“Loss is anything you were planning on, hoping for, had invested in. He died at their home in hospice care just 12 weeks later. And to have that taken away from you — that is loss.”, “A lot of our kids are grieving whether they know that’s what they are doing or not.”. As he swung open the office door, he found his professor sunken and sullen. Graduation Announcements. Coronavirus and College Graduation: What to Know Here's what college seniors and their families should know as schools cancel, postpone or plan virtual graduation … “Part of what has helped not having the big fuss over graduation is that those are sad days for her, where she notices the absence of her dad. Grads everywhere are wondering what graduation season 2020 will bring in light of COVID-19 school and university closures across the world. Of course, this year there is no graduation for Anna’s dad to miss. It started on May 4, 1970, when shots rang out at Kent State University after the Ohio National Guard was called in response to students protesting the Vietnam War. Her advice? While her academic hard work paid off, Anna has been devastated to miss out on prom and other senior year traditions she had looked forward to. For more information on graduation announcements, click here. COVID-19 is temporarily changing the way we celebrate. “It almost broke her. I had 29 great years on Earth with my father, who died in 2013, and heard many stories about the four best years of his life in Athens. Graduation Invitations. Our collection of corona invitation designs means you can almost always find that perfect invitation or other invite styles that truly speak to you and your personality. Many high school seniors are wondering how they might plan their graduation ceremonies. Later that month, my father recounted the most special moments in his life. Successfully making it to adulthood and receiving their diploma is a symbol to their new life to start. But it didn’t. It’s not as good,” says Mezulis. Graduation Ideas. Anna Bencke will attending Brown University in the fall. On the other hand, there was organization and structure that even remote learning provided. “We have an adult perspective of what those rites of passage really mean, what they meant for our families and the role they would have played and how it would wrap up their high school career,” Mezulis said. “The key to being happy is not just about having happy, fun things to do in your life, but having a sense of accomplishment, meaning and purpose.”, In the month he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Mezulis’ husband Matt wrote a moving article for Wired, pledging his desire to “beat the odds.”. And loss does not have to be death,” Mezulis said. The National Guard was called in to restore order and patrol Court and Union streets. As my graduation approached in the spring of 2007, I had an idea. Amy Mezulis admits that she sent out “Save the Date” invitations for her daughter’s June graduation party in October of last year. During school closures due to Coronavirus, please follow these procedures to enroll new students: First, Complete Aeries Air. Hearing those stories during my formative years likely had their intended effect. There awaited my father, a senior at Ohio University on the cusp of graduation and ready to join the working ranks. My pleas about his lack of refund fell on deaf ears. “I think he’d have been very excited for me. Place the inside envelope into the outside envelope and seal the outside envelope flap. Protestors uprooted bricks from the streets and hurled them toward the street lamps and the windows of office buildings. In the fall of 2017, she lost her husband, Matt Bencke, to metastatic pancreatic cancer. The second is making the meaningful memory. As someone who knows loss, a widow and mom of a high school senior tells teens and parents their graduation grief is real. In March, Mezulis’ team at SPU began a research study of 2500 participants, comparing how teens and young adults ages 14 to 24 were reacting to the pandemic compared to adults ages 25 and older. Buy your invitation and matching thank you cards at the same time and never forget to send thank yous. Personalized graduation announcements are a great way to let your family and friends know about your academic accomplishments! Title: 202491_GDP_SY20_Announcement Insert Card_Canceled Event_PF01.indd Created Date: Amy Mezulis made a graduation announcement card for her daughter, even though there is no official ceremony this year. Thankfully, her dog (and husband) still reside with her in Bellevue, WA. Graduation announcements are different from invitations - announcements are simply meant to inform recipients of a graduation that is taking place. All rights reserved. Years later, though, there was one thing that bothered him: OU never refunded him for his cap and gown that he never used! Unlike a graduation invitation that includes an event date, the graduation announcement can be sent within a wide time frame; we suggest about two weeks before graduation (when you’re sure all the requirements have been met!) If included in your order, apply the envelope seal on the flap of the inside envelope to secure it closed. It makes you human.”, “It doesn’t undermine that there are people out there struggling with ‘bigger’ issues… It’s just an investment in our kids and our families that we are noting these losses.”. Even though many of the class of 2020’s graduation ceremonies may be hijacked by COVID-19, there are plenty of ways you can still … Our corona invitations start as … She suggests the process of “time and meaning making.”. But there are plenty of others: FaceTime or Zoom; make a scrapbook or photo album; have friends and family create video messages for the graduate; dress up at home and take the family photo with your graduate in cap and gown. Their kids, Anna and Elsie, were 15 and 12. Hopefully, my father’s story compels us to open the next one and embrace the joy that awaits us on the other side. Both age groups are experiencing more depression and suicidal thoughts; teens and young adults are showing a greater increase in suicidal thoughts and behavior compared to adults. And for many, this may be amplified by the fact that there is no guarantee that college or future plans will happen in the fall. He’d be so thrilled about Brown. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. As the school year comes to an end and the “corona-version” of graduation season has started, Mezulis says it’s important to validate what both teens and parents are feeling. She knows she got through it. Fifty years after the Vietnam War protests disrupted my father’s turn to take part in commencement, young people across the nation have faced the same fate due to COVID-19. Perhaps even more than kids, because parents know from experience what their kids are missing. If you plan to send out graduation announcements after graduating, you can send them up to six weeks afterward. Don’t ignore the losses; face them head on for what they are. Cori Bush other lawmakers call … While Mezulis is heartbroken over the cancellation of the graduation party she planned long ago — which was going to be attended by her husband’s family and many of his closest friends from across the country — she realizes it was more for her, and not what Anna necessarily needed. At 45, Bencke was an avid cyclist and runner, and had biked 200 miles the week before his diagnosis. To my surprise, I heard back quickly. Posted in: Announcements , COVID-19 Announcements | Tagged: Coronavirus , COVID-19 Announcements Some parents are choosing to send out graduation open house invitations with a note about checking social media for possible changes in dates. The mom of two teens also recently ordered announcement cards — using pictures from 17-year-old Anna’s senior photo shoot — even though there’s no formal graduation ceremony happening. Some kids will be relieved that remote learning and the spring of disappointment is over. Families should identify what it is about the event that is most important that you are not getting. Mezulis says parents may need to help teens structure their time and set some expectations. It’s OK to feel mad and robbed that you didn’t get those events,” she said. With … There is a major difference between a graduation invitation, which … The help “It’s OK to feel loss. One final passing grade and a short walk across the stage were all that remained. And yes, those feelings are real and valid, for teens and parents. With COVID-19, we’ve learned that countless doors will close unceremoniously. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Graduation invitations serve the purpose of inviting people to a ceremony or graduation party. Graduation Party Tips and Ideas During Covid-19 - Andover, MA - Throw Your Grad a Safe Yet Fun Party! to six weeks afterwards, in case you prefer to include a photo of … The coronavirus has changed everything about our daily life, due to social distancing restrictions. “It’s not the same. The Bencke family in August 2017 on their last family trip before Matt Bencke passed away. What was it about that celebration or that ritual that you were most looking forward to? “It almost broke her. "We wore party hats and cheered," she said. Echoing the sentiment of 2020, the professor lamented, “I’m too distraught over everything. Your safety, and the safety of your guests, is of the utmost importance to us. While finding a full-time job may be tough, there are other meaningful options, whether it’s a part-time job in the neighborhood, an online class, an unpaid internship or doing organized tasks around the house. “But it’s better than ignoring it or pretending that the event is not happening.”. With no school, teens may lose some meaning and purpose to get up in the morning. Guarantee that RSVP with the right corona invitations from Zazzle. This includes my cousin’s son, now the fifth in the Kalinoski clan to graduate from Ohio University — and, coincidentally, the second to have his commencement canceled. It's OK to feel sad. Congratulations, graduates! As he exited the office, he exhaled a sigh of relief and pumped his fist in delight. “It makes me sad that Dad doesn’t get to see me graduate,” she said. For those who may point out that the pandemic’s devastation — death, unemployment, financial instability —make missing a graduation celebration seem trivial in comparison, Mezulis is here to remind affected teens and parents: “It doesn’t make you selfish. “You could never in a million years have seen it coming,” says Mezulis, who remains grateful that she and her daughters got to say their goodbyes to him and him to them. NJ Waives Graduation Rules, Makes Other School Changes Amid COVID - Woodbridge, NJ - Gov. Announcement Cover Send that special someone a keepsake of your graduation announcement protected by an embossed, leatherette cover. I continued his legacy by enrolling at Ohio University in the fall of 2003. You can still plan a grad party, give or receive cards and personalized graduation gifts, express your pride to the new grad, or celebrate with your graduating class. Professional experience aside, Mezulis is familiar with grief. Hearing those stories during my formative years likely had their intended effect. We offer a wide variety of announcements and invitations, each customizable in your unique school colors. After his death, there were the first birthdays without him to get through and Elsie’s 8th grade graduation. And for ever and ever going forward, she knows she got through it. If your event has been affected, you may utilize one of these designs to make the announcement of a cancelled or postponed event. With two kids in college, she lives in a newly empty nest. What better way to do it than by sending graduation announcements out? With each canceled milestone and diluted holiday tradition, I find hope in the story of my father’s lost rite of passage. Graduation from college no longer automatically leads to a well-paying job in the career of the graduate's choice. After completing Aeries Air, you must email the Registrar/Records at your site and provide the following documents as scanned documents or emailed pictures. We invite readers of all ages to submit an original and previously unpublished personal essay of musings related to life during the current pandemic for Coronavirus Chronicles. Then came the inevitable announcement from then-President Claude R. Sowle: Campus was closed. Kavita Varma-White is a Senior Editor for TODAY Parents, Digital. Graduation announcements can be sent within a wide time frame – you can send them out before or after the actual graduation. ET Here is the list of Registrar/Records at all sites: Like many parents of the class of 2020, Mezulis, of Bellevue, Washington, is mourning the end-of-high school milestones her family should have been able to celebrate. The first step is to make the time to celebrate the event, whether it is family time or time with friends and classmates to celebrate all you have done together. Anna struggled to maintain her focus on high school sports and studies. For weeks now, many people have been sheltering in place and limiting social contact with others to help curb the spread of the coronavirus during the COVID-19 outbreak. COVID-19 does not mean you have to immediately cancel your graduation party and any other celebrations associated with this momentous occasion. “I feel cheated out of a graduation and getting to spend more time making memories with friends,” Anna said. So she’s kind of getting a pass,” Mezulis said. Quickly, protests ignited elsewhere around the country, too, including southern Ohio, toward Athens. “I want to be at every gym meet and soccer game, to see the girls’ high school graduations, send them off to college, walk then down the aisle,” he wrote about daughters Anna and Elsie. Everyone’s passing.” My father concurred empathetically. Photo: Niko Morales via GMA. How the class of 2020 is celebrating during the coronavirus pandemic. I thought that our then-president Roderick McDavis (1970 graduate of OU) would be sympathetic and allow my father to walk with me during graduation. His secretary wrote an emphatic “Yes!” but with one condition: I had to pay for his cap and gown! Turn your front door into a celebration of achievement. © 2021 www.dispatch.com. Without asking my parents, I emailed his office. Graduation this year may not look the way any of us planned. Mezulis with daughters Anna and Elsie at Elsie's 8th grade graduation. But it didn’t. Due to changes in the Spring 2021 academic calendar, graduation will occur following the end of the term, which is April 23, 2021. This custom stole can be photo printed. “Grief is defined as the emotional response to loss. Get a Custom Graduation Stole. All students were told to vacate their dorms and apartments. Is your child having a birthday during COVID-19 social distancing? He was a college graduate after all, only the second in his family. They were his marriage to my mother, the birth of my brother and me, and the moment he was able to walk across that stage at OU with me. A professor of clinical psychology at Seattle Pacific University and co-founder of UpLift, a teletherapy practice for teens and young adults, Mezulis has spent much of her time during the COVID-19 pandemic researching adolescent mental health and counseling teens who are feeling loss, loneliness and depression. But now, as states start loosening these restrictions, there’s something new to worry about: how to respond to invitations to social events. Though the study is ongoing, Mezulis says a few findings have stood out. The university canceled commencement and decided to mail diplomas to graduates. Considering she feels it herself, Mezulis recognizes that parents are grieving over the loss of graduation traditions, too. GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENT ETIQUETTE WHEN TO SEND. During a mock graduation ceremony held in Florida, parents called each girl's name as they walked across the resort balcony and were handed a faux diploma. As my father recounted many times, the scene there on College Green was chaotic. Place your graduation announcement into the inside envelope with the folded edge inserted first and the front of the announcement facing the flap. That’s given her a lot of strength,” Mezulis says of Anna, who got accepted into her dream school, Brown University. As winter quickly paints our days black, we wait for COVID-19 vaccines to slowly reawaken us and spring us to better days ahead. COVID-19, my graduation has been postponed. Zachary T. Kalinoski, 36, lives in Clintonville. Send essays by email: talking@dispatch.com. I continued his legacy by enrolling at Ohio University in the fall of 2003. All accepted essays become property of The Dispatch. Here are 14 ways to celebrate. CityWatch Commencements during COVID-19 are a bittersweet experience for N.Y. grads Published: May 22, 2020 at 11:29 a.m. You can get it in any … In-person options may be limited. Announce your grad in style. “She doesn’t have to have that poignantly emotional moment where we take that photo and her dad isn’t there.”. “It is not healthy to have nothing that organizes your day and your time,” she said. That’s given her a lot of strength.". My father was hesitant at first when I told him about the opportunity but realized how special that moment could be. Whether your grad finished pre-K, middle school, high school, or college, these are the most creative quarantine graduation ideas for 2020 you can do at … Ideas, guidelines for hosting graduation celebrations during COVID-19 pandemic Amanda Kesting 5/5/2020. But we still have every reason to celebrate these kids’ hard work and academic accomplishments. They are also feeling greater levels of loneliness and anger. He was always so supportive and I know he’d be so happy for me.”. Corona Invitations FAQs. “I worked really hard for the first 3 1/2 years of high school thinking I’d have this last semester to have fun with my friends and get graduation and get to celebrate all that hard work, and now that I don’t get that I feel like maybe I wasted my time.”. When the day came, we were interviewed by a camera crew and had our moment to shine, walking across the same stage — one after the other — as college graduates. Concerned about his last passing grade, he visited his professor to inquire abouthis status for graduation. 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