“My parents showed me how to make the best out of a hard situation”

June 9, 2020 would have been the DeGroote School of Business convocation day. Instead, this day looks a little different for many students. Thomas Oshana recounts in his own words the way he celebrated the end of a milestone.

I always pictured my graduation like in the movies. The students are asked to rise at the end of the ceremony and the President tells them to move our tassels from right to left (at least in the US), and declares us all official graduates. We’d then throw our hats up in the air, music would be blaring and streamers fall around us. My classmates and I would exchange high-fives, families would hug and maybe even shed a tear of joy.

But that didn’t happen.

In March the university moved to online learning due to COVID-19. I was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie at home in the spare bedroom with a cup of coffee while writing my final exam online. With the click of a button, I submitted it and completed university. I walked out of the room and yelled to my parents, “I submitted, I graduated!”.

Definitely not the end of the university chapter I envisioned.

Looking back to the beginning of my final semester, I told myself that I would make every second count. I planned on attending every class – and we know not everyone does that. But this was my goal. If my friends wanted to go out every single night, I was in. Any chance I had to go onto campus, I’d take it. I wanted to enjoy the campus vibes as much as possible before my time at McMaster was done.

I had attended my final in-person class in March not knowing it would be the last. The image I had in my head of my final semester didn’t happen. 

Instead, I spent the remainder of my semester living with my parents. 

It was a lot to process. There was a lot I felt I was missing out on; last day of classes, last night out with friends, walking around campus for the final goodbye. It was all out of my control. 

When I submitted my final exam, there was a special surprise waiting for me.

My parents led me outside to the front of the house to take photos of me wearing McMaster attire as a memory of my last day of university. But it was more than that. Outside there was a conga line of cars. Friends I had not seen in weeks and family from out-of-town were there to congratulate me with balloons and honking. 

I learned a valuable lesson from my parents that day. It was more than just the gathering of friends and family – it was that they had found a way to make the best out of a hard situation. They helped create a special memory to celebrate the end of a chapter. 

Others can do this too. This has been hard. But I believe things in life happen for a reason. 

A female student in my graduating class photo had the caption, “If only we knew we’re living in the good old day.” Who knows if the state of things will return to what they were, but we must learn to make the best of it. We will see all our family and friends again, we will celebrate, and travel and ultimately get through this. This will one day be a story to tell our kids and grandkids one day. 

I know the challenges go beyond not having a conventional convocation day. But it’s still important to play in the puddles when life throws you rainy days. 

Cheers to the class of 2020!