The “Covid class” four years later: where are they now?

Graphic by Rachel Fratt

When senior Eaden Hvarre graduated high school in 2020, she got the chance to walk across the stage and celebrate her accomplishments, but she was only allowed to have six family members in the gym with her. As she walked across the stage, music played, and her principal, vice principal, and family members clapped.

Then she walked out of the gym, took pictures, and left.

“I was glad that it was still in person, and I was glad that it wasn’t like ‘Oh just come pick up your diploma,’ but people talk about it like it was the twilight zone of walking through an empty gym to graduation music, but it was what it was,” Hvarre explained.

Like Hvarre, many of Elmhurst University’s 2024 graduates belong to the high school class of 2020. This meant that they didn’t get a normal high school graduation, and they spent the better part of their first half of college in online courses.

As such, a few ‘24 graduates shared the unique experiences they went through these past four years.

EU senior Hannah Quintero’s high school graduation was a pre-recorded video where graduates’ names were called out on a screen along with their photos. Quintero said her family held a drive-by with balloons where her family members drove by her house to congratulate her.

EU senior Alex Eddy’s high school graduation was simply a slideshow where each student’s name was presented and read aloud, and he walked across his living room floor when his name was called.

EU senior Heather Vesely got assigned a time to get her diploma based on her home room number. She said she got to wear her cap and gown but had a “very small celebration.”

After graduating high school online and/or socially distanced, these seniors started college fully online.

Quintero said that adjusting to online classes in 2020 was hard, and being on campus in 2021 was also difficult when everyone was wearing masks. Half the students were on campus and half weren’t.

“[It] was challenging in a way because we don’t want to get sick again and go through that whole quarantine time again,” Quintero said.

However, Quintero was able to take fully in-person classes her junior and senior year and described that as a positive experience. She also joined clubs, such as a sorority and the Elmhurst University E-Celerator program, to meet new people.

“I got to network with many people on campus, meet new people, meet new professors that are gonna be with me throughout the journey after college,” Quintero said.

Hvarre echoed Quintero’s feelings about the first half of college, stating that her first year of college was hard because she was living on campus but doing classes alone from her computer.

“It’s not like I’m like with my friends looking at our computers, it’s like I’m alone, looking at my computer,” Hvarre described. “But it’s nice now seeing what a college experience is like and getting to know my professors and being in person, so I’m glad that it didn’t last forever.”

Reflecting on her college experience, Hvarre feels positively about her time at EU but wonders how it could have been without COVID-19.

“I know my experience wasn’t what a college experience is, but I don’t know what a college experience is,” Hvarre said. “I don’t know what I’m missing. I’m probably missing a lot of great things, but we just don’t know.”

Eddy explained that he missed out on key milestone moments from his senior year of high school and described the transition from high school to college as “awkward.”

“Ending high school, it did suck because I didn’t get to play my varsity year of baseball, I didn’t get to do all these other things, I didn’t get to go to my prom,” Eddy said. “Walking the stage in my living room was a little funny, but transitioning was definitely awkward.”

Eddy said the social aspect of early college was what he missed the most.

Vesely said finishing high school online wasn’t so bad because she thought it would be temporary, but it was challenging starting college online because it was difficult to meet students and focus on her studies. She said her first year of college didn’t officially start until her sophomore year when classes and clubs started to run in person again.

She was glad to complete college on campus.

“I am so happy I got to finish college in person because it feels more accomplishing knowing that I got to watch myself achieve my goals not behind a computer screen,” Vesely said.

Heading into their college graduation, these graduates will get a fully in-person ceremony.

Quintero is looking forward to having the opportunity to walk in this year’s college graduation.

“This year feels different because my family will be in the crowd during the ceremony cheering me on while I walk across the stage,” Quintero said.

Hvarre feels that this year’s graduation won’t be as personal as her high school graduation could have been since her college class is larger than her high school class was, but she still looks forward to the day.

“I’m excited to get to be on the field with my friends and sitting in the chairs and taking pictures after,” Hvarre said. “It’s gonna be chaotic, but I’m kind of excited for the chaos because my other one was completely like alone.”

Vesely said getting a real graduation ceremony feels “surreal,” and this will be her first graduation ceremony.

“I am nervous and so happy at the same time,” Vesely said. “I am glad I get to accept my diploma in front of all my family and friends!”

Eddy looks forward to being able to walk across the stage to get his degree and have his family come and watch.

“It feels refreshing, I guess is a good way to put it,” Eddy said. “Just the experience you wanted in high school, you finally get it now.”