COVID-19 denies lifetime moments for graduating students

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

Every student entering a university has many ambitions. The most important thing at the back of most of the students mind at the time of graduation is to get a job opportunity for bright future while quite a few of them plan for higher degrees.

The graduation ceremony is one of the lifetime moments for the students as well as parents in every part of the world. It’s an occasion to celebrate and cherish.

Being fortunate enough to attend the graduation ceremony of my son at the Communications University of China in Beijing a couple of years, I have had fond memories of this event. 

The students and parents had converged from different parts of the world and they were extremely happy to be out there for sharing their dream moments. 

Attired in the graceful graduation dress, the students were engaged in exchanging pleasantries with their classmates with whom they had spent four years. It was a gala show. Like me, there were parents from many other countries present there to witness and cheer the passing out parade. 

COVID-19, however, has totally changed the scenario. No graduation ceremony, no celebrations, no goodbye, no wish for good luck, no prayers in person for bright future anymore. Most of the universities have now started doing the graduation ceremony online. 

“The students were denied the privilege of receiving tips first-hand about what should they be doing when entering their first workplace,” a recently passed out foreign student from a Chinese University responded when contacted by PNFS. 

“Compared with the previous years, this year's graduation season has been particularly hasty. The graduating students and their parents haven’t had the opportunity of gathering at one place to celebrate the very big moment of their lives,” he narrated. 

“We miss not having had time to say goodbye to our classmates. We couldn’t click a graduation photo despite having the latest of digital cameras in our smartphones,” he regretted. 

“We couldn’t even bid farewell to the campus where we spent four golden years of with our classmates, teachers and even with hostel staff, who were always forthwith to help us,” he added.

 He concluded with a wish that let the new entering students enjoy the ceremony which they missed because of pandemic.