Lost in Transition

Around the world, students of the Class of 2020, now colloquially known as the Class of Covid-19, are struggling with their transition from high school to higher education.

Back in March, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic arriving in Indonesia, all students were forced to stay at home under the nationally-implemented lockdown restrictions. All grade levels were affected by the sudden changes in their lives, needing to adapt to online learning and their inability to socialize with friends without the aid of screens and microphones. However last academic year’s G12 students were much more significantly impacted.

Following their uneventful and short-lived graduation ceremony — which only included the handing of diplomas, brief photoshoots, and quick farewells — graduates were obliged to celebrate in the comfort of their homes with their immediate families, receiving most of their congratulations and wishes through text messages and Instagram Stories. With social distancing in practice, graduates were not able to spend their last days before moving on to study in their respective universities with the people they have built friendships with for years, unsure of the time they will be able to finally meet face-to-face again.

“Since we had such a short graduation, there doesn’t seem to be closure between us graduates, the school, and teachers,” explained Janice Adonai, a Springfield alumnus from the Class of 2020. “It felt like it was supposed to be our last moment together as a batch. We've been together for a long time, like, I've been in Springfield for 14 years, and I've known these people the most, and then just like that, we’re never seeing each other again.”

However, missing friends is not the only problem that Covid-19 has brought upon the unfortunate group of students. As most Springfield students start the new academic year facing online learning in July and alternating between live lessons and independent studies, many graduates from the Class of 2020 are left wondering when their college lives will even start. Although some have been provided with options to directly matriculate on campus or join classes through video calls, others are left completely blind with no clear ideas or suggestions.

“Well, I know that my university term starts on the 7th of September,” said Janice. “But Taiwan is very safe at the moment, and I think allowing Indonesians in the country anytime soon would pose a very high risk, so I’m not entirely sure when I can start attending their classes.”

Anxiety attached to the unknown future does not only reign over the population of newly-graduates. Mr. Hadi Tandriawan, Springfield School’s university and career counselor, though now free of responsibilities over the Class of 2020, has also shown concerns over his previous students’ leap to tertiary education.

“Practically, I know where everyone is going and what their plans are, and inevitably, they will have to start their freshmen year virtually,” expressed Mr. Hadi. “Such an abnormal situation, but currently, everyone in the world is facing the same challenge.”

However, it seems like not everyone had a bad time waiting for their new school term to start. “I used the time off to explore a lot of new things,” claimed Jason Jeremy, a graduate now attending Binus International. “I managed to learn how to build a computer and got the hang of a new editing software.”

Considering the current highly-unpredictable state of the world, it is understandable that the majority of universities are hesitant to provide international students with a certain date of enrollment. Until new Covid-19 cases stop arising around the world every day, it is expected that many graduates from the Class of 2020 will have to wait at home, putting their studies through screens or on an indefinite hiatus.