important.< /p>
Let us help you recognize every milestone in any season with a beautiful representation of life.