Excessive Faculty Commencement A Starting and An Ending – TherapyTribe

This 12 months most excessive faculties might be resuming their regular commencement ceremonies.  As a result of success of the Coronavirus vaccines, the CDC has acknowledged that it will be protected to carry commencement ceremonies once more.  Final 12 months some excessive faculties had conventional ceremonies and this 12 months most excessive faculties might be having commencement ceremonies. That is totally different from the previous  few years when commencement ceremonies have been canceled as a result of Coronavirus.  Whereas faculties are having commencement ceremonies, they may probably be totally different for the graduates.  Will probably be totally different as a result of for a lot of the graduates their highschool experiences have been totally different from the “conventional” highschool expertise.  Many of those college students needed to attend highschool part-time remotely and had typical highschool occasions resembling sports activities and the promenade altered or canceled as a result of Coronavirus. 

As I acknowledged above for a lot of highschool graduates, this 12 months commencement ceremonies might be considerably in another way emotionally.  Nonetheless, Excessive Faculty commencement nonetheless marks a giant accomplishment for youngsters. They’ve completed their fundamental schooling and they’re prepared to maneuver on to start their life plans as a younger grownup.  For a lot of college students this implies going to a 4 12 months school and incomes a Bachelors diploma.  As well as, many graduates might be celebrating scholarships they obtained and awards they obtained for his or her tutorial or different accomplishments in highschool.  Additionally they have family and friends there to hitch them in celebrating their accomplishments.  In fact this can be a completely happy day and it deserves to be celebrated.

Whereas that is the stereotype we take into consideration concerning commencement, it’s not the fact for each college students.  Some college students have labored very laborious and maintained excellent grades, however they didn’t get accepted into the College of their alternative or a school they will afford and possibly they didn’t obtain any awards or scholarships.  Many seniors will not be going to a 4 12 months college, they might want to attend the native two 12 months junior school and attempt to switch right into a 4 12 months college.  Whereas there may be nothing improper attending a junior school, many college students really feel like they failed having to begin at a junior school.  Different college students who’ve studying disabilities are simply barely graduating and needed to wait to the final minute to see if the previous all of their courses.  Some didn’t go and so they must go to summer time faculty so they might be allowed to take part within the ceremony however they don’t seem to be completed but.  These college students don’t get to stay the stereotype and sometimes really feel embarrassed and ashamed once they evaluate themselves to the opposite college students of their graduating class.

I had additionally talked about celebrating with household and buddies.  For some college students this may be very troublesome.  If their mother and father had a hostile divorce, the divorce could also be being dragged into the commencement.  As an alternative of a celebration, the mother and father could also be making the commencement a civil battle.  The graduate could also be pressured to take sides with regard to who they will invite to the ceremony.  Do they invite mother’s aspect or dad’s aspect?  This may change a cheerful occasion into a really annoying occasion the graduate doesn’t need to be concerned in.  For some graduates a mom or father has handed away and commencement day is one other reminder that this very particular individual is not bodily current.  Subsequently, commencement could also be a annoying or unhappy day.

One other side that’s neglected is commencement is an ending.  It marks the tip of a youngster’s highschool expertise.  Many teenagers have been very concerned with their faculty and have developed shut relationships with lecturers and faculty employees and so they have developed very shut friendships with their classmates.  Commencement marks an finish to their highschool life.  They should say goodbye to those individuals and transfer on to a college they have no idea and should not know anybody else who’s attending their school.  I keep in mind one highschool secretary’s remark when she appeared on the senior class, “I’ve by no means seen so many children look so completely happy and unhappy on the similar time”.

Along with saying goodbye to their highschool household, graduates have to say goodbye to their households.  If they’re going away to highschool, they may not residing with their mother and father or siblings.  Whereas they might complain about their households, they may miss them too.  Mother and Dad will miss their graduated too.  So whereas historically we are likely to solely deal with the optimistic, which isn’t unusual for our society, we additionally have to acknowledge that commencement marks an ending too.  An ending to their highschool household, buddies  they’ve created and to their highschool actions together with a change within the graduates life.  They not are a highschool child.  They’re a school scholar and a younger grownup and want to begin their lives throughout.  This can have completely happy moments and unhappy one too. It’s essential to acknowledge each.

Whereas highschool college students might be beginning their lives over, I’ve included a small section of a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. that’s essential for highschool graduates to listen to.  It empathizes that it is advisable outline your self, don’t let others attempt to resolve who’re going to be in life https://www.fb.com/goalcast/movies/1294330473977473?s=1391497228&v=e&sfns=mo.  It’s essential that we attempt to encourage this concept in the highschool graduates as they depart highschool and begin to create their lives as an grownup on the planet.

Dr. Michael Rubino is a psychotherapist with over 25 years expertise treating youngsters and adolescents.  He has appeared on tv and radio exhibits and is taken into account an professional in adolescent psychology.  For extra info concerning his work or personal apply go to his web site at www.RubinoCounseling.com, www.rcs-ca.com or his Fb web page www.Fb.com/drrubino3 or his podcasts on Spotify or Apple.