It’s no secret the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone in some way.

From state lock downs, toilet paper feuds and many people getting sick, this outspread has impacted everyone in the country. More close to home,  high school and college seniors are losing many of their “last” experiences now that schools have been closed and classes being moved online for the remainder of the spring semester in most cases.

Seniors in high school are losing their last experiences with prom and high school graduation.

Seniors in college are losing their last everything in school, including their last time taking classes, seeing professors and peers, studying and graduating.

As a senior myself, it genuinely hurts knowing there’s a possibility I won’t get to walk across the graduation stage decked in cap and gown, celebrating my last four years of hard work and dedication with my fellow peers who have pursued their goals alongside me, to stand amongst our loved ones celebrating and acknowledging our success together.

Although switching classes to online courses for the remainder of the semester won’t take our diplomas away from us, it still sweeps so many other things out from under us. 

Our chance to thank professors one last time face-to-face, to sit in the jazz lounge cramming for a test, attend our theater department’s spring musical, complain about how difficult a homework assignment was with classmates and just have time to prepare ourselves to soak in the final moments of being undergraduates. 

Maybe we didn’t think about these little moments and appreciate them enough. Maybe we took them for granted until, before we knew it, they ended without our choice. 

The little time we thought we had left is more or less gone now, and with it, our last chance to stop and breathe in these moments of our lives we’re going to miss or want to reflect on later down the road. 

It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just life. Life is meant to throw curveballs at us to make us better. We’re all going to get through this together and come out the other side as stronger individuals.

I just want people to understand that seniors may be hurting during this time, because the little time we thought we had left of college has been ripped away without warning, and it’s something we won’t get back. 

But we’re all going to come out of this okay. It really sucks and many of us may be disappointed, but it’s not the worst thing that could happen. If this is what can help prevent a further spread of COVID-19 and help keep our loved ones or those who may be more susceptible safe, then isn’t what we’re going through worth it?

It’s experiences like this that should make us all reflect on what we’re grateful for in our lives and what we shouldn’t take for granted. 

Stop and appreciate all the little things before they’re gone.