Yesterday the Foothills Composite High School / Alberta High School of Fine Arts put up over 400 photos of the students that will be headed out of High School and into this new weird COVID world.

The Class of COVID-19... It's a little strange offering you the same advice we would any other graduating class. The usual ones just don't really work in this "new normal." I looked back at what much smarter people have said to see if we could draw any past advice to help you during this strange time. 

 

"Sometimes you find out what you are supposed to be doing by doing the things you are not supposed to do."

-Oprah Winfrey to Howard University in 2007

Great advice but if the thing you are not supposed to be doing is having a grad party in a large social setting... maybe have it online? 2 METERS PEOPLE! 

 

"The old rules are crumbling and nobody knows what the new rules are. So make up your own rules."

-Neil Gaiman to The University of the Arts in 2012

This is actually a great quote from a super dude. I like the idea but maybe stick to some of these rules and guidelines for the next few months. 

 

"Be bold, be courageous, be your best."

-Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to Bard College in 2013

Of all the quotes I found this one is one of the few that might still apply during these COVID times. Be bold, smart and most importantly... BE YOU!!

 

"Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience."

- Mary Schich to the class of 1997 (no not Baz Luhrmann) 

This one is my absolute favourite. Not only a great speech but it may be the most important tip of all of them. DEFINITELY still applies to the new COVID life we are all living. 

 

Looking up quotes and reading stories on past grads made me realize that you, the class of 2020, are one of the most important classes to come out of high school. There’s no doubt that the economic fallout of the pandemic will be unprecedented but you and your peers will be an excellent example that even in a global pandemic we can still grow and evolve into who we all eventually become. 

Be resilient! Do not let these circumstances dictate your worth. Use this time to explore, research different industries, reach out for informational interviews or advice. Know that this time will hone your resilience, your creativity, and your empathy.

This definitely won't be the last graduation blog I do. Seeing all those pictures go up made me really think about these kids. 

~Logan

 

If you missed it. Here is a video of the wonderful teachers and staff putting it all together!