Overnight, a fog descended over the campus. The instant reaction was shocking. Classrooms all over campus were filled with the sobs of students who wanted to continue studying, but had become too overwhelmed by the brutal reality of their situations. Harvard professors across disciplines expressed sympathy, disappointment, confusion, and even outrage at the suddenness and extremity of the university's actions. And there is still a tremendous amount of ambiguity surrounding future circumstances.
This sudden, rapid upheaval has had a profound impact on me and those closest to me. My friend group is an interesting one. Many of us met on the first day of our freshman year as roommates and have lived together — or in close proximity — ever since. We are an incredibly diverse group of students, some international and faced with a terrifying reality: the inability to return home.
At this uncertain time, there is a tendency to focus on the negative — to despair, deny, pity, and get angry. In the early hours of March 10, we all certainly felt compelled to indulge in those emotions.
With the five-day deadline hanging over our heads, we decided to focus on the positive, and to do what we could to make the most of our time left together. Indeed, the unfortunate circumstances have only bolstered our sense of compassion and togetherness.
The first day we spent visiting our favorite places and doing all the little things that we had neglected to do in our time here. Whether it was getting ice cream at a small corner store, or playing foosball in a common room, we retraced the familiar and experimented with the new to make the most of what little time we had left.
Yet, after it all, something still felt missing. In order to walk away and properly say goodbye, my friends and I needed closure.
It had become clear to us that, considering the circumstances, we would likely not have a graduation ceremony on campus.
We decided to create our own.
There are two significant gates leading into Harvard Yard: the historic area where freshmen live, and the famous statue of John Harvard resides. The first is known as Johnston Gate, and it is the one almost all freshmen pass through when they enter Harvard University for the first time.
At 3:30 PM on Wednesday, March 11, nine of my fellow seniors and I lined up outside of this gate. Led by our friend Alyssa, a junior at the college, we made our way through the gate, our sights set on the steps of Memorial Church, the traditional location of Harvard's annual commencement ceremony. Smiling and laughing, with our own a capella rendition of "Pomp and Circumstance" ringing through the Yard, we wound our way through the concrete pathways, past the John Harvard statue, and ascended the stairs. On that platform, we cheered and applauded as Alyssa called out each of our names and we proceeded across the stage to receive our own handmade, personalized diploma.
And when we had all traversed the stage, with a cry of triumph, we hurled our baseball caps skyward. We were unofficial graduates of Harvard. But there was still one more thing that we had to do.
There is another gate that leads into Harvard Yard, known as Dexter Gate. As you pass through the Gate, entering the Yard, there is an inscription above your head that reads, "Enter to grow in wisdom." As you exit, there is an inscription that reads, "Depart to serve thy country and thy kind." Gathered before that gate, each of us took a deep breath and, one by one, passed underneath those words.
We had been deprived of a few more months together, but the powerful bonds we had made, our resolve to continue on, and our unyielding dedication could not be broken. Surrounded by our closest friends, we commemorated our Harvard experience, and departed with honor to serve our country and our kind. After all, that is what we all came here to do in the first place.
Time to commence.
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