Valery Lopez ’24 from Palatine, Ill.
“While senior year definitely has had a very bittersweet ending, the amazing support staff and students have shown to each other is amazing. At my school, there have been weekly meal bags given to families with food essentials. Last week, the senior class arranged a drive where seniors drove to the local hospitals, police station and fire department to say thank you and give essential workers gift cards with money given by the senior class. Through all of the chaos, these communal gestures have reminded me of the good in the world.”
Kripa Bansal ’24 from Bangalore, India
“In an email that the principal of my school addressed to our batch, she referred to us as the ‘Coronavirus class.’ Then she proceeded to tell us that we were the first batch of IB students in their 88 year history whose final exams were cancelled. Our grade’s WhatsApp chat exploded…tears and laughter aplenty. This wasn’t how I hoped I would make history so I greeted it with a mixture of emotions that I myself was unable to configure. Then came college decisions. As an international student, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to visit campus physically anyway. But several colleges have been providing extra resources to all their admitted students so we can learn as much about the college as is possible. My only concern is whether these unpredictable and dynamic times would allow international students like me to obtain student visas and get to experience move-in day the way we’ve devoured on YouTube channels. For someone whose dream it’s been to study in a liberal arts school in the U.S. for as long as she can remember, I just strongly hope that I get to attend Grinnell this fall and watch the beautiful red, yellow and orange unfold in front of my eyes.”
Eli Brotman ’24 from St. Paul, Minn.
“How am I holding up? Besides not being able to see my friends outside of the same screen I stare at eight hours a day, that question is the most annoying part about quarantine. With it usually comes, ‘Oh! And prom and graduation! I’m so sorry Eli!’ and as much as I appreciate the empathy, it’s hard to be reminded that I am being robbed of my senior year. It’s like I am opening a new chapter without concluding the story I have been writing for the past four years.
My days sheltering in place are bright, though, and it feels like an opportunity to spend some much-needed time with myself. This is my reality, so why not take advantage of it? My bike and guitar are proving to be quite loyal friends, while my stomach has become my alarm clock, ringing for food at three in the afternoon. Plus, with a warm summer and Grinnell looming on the horizon, coming down the back half of this curve will be [a] time full of sentiment. Memories will be created and cherished, fresh off the reminder that we are all human. I look forward to those days and will put the money I save from prom towards my tuition next year.”
Aadi Miglani ’24 from San Diego, Calif.
“For me, the end of my senior year has been really abrupt amid the chaos of the coronavirus. I had no idea when I was walking away from school the Friday before mid-winter break that that would be my last day at my school. It’s all really odd, but I look forward to the light at the end of the tunnel that is attending Grinnell (hopefully) in the fall. My cousin and my uncle are Grinnell alums and I’m so excited to follow in their footsteps.”
Zade Mullin ’24 from Los Angeles, Calif.
“My senior class didn’t think our two-week school closure would last the rest of the semester. We thought we’d still go to prom (we won’t); we thought we’d walk the stage at graduation (we won’t); we thought it would all be over after a few weeks (you get the idea). Once I knew where I was accepted, rejected and waitlisted I was left with two options: the two schools that gave me money (and to all the schools reading this who didn’t give me money: you wish you were that well-endowed). My college counselors had reassured me that once I’d stood on both campuses, I’d know which school is right for me. No matter how many people we text or email or Zoom, without a real, traditional, in-person visit, we’ll never be sure how each school feels, how it vibes, how it do be. So, I guess we’re fucked.”
Lucia Silver ’24 from Brooklyn, N.Y.
“My friend and I have been working on a script for a really long time and it was our dream to film it at the end of senior year and maybe post it on YouTube or something. We kind of saw it as our own end of high school personal project, and since we’re going to different colleges it’s going to be really hard coordinating it after the summer ends. I’m super bummed about it. She’s like the best writing partner in the world and it makes me so sad that we’re missing out on really precious time.”
Mohammad Igbaria ’24 from Claremont, Calif.
“To be honest, it’s disheartening knowing that our senior year is over prematurely. It sucks because we’ve worked towards graduation, prom, senior trips and a ton of other events so hard for the last four years. I think I can speak for almost everyone in the class of 2020 when I say this isn’t how we thought our high school careers would end. I know that there wasn’t any other choice than to cancel in person classes for our own safety, but still the whole situation has left a real impact on us all.”
Quynh Ho ’24 from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
“In Vietnam, schools have been closed since January, which means that I haven’t been to school for approximately three months. It’s such a mixed blessing. Even though I have more time for myself, online tests aren’t certified here so there is no choice but to put off the semester until May. Basically speaking, this period of time is our ‘summer break’ and the summer break will be our fall semester. This, consequently, results in the delay of our graduation examination, which is now planned to take place from 8th to 11th of August. However, international students are asked to arrive at Grinnell on August 16th so there are chances that I won’t have received my results, let alone the graduation certificate, by that time.”
