Before we know it, 2020 has already passed four and a half months. For many students, this spring semester is also nearing its end amid chaotic online teaching.
With no other options, this year’s graduates have reached a significant milestone. But this time, they are destined to have a unique experience.
The Unacceptable Virtual Graduation
A month and a half ago, the class of 2020 was still immersed in anticipation, carefully preparing for graduation day. But an email at the end of March shattered the joyful atmosphere: almost all American universities decided to postpone or cancel graduation ceremonies.
Many American students, upon hearing this news, literally burst into tears. In U.S. college culture, graduation day is the most special day of the four years. For many graduates, stepping onto the podium, hearing the president call their name, and receiving their diploma proves that four years of hard work were worth it.
But now, for graduates with such expectations, this is a bolt from the blue. Amidst fully online classes, they must not only maintain their final semester grades but also balance their mental state.
Not only that, many American parents also find it hard to accept. After all, a child's college graduation is not just about one person; it represents years of a family’s effort. Many parents have spent months preparing to attend their child’s ceremony.
Wearing a cap and gown and attending a grand graduation ceremony is a sense of ritual that one cannot let go of in life.
But ensuring that graduation ceremonies proceed smoothly under the pandemic is nearly impossible. To avoid cancellation, even top institutions like Harvard University have had to opt for virtual graduation ceremonies online.
However, virtual ceremonies are also difficult for students to accept. When UCLA Chancellor Gene Block announced the cancellation of the traditional June ceremony in favor of a virtual one, more than 20,000 people signed a petition opposing it within just 24 hours. In the end, the school had to postpone rather than cancel the ceremony.
But given the current situation, what else can students do besides waiting for school announcements? So some students started creating their own graduation ceremonies in video games.
When Penn students were told their graduation would be held online, they decided to move this important day into the game "Minecraft".
The postponed ceremony will maintain its original scale and format, ensuring that graduates get the celebration they deserve.
Soon, students began perfectly recreating the school’s dormitories, food trucks, and even historical sculptures in the game. But Rome wasn’t built in a day; deciding the position of a single street in the game took an hour of discussion. Their ultimate goal is to build the entire Penn campus, so that even though graduates cannot return in person due to the pandemic, they can still uphold the tradition of the graduation parade in the game.
The enthusiasm for building campuses is not limited to Penn students; many graduates have joined the reconstruction efforts. And the movement to rebuild campuses in games has also begun at other schools, from Boston University in the East to UCLA in the West. In Minecraft, university campuses are rising up.
This is welcome news for many graduates, bringing a precious touch of warmth to their dwindling time on campus.
Perhaps now, lingering in the game’s virtual campus and walking down every familiar path over and over again, people still hope that when the pandemic is over, they can return to campus and attend the real graduation ceremony in person.
Why Graduation Ceremonies Are So Important to Americans
Last year, an article discussing "Why American universities take the time to read every graduate's name at commencement" sparked widespread discussion.
Some students noted that in Chinese universities, it's not uncommon for graduation ceremonies to be canceled or for parents to be barred from attending, and students seem to have gradually gotten used to the idea of no ceremony. Even China’s top university, Tsinghua University, is no exception.
Last year, for the first time in a decade, Tsinghua’s graduation ceremony was moved from the indoor gymnasium to outdoors. Previously, only graduates could be inside the gym, while parents had to watch on large screens outside, waiting to take photos with their children afterward.
And in 2018, Beijing Jiaotong University allowed only 10% of "outstanding students" to attend the graduation ceremony, while the rest could only watch the live broadcast from classrooms.
One major reason for this is that schools believe they cannot coordinate venues or do not have the capacity to manage so many people. Students seem to have become accustomed to this.
In contrast, at Ohio State University’s graduation, with tens of thousands of students and parents combined, the school still finds ways to accommodate everyone. If the auditorium can’t fit them, they hold it on the plaza; if that’s not enough, they move to the stadium.
This also reflects different educational philosophies between China and the West.
In the U.S., from kindergarten to college, every graduation ceremony is grand and solemn. To ensure parents don’t miss this important moment in their child’s life, no matter how low your presence was in school, graduation day gives you a strong sense of honor and belonging.
Both parents and students dress to the nines on graduation day, making it feel like a film festival. Graduates also decorate their mortarboards to show off their individuality.
At the ceremony, the university president will read out the name of every graduate and personally hand them their diploma, a process that takes hours.
This tradition dates back to the 18th century and continues to this day.
It is a preservation of tradition and, more importantly, a sign of respect for every student.
Writer Liu Xiaoou, after attending her son’s graduation ceremony in the U.S., remarked: “The grand scale and solemn atmosphere of American university graduation ceremonies deeply moved us.”
Graduation ceremonies are how universities show respect to their students.
In Conclusion
Under this year’s pandemic, the absence of the expected graduation ceremony will be a regret, and this year’s graduates have had to sacrifice this life ritual. But it also makes them the most unique class of students.
However, in the face of the pandemic, more important than the ceremony is that everyone stays safe.
In fact, a graduation ceremony is not about the grandeur of the venue or the prominence of the speakers, but about whether you can properly bid farewell to your alma mater and your college life. It seems that only such a grand ceremony can validate four years of hard work and give you the courage to face the journey ahead.
A graduation ceremony is like a turning point in life, putting a perfect end to your student career so that the future can truly begin.
I hope that the class of 2020 can adjust their mindset. If you don’t care about the ceremony, you can make good use of the present time to plan for the future. If you care deeply, try to keep calm; whether it’s held online or postponed, it won’t affect your graduation. Treat it as an inspiration in life and also a unique life experience.
No matter what the future holds, this pandemic will eventually pass. Then, the class of 2020 will stand on the shining stage of life, proud of their own lives, and we will all cheer and applaud for them.
