We all know graduation is canceled and some of us don’t get to leave college how we were expecting. There is no walk across the stage, no celebration parties and no closure.

But yes, I will still be celebrating and popping a bottle of champagne — even if it’s in the company of my own home.

I had no idea that it would be my last time walking to class, talking to friends and my last time photographing for the A-T. I think we all thought we would have more time and I guess that’s the unsettling feeling of it all.

There are a lot of small moments that I took for granted. I had never liked school and I couldn’t wait for it to be over, but now that it’s over I wish I could go back.

I came to Oshkosh not knowing anyone and having no family or friends even in the same state as me. College has really been a rollercoaster, and along the way I started working for the Advance-Titan.

I always loved taking photos and using my creativity, but I never thought I would end up as the photo editor. I had never taken photographs professionally and I knew I had a lot of improving to do.

The A-T staff was welcoming right from the beginning and I always enjoyed participating in the weekly meetings. I wish I had joined sooner, even if it was to write for the paper or help out in some way because it truly was an amazing experience.

As cheesy as it sounds, college is a chance to try new things, meet new people and become the person you’ve always wanted to be. By no means have I got it all together now that I am graduating.

I mean I am graduating during a crazy pandemic, so I’ve got to be panicking a little right? But I really don’t know how I would’ve survived college without my family and friends and maintaining an optimistic attitude through it all.

I don’t get to have my last hoorah and I don’t get to walk across the stage, so maybe me writing this can be my last goodbye.

To all of us who are graduating and struggling to make sense of our next chapter in our lives, know we’ll make it through together and you are not alone.