Island highschool graduates who needed to alter to COVID-19 over the past two years are strolling the stage this week to get their diplomas because the world seems to enter a brand new post-pandemic regular.
The graduating class of 2022 is the primary one because the pandemic started to have the ability to dance collectively at promenade or attend a commencement celebration with their total class.
Two Grade 12 college students who had their ceremonies on Thursday instructed Island Morning’s Laura Chapin that they missed out on many elements of the highschool expertise the previous two years.
“It undoubtedly hindered quite a lot of issues we will do proper all through the entire yr, and never simply earlier than the 2 weeks of March break both,” mentioned Matthew Murphy from Kinkora Regional Excessive.
“We often have a giant journey with the Grade 12 up west the place we keep the night time for a particular program we’re all in. However due to COVID in October, we could not do this … We could not do issues we usually would. So it form of dampened the yr just a little bit, however we nonetheless made one of the best of it nevertheless we may.”
A studying curve
Ashton Jay from Souris Regional Faculty mentioned the state of affairs not solely affected the enjoyable elements of highschool, but additionally his lecturers — notably at first of the pandemic when colleges had been adapting to the realities of distant studying.
“I used to be in Grade 10 and I had no ambition to do something by any means. And I am not ashamed to say I simply did not do the work,” he mentioned.
“It was quite a lot of a studying curve for everyone, and I do not actually blame the academics on that however very a lot may have been dealt with means higher for everyone. And I feel all of us would have had a greater expertise.”
Now each college students are hoping their post-secondary expertise is extra regular than for individuals who began college whereas COVID-19 restrictions had been in place. Jay plans to main in journalism, whereas Murphy will take accounting.
However for now, they are saying they’re simply excited to lastly attain a milestone they have been constructing as much as for a giant chunk of their lives.
“Tonight, we stroll throughout the stage and stroll via the halls for the final time … It is an emotional time and it is unhappy to go away, however everybody is aware of you are going to do nice in your new beginnings,” Murphy mentioned.
“I am a a lot completely different individual than I used to be … [before the pandemic],” Jay mentioned. “Much more mature, and extra outgoing.”
