We asked Lancs Uni students what it’s like to be a 2020 graduate

‘The antithesis of what we had once imagined’

| UPDATED

The pandemic has obviously thrown a few spanners in the works for 2020 graduates: working from home, online interviews, disappointing job prospects and a lack of bevs on the Bonnington steps. What actually is the point? Many 2020 graduates are unsure of what the future has install for them, and some are just fuming that they can’t have their graduation night out in Sugar this Summer. Whatever has happened is out of their control. We took the time to speak to Lancaster’s class of 2020 about how it feels to be graduating in this uncertain climate.

Louise Gardner, Geography

“It’s sad because we all look forward to getting our work done, handing our dissertations in that we have all worked super hard for and we were supposed to have those last few weeks with our friends celebrating the end of our time but that’s been taken from us.

“It’s nobody’s fault and everyone has been screwed it’s just a shame but I think the uni should definitely keep graduation at Christmas and allow us to have something to say goodbye.”

Kirsty Fitzpatrick, English Literature

“Anti-climatic, underwhelming, the antithesis of what we had once imagined :(”

Kirsty’s DIY graduation

Fatemah Khan, Law

“Tbh it is shit because one we lost all of the third term events which in this circumstance is understandable. But graduation has also been postponed till December which as an international student and someone who re did the year it really is disappointing for me and my family. Plus the university’s major decisions like exams or even what happens next year is so delayed that it really feels like they just do not care.”

Aly Abolmakarem, Entrepreneurship & Management

“Being someone who went through a foundation year followed by four years of uni, one of the biggest things I always had in sight was graduation. That was the official cherry on the cake which made everything I was going through worth it, from walking onto stage all the way through to taking pictures with family and friends and being able to get my degree certificate framed!

“With everything going on, we have been stripped of what we’ve all been working so hard for and now when I submitted my final assignment which was my dissertation, it just didn’t feel real. I didn’t feel that I just had the weight of five years lifted off my shoulders and that I was an official graduate!

“Like me, so many others in the same position are absolutely heartbroken by the news too. I think one thing that makes it worse is the lack of any sort of communication or passing of knowledge from the university. We have no idea how this will work or if we’ll even get a proper ceremony before next summer if even that. It’s like a wedding, if you get married without walking down the aisle all dressed up… Does it really mean that much?”

Onwards and upwards

Things might be weird at the moment, but it will all work out eventually. For now we’re swapping Sugar for Houseparty, lecture theatres for Microsoft Teams, and beer gardens to the local park, but eventually we will have our time to shine. Here’s to you the Class of 2020!

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