We got a text yesterday with a picture of D’s laptop screen showing her virtual graduation.
She started out her college life so disappointed & unhappy with where we were making her go (due to $$$).
She stuck it out & made a life for herself and slayed it academically which translated into a nice grad school offer.
We are happy for her, and hope one day she will open up a bit more & share more of herself with us.
A friend of mine said to me this week, “You know Midwest67, some people just need to pull themselves away from their family of origin. Hopefully, one day she’ll realize how smart & cool her parents are! But if not, don’t take it personally. You did good”.
I got so choked up. Sometimes friends know exactly what to say!
D is now a college grad!! Yeah! She came home for the weekend and we had family only celebration due to Covid19. Only plus in organizing this was Party City opened the day of our get together, so i got some grad-themed gift wrap and balloons. Everything else except retail is still closed where we live.
We were surprised to find out she was given a cash award of $1K for getting the Trustees award for 4.0 GPA. We got her professional stuff for graduation- suit, leather satchel, leather portfolio, and one of my favorite books- Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
She is taking a gap year before applying to med school and had her planned job canceled in the Peace Corp. She has not yet decided what type of other job she might pursue. She might just volunteer, shadow, and study for MCAT. We will see. Reading the Dr. Zeus book is really good reminder to accept life in its fullest as it addresses not just success, but also adversity on the journey. A good reminder for D since everything in life has come relatively easy for her- until COVID19.
@midwest67, I have found parenting in the early adult years to be the most difficult and emotional. Who would have guessed? I do suspect things will change for your daughter in the next few years.
D16 is done with everything but one final (and it’s a PDF class, so not too stressful.) I really wonder how she will handle the abundance of unscheduled time that is about to appear. They are still pretty locked down where she is. She is hopeful about a job, and I hope that works out for her.
My oldest daughter is still in classes, and interviewing for places in no particular part of the country. Her interview today was so long they took two breaks.
She walked through the house yesterday expressing a slightly good-natured sense of terror, “Why am I heeere???”
When the older graduates (via virtual ceremony, until the real thing comes along) I had considered putting out a flag with her university’s logo, but she has never signed on to anything like that, nor signed on to a celebration with us, nor to sweet kisses planted on her cheeks. (Sigh)
My younger daughter finished her last exam last Friday, and her last paper in the wee hours on Saturday. She slept about 19 hours on Sunday. She is now back to designing and sewing, as she has had early success selling on some selling sites.
I really want that flag, considering I now have two reasons to hang it ('20).
I have been feeling like “Waiting to Exhale” was my name for the past few days, waiting and worrying about how S fared with his grades. My almost straight A honors kid had a required class that started off horribly and only got worse as it transitioned to online. He needed it to graduate but was truly worried he would not pass it. (Even talked about dropping it and changing his major after the first 8 weeks!)
His grades finally posted today and he passed. Hallelujah! So although we watched his online graduation ceremony and he came home (hurray!) last week, now we can truly celebrate. He will go back to his apartment next week and resume his two jobs while he continues interviewing for permanent positions.
I am still in denial that my last kid has finished his final year of college. What an experience it all has been!
Congratulations to all the Class of Covid-19 grads!
Are @Rivet2000 and I the last holdouts here in this thread?
My daughter and our family tuned in to what was an official ‘Hello, Catch ya Later’ kind of streaming affair today.
The university has committed to a full, in-the-flesh affair when possible ( looking like some time in August) and really did not try to mirror that today.
Still, we were all dressed and in attendance for her, and she was a little edgy with us, though she wore her lovely dress and stole.
Here’s to the real thing whenever that happens, because I swear, this was simply a slow seep of air from a balloon which has been flailing too long.
Happy summer to you all. Big hugs and squeezes to each of you, the members of our very own class of the Parents of the High School Class of 2016.
You are not the last @Waiting2exhale. Glad to hear the school did something for 2020 grads. No semblance of a ceremony for grads offered yet at DS16’s school. Just some recorded speeches. DS needs to call today as others have been receiving diplomas in the mail but his has not arrived. DH took pictures of DS in cap and gown when he was on campus so at least we have those.
You are not the last one @Waiting2exhale . D16 graduated and is working remotely. Virtual graduation was very nice and she received digital diploma with paper diploma to be sent in the future when gathering of large group of people be allowed. We did it! Congratulations everyone!
@Waiting2exhale We too are looking forward to the real-deal in the future. How’d you get the August date?
S is awaiting results of the dorm lottery as he’ll continue with classes for his master’s. They have brand new graduate residences opening this fall. Fingers crossed.
@Rivet2000: About the date: my daughter has driven home that she has been officialy told ‘sometime in August,’ so I should avoid walking around as though she has had to permanently forgo a graduation ceremony. She hasn’t said more than that.
I really hope she was not simply trying to speak a thing into existence, because I will not be able to live with her if it doesn’t take place.
I just asked about graduate housing last night. Glad to know the grad students will not be forced into the surrounding area in search of rentals.
We had 2 virtual graduations this year in our home, one undergrad and one medicine. I really feel for all the parents and kids who had to go through not being able to celebrate such a momentous occasion in their life outside of a darn computer. We have not been able throw a party so far.
Our son’s university sent the diplomas, but promised an in-person ceremony in the future when it’s safe to gather. I suspect they thought that would be in August, or at worst, December. Now I’m wondering if it will even be safe by next May! We still have S’s cap and gown hanging in the living room on a tall lamp LOL. I guess it’s time to throw it in a closet. (We were told to keep them until the ceremony is over…)
@psychmomma Same here, although we don’t have the cap and gown (these weren’t distributed before the quarantine). I am truly hoping that we can have an in person celebration next spring or summer.
Maybe this is the wrong place to post, but has anyone gotten gov’t student loan repayment info for new grads yet? D was “done” (doesn’t even feel like she graduated) in May 2020 and by then we’d heard of government relief and I thought I’d remembered she had 6 months to begin repayments etc. anyway. I believe normally she would have had an “exit interview” of sorts to help her understand what comes next, but like others, no exit interview, no graduation, no celebrations. Ugh.
FWIW, she only took out a loan freshman year. So, I guess since I didn’t even continue filing FAFSA or keeping any contact with financial aid, it seems like a lifetime ago and we have no clue what we should be doing! I guess I expected a bill or payment plan options or something to just get sent to us. Is that not how it works?
DS16 was notified today that the in person graduation scheduled for spring, summer and Dec 2020, grads has been cancelled and will be something virtual in Dec. Not surprised given the increase in COVID-19 cases but still disappointed. I’ve still not gotten to see him in his cap and gown or celebrate with him. So sad.
@dbandmom My son did receive student loan information, but first he had to do an online exit interview regarding student loans from his school portal. I didn’t look closely at his loan statement but he’s received several since graduating in May.
I finally hung the cap and gown in the back of the closet. NO word from the school on a rescheduled in-person graduation, understandably.