Dear Senior Class,

Sadly I can’t speak for the chaotic world that went from us laughing about having a hot girl summer to now wishing we even had a summer. But I sent my condolences and my remorse, I asked the world to stop, and it listened.

This was supposed to be our fairytale ending, our coming of age climax before the credits. The scene where we all come together and sing “Kumbaya” while the nerdy girl we neglected dates the jock and the popular girl learns from her ways and gives the guy who bakes crumpets and cookies a chance, after a spectacular dance number of course. 

Except films never show the other half of that scene, the one after the goodbyes and dramatic speeches. I was scared that I would miss my senior year. That I’d close my eyes and appear in my stupid blue and orange cap and gown, my wrist throbbing from waving goodbye. I blame adults for telling me how important this was supposed to be all my life. 

So I asked the world to just chill out. A moment of silence to process the fact that the “real world” everyone’s been talking about actually exists. And like a twisted genie, my wish was granted. 

Realizing Corona wasn’t just a Twitter meme but an actual catastrophic event took more than a few months in lockdown to process. Seeing the world take a second to reassess their trajectory, feels like the globe is going through a senior year, because the end seems near. 

The Great Pause had us reflecting on who we were as people, and the types of things we let slip by us. The world had senioritis, but now it’s the fourth quarter and it looks like we’re going to have to repeat the year.

Seniors last year went thoughtless into their final year expecting all their praise and love but only received a sign outside their home reading “here lies a senior year”. I had to say goodbye to friends over Instagram dm’s, there is only so much “hearting” my messages can convey. 

So what now, I ask myself as I sit through zoom classes reading  “wait for the host to start this meeting” for the millionth time. As my friends take 4 right turns just to make it to the bathroom and 6 left turns to get back to class in one way hallways. I can’t even see the faces of disgust on my teachers when they see my assignments turned in. 

We have to refuse to let this get to us. And no this isn’t some school spirit “dress out for hoco week” type beat, I refuse to wear a costume over my chrome book camera broadcasted on the teachers’ smartboard. That’s not what I want for us. 

My years throughout school have led up to this. All those “show and tells” and “rally Robbins”, from “cha cha sliding” to FCAT scores. I can still remember clipping my name down to red for saying inappropriate words to my classmates in 3rd grade. 

I don’t want my years from K-12th grade to be in vain. Looking back, I want this all to mean something. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen too many movies but I’d like some sorta wrap up for this part of my life.