To The Class of 2020

You did not ask for this. You did not plan for this. You were not given time to process with those around you before the world stopped in its tracks. You will be okay, but you do not have to be okay right now.

IT IS NOT FAIR.

There are plenty of people that have tried their best to celebrate you in unconventional ways, myself included, but it is not the way you expected things to end. There are exams left untaken. There are words left unsaid. There are hugs left ungiven. The prom dress you bought is hanging, unworn in your closet waiting for it's time to shine. A prom court is left unannounced with tiaras and sashes still waiting to be adorned. Yearbooks have yet to be signed. Athletes mourn their last opportunity to show the world what they got. You are left trying to process an end that came too soon.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

You are not alone. I do not know how it feels. I can not put words to your experience. You are allowed to feel sad, mad, disappointed, excited, happy, hopeful, and any other emotion that pops up within the span of a minute, an hour, a day, or a week. You are allowed to express those emotions even if those around you don't understand them. You have friends and classmates who are experiencing this same moment in time. Are you willing to ask them...

HOW ARE YOU REALLY DOING?

There is a temptation to not ask this question because you may not be ready to shoulder the emotions we feel. There is a temptation when asked to shrug your shoulders and say fine because you aren't ready to acknowledge your own emotions. Find someone you trust and allow them to be your emotional barf bag. Allow them to help you carry the weight of your current emotions and questions you have about the future. They might be the only person who has the words you need. They are the ones giving you space to grieve the losses and celebrate the joys. They are the ones who keep showing up so keep showing up for them.

YOU ARE SEEN, KNOWN, LOVED. 

I see you. I see the ways you are each coping so differently. I see the amazing humans you are becoming. I see the twinkle in your eye when people assume you are defeated. You are ready to shock the world with what you are becoming. You have allowed me into your stories throughout this year. For some of you, I saw the dark, buried, lonely places while others of you shared the bright, fun, joy-filled places. Both allowed me to know your heart and see it shared with those around you. You are so deeply loved. I know we only had a few short months with each other, but each of you has woven a little piece of yourself into my heart. You will forever be my first senior class and I can't wait to see how...

YOU CHANGE THE WORLD. 

MUCH LOVE.

COOK