Class Of 2020: Missed Rituals

Despite the pandemic, Ariella Perez will be able to attend her graduation this year. The Rio Grande City High School senior will drive to school with her parents, walk onto the stage to receive her diploma from the school’s principal, and then get back into the car. She’s sad that the traditional ceremony won’t be held for her class, and she’s thinking about the friends she’ll miss as she makes plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin. Even those plans have been affected by the pandemic.

“I’m in the top 10%, and they always have a huge banquet for us. So I was really sad that we didn’t get to have it because it’s supposed to be one of the more fancy banquets.”

“I guess there’s been good things as well. Me and my friends have gotten closer, in the sense of talking on the phone. I mean, we would never really do that, since we would see each other every day. And I guess we’re finding time to still keep in touch. It was kind of hard not getting to say goodbye to them.”

“I never realized how big a thing graduation would be until they told us we weren’t going to be able to have it. But I am glad that we’re having some sort of graduation.”

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