Brooke Hale, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Brooke Hale)

I never would have guessed that I’d experience graduation from the couch in my living room. While my undergraduate experience was cut short, I’m immensely grateful for the experiences I’ve had on the Farm over the past four years. It’s difficult to fathom that in a matter of 12 days, my classmates and I had to adjust to an entirely online experience while also vacating campus. I wish that I would’ve had the chance to say ‘goodbye’ or ‘see you later’ to my dear friends, but it’s been nice to stay in touch virtually. My a cappella group, Talisman, has been making virtual choir videos to share songs with others through social media. Even though we are dispersed across several time zones, we are still able to collaborate and share our love of singing.

I am thankful that my future plans have stayed relatively stable, as I’m pursuing a coterminal master’s program in environmental engineering next year. My summer internship was moved online, so I am researching coral reefs from my home in land-locked Missouri. I’m grateful for the unexpected time I’ve had with my family these past few months. Like many other students, this is the longest amount of time I’ve spent at home since high school. My time in quarantine has made me appreciate the small joys: the baby bunnies nesting in our garden, cooking with my family and chaotically singing Happy Birthday to a friend over a group Zoom call.

I am humbled and inspired by my fellow classmates who have stepped up to help with the repercussions of COVID and racial injustice in their communities. The recent wave of solidarity and action to counter police brutality has spurred much-needed conversations about race in my rural hometown. I’m hopeful that the recent momentum will lead to lasting change, and I have no doubt that the Class of 2020 will continue to fight for a better and more just world.

Brooke Hale, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Brooke Hale)

I never would have guessed that I’d experience graduation from the couch in my living room. While my undergraduate experience was cut short, I’m immensely grateful for the experiences I’ve had on the Farm over the past four years. It’s difficult to fathom that in a matter of 12 days, my classmates and I had to adjust to an entirely online experience while also vacating campus. I wish that I would’ve had the chance to say ‘goodbye’ or ‘see you later’ to my dear friends, but it’s been nice to stay in touch virtually. My a cappella group, Talisman, has been making virtual choir videos to share songs with others through social media. Even though we are dispersed across several time zones, we are still able to collaborate and share our love of singing.

I am thankful that my future plans have stayed relatively stable, as I’m pursuing a coterminal master’s program in environmental engineering next year. My summer internship was moved online, so I am researching coral reefs from my home in land-locked Missouri. I’m grateful for the unexpected time I’ve had with my family these past few months. Like many other students, this is the longest amount of time I’ve spent at home since high school. My time in quarantine has made me appreciate the small joys: the baby bunnies nesting in our garden, cooking with my family and chaotically singing Happy Birthday to a friend over a group Zoom call.

I am humbled and inspired by my fellow classmates who have stepped up to help with the repercussions of COVID and racial injustice in their communities. The recent wave of solidarity and action to counter police brutality has spurred much-needed conversations about race in my rural hometown. I’m hopeful that the recent momentum will lead to lasting change, and I have no doubt that the Class of 2020 will continue to fight for a better and more just world.

Mekhi Jones, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Mekhi Jones)

Graduating right now opens up a very uncertain future. The results for how we will view public health and how we view and treat each other will be something that we will all have to actively take part in rebuilding. I believe that it forces us to re-evaluate the value that we place in community health and the humanity of one another; refocusing our energy into building community and practicing empathy with one another. I believe that it’s in these most challenging times that we have the opportunity to improve our society the most.

The pandemic has affected activities and celebrations that I looked forward to that mark the end of an undergraduate experience. But it hasn’t reshaped the lessons I got out of the journey, which I believe are more important than the typical ‘college experience.’ The growth that I experienced inside and outside of the classroom is where I draw the most meaning from having attended Stanford, and a pandemic in my final quarter won’t take that away.

I was fortunate enough to retain my full-time offer as a software engineer, which I am very grateful for. I won’t start until the fall, so time will tell if that work will start remotely or not, but at least there is the security of having a job that I chose. I did have [to cancel] plans to attend Parsons School of Design over the summer, learning to construct and design fashion pieces and invest time in starting a fashion line. It’s unfortunate, but not as important as the lives and health of society, so it was not at all a hard sacrifice.

I encourage my fellow students to create change in their communities, in their companies, with their friends and family and consequently, we will all collectively build a society that reflects and practices the values that we all share and hope to see our world reflect.

Mekhi Jones, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Mekhi Jones)

Graduating right now opens up a very uncertain future. The results for how we will view public health and how we view and treat each other will be something that we will all have to actively take part in rebuilding. I believe that it forces us to re-evaluate the value that we place in community health and the humanity of one another; refocusing our energy into building community and practicing empathy with one another. I believe that it’s in these most challenging times that we have the opportunity to improve our society the most.

The pandemic has affected activities and celebrations that I looked forward to that mark the end of an undergraduate experience. But it hasn’t reshaped the lessons I got out of the journey, which I believe are more important than the typical ‘college experience.’ The growth that I experienced inside and outside of the classroom is where I draw the most meaning from having attended Stanford, and a pandemic in my final quarter won’t take that away.

I was fortunate enough to retain my full-time offer as a software engineer, which I am very grateful for. I won’t start until the fall, so time will tell if that work will start remotely or not, but at least there is the security of having a job that I chose. I did have [to cancel] plans to attend Parsons School of Design over the summer, learning to construct and design fashion pieces and invest time in starting a fashion line. It’s unfortunate, but not as important as the lives and health of society, so it was not at all a hard sacrifice.

I encourage my fellow students to create change in their communities, in their companies, with their friends and family and consequently, we will all collectively build a society that reflects and practices the values that we all share and hope to see our world reflect.

Noelle Chow, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Noelle Chow)

‘EMBRACE AMBIGUITY.’ As I flip through the countless logbooks I kept as a product design major, this phrase repeats throughout my three years of notebooks. Each time I completed a project, I felt like I understood how to ‘embrace ambiguity’ a little better. By senior year, I was ready to embrace a career in ambiguity.

Ambiguity turned out to be way more extreme than I thought it would be. We – the Class of 2020, whose freshman year motto was ‘Clear Vision’ – didn’t foresee graduating into a global pandemic, a movement against racial injustice and a frightening U.S. economy. I never expected to graduate in my living room in front of my TV and still searching for a job, just like so many of my classmates. We all ask the question, ‘What’s going to happen next?’

Right now, it is challenging to embrace ambiguity. However, I’m reminded of another lesson I’ve learned over the past four years: the power of perspective. While it is important to acknowledge fear, exhaustion and all other feelings, it is just as necessary to be hopeful for our future. My encouragement to my fellow Cardinal and myself is to embrace this uncertain time as an opportunity. We can be creative and flexible. We can continue educating ourselves. We can be optimistic about a better future. We’ve already prepared ourselves to help make it – now let’s go do it.

Noelle Chow, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Noelle Chow)

‘EMBRACE AMBIGUITY.’ As I flip through the countless logbooks I kept as a product design major, this phrase repeats throughout my three years of notebooks. Each time I completed a project, I felt like I understood how to ‘embrace ambiguity’ a little better. By senior year, I was ready to embrace a career in ambiguity.

Ambiguity turned out to be way more extreme than I thought it would be. We – the Class of 2020, whose freshman year motto was ‘Clear Vision’ – didn’t foresee graduating into a global pandemic, a movement against racial injustice and a frightening U.S. economy. I never expected to graduate in my living room in front of my TV and still searching for a job, just like so many of my classmates. We all ask the question, ‘What’s going to happen next?’

Right now, it is challenging to embrace ambiguity. However, I’m reminded of another lesson I’ve learned over the past four years: the power of perspective. While it is important to acknowledge fear, exhaustion and all other feelings, it is just as necessary to be hopeful for our future. My encouragement to my fellow Cardinal and myself is to embrace this uncertain time as an opportunity. We can be creative and flexible. We can continue educating ourselves. We can be optimistic about a better future. We’ve already prepared ourselves to help make it – now let’s go do it.

Jackson Eilers, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Jackson Eilers)

I am saddened by how clearly the impacts of the pandemic disproportionately affect the most vulnerable communities in our country (and world) due to systematic failures in our healthcare system and governance. Graduating into this uncertain world is very nerve-wracking. At the same time, I see so many opportunities to effect positive change on the communities I am a part of. I am inspired by my classmates who immediately jumped to the task at hand to help those in need and mitigate the effects of the pandemic, and I am proud of everyone who is protesting, organizing and standing up against the racial injustices and police brutality that ravage our country and its citizens on a daily basis. With turmoil comes change, and I am hopeful that this change is for the better.

The pandemic definitely reshaped the end of my college experience. While I am very happy with the 11 quarters I got to spend at Stanford, it took away the closure and camaraderie I would have shared with my peers at the end of a long and arduous journey. There are the staple experiences my class lost these past few weeks, most notably our graduation, but the experience I am most sad about losing is being able to say goodbye and congratulations to my classmates in person. While I am quite sad about losing the end of my Stanford career, I think the pandemic has taught me a lasting lesson in permanence. It is important to make the most of each day and opportunity as life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs.

Times like these are when communities and individuals build strength and resilience. I believe tough situations like this one lead to changes that make the world a better place. This is not the first global catastrophe humans have encountered. If we put time into bettering ourselves and our communities, we will all come out of this stronger, more united and more empathetic to those around us.

Jackson Eilers, ’20 (Image credit: Courtesy Jackson Eilers)

I am saddened by how clearly the impacts of the pandemic disproportionately affect the most vulnerable communities in our country (and world) due to systematic failures in our healthcare system and governance. Graduating into this uncertain world is very nerve-wracking. At the same time, I see so many opportunities to effect positive change on the communities I am a part of. I am inspired by my classmates who immediately jumped to the task at hand to help those in need and mitigate the effects of the pandemic, and I am proud of everyone who is protesting, organizing and standing up against the racial injustices and police brutality that ravage our country and its citizens on a daily basis. With turmoil comes change, and I am hopeful that this change is for the better.

The pandemic definitely reshaped the end of my college experience. While I am very happy with the 11 quarters I got to spend at Stanford, it took away the closure and camaraderie I would have shared with my peers at the end of a long and arduous journey. There are the staple experiences my class lost these past few weeks, most notably our graduation, but the experience I am most sad about losing is being able to say goodbye and congratulations to my classmates in person. While I am quite sad about losing the end of my Stanford career, I think the pandemic has taught me a lasting lesson in permanence. It is important to make the most of each day and opportunity as life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs.

Times like these are when communities and individuals build strength and resilience. I believe tough situations like this one lead to changes that make the world a better place. This is not the first global catastrophe humans have encountered. If we put time into bettering ourselves and our communities, we will all come out of this stronger, more united and more empathetic to those around us.