“An emotional rollercoaster” is how I would describe graduating in this pandemic. One moment plans are made and the excitement begins to grow and the next everything changes. Never having plans that would stay consistent was way harder to deal with than the fact my grad wasn’t the way I expected it to be. And yet, at the end of it all, I can look back and say that this was one of the best graduations ever.

When COVID-19 shut down the schools in the province of Saskatchewan on Monday, March 16 I was devastated. All I could think about on the drive home from Regina was the fact that I might not get a grad ceremony anymore – and this sucked. I had said goodbye to my friends casually before the long weekend but never expected months to pass before I’d see them again. I was also sick on Sunday so wasn’t even able to attend meeting before it all shut down. (We were driving home from Regina because we bought a Jeep in Saskatoon to replace our truck which caught on fire at the end of January. This adds context for upcoming pictures and the story.) Eventually, my dad got kind of tired of hearing my complaints and told me to look on the bright side. And the biggest bright side I could see was the fact my grades couldn’t get any lower but they could go up if I wanted to keep working in my classes. It was also really nice because then I could focus on everything university and choosing classes. But when you’re graduating and all of the classes you’re taking are extra ones that you won’t need for University or to graduate it definitely steals any motivation. So I read all my Psych notes and did the easy tests as well as a couple of assignments in English, and that was it.

One morning, on the way to help some friends out with some demolition in their basement, I got a text from my mom telling me to call Mr. P (our principal). I was trying not to get my hopes up, telling myself it was just about the virtual grad video and the slideshow I had made, but I was also secretly hoping for some good news too. So when we stopped for gas, I made Cassia fill up while I called him back. He told me I was the Valedictorian and as soon as I got off the phone, I ugly cried… It was a dream come true – one I had been working for all throughout high school. I was very unprepared for the moment though, because there are a ton of smart, dedicated kids in my class (Valedictorian is awarded to the person with the highest grades over the course of Grade 11 & 12), so I always would shut down any hope of getting the honour and just keep working. This meant that while writing a speech, I had to start from scratch because I had never jotted anything down in the middle of the night when I was lying awake stressed, and inspiration would hit me. One of my friends later told me, after Mr.P announced on a grad meeting that I was the valedictorian, she screamed at the news but it was right in her mom’s ear because they both had their heads close to the phone…😄

So on June 8th, I got my nails done and the next day I got my hair and makeup done, then dressed up and recorded my speech! That night I got my grad formals done by Liz Griffin Photography as well! Then the frustrating, but very satisfying part came; making the video. It took me forever to get the music I wanted but after downloading several apps and deleting just as many, I got it figured out.😁 Then I proceeded to watch the last 30 seconds 30 times because I nailed what I was trying to do. (Humblebrag, I know – but you try downloading a song then cutting it up so that you get the exact sounds to create the ending you want…) I submitted it along with an edit for the part where they introduce each of the grads. The fact I got to write a speech for the virtual grad was so cool, and I couldn’t wait to watch it on June 29th.

(Disclaimer: If you planned anything for my grad, THANK YOU! In the following paragraphs I’m being real about the pain that I felt in the moment but I want to say that without the pain I don’t think this would’ve been the truly amazing grad celebration that it was. So sincerely, thank you for all you did.)

After that good news though, the emotional roller coaster seemed to get worse. The school said we couldn’t have an in-person grad but they were working on making a virtual grad ceremony which would closely recreate what grad normally looks like. It was disappointing to hear that there was no in-person grad, but at the same time, I knew it was for the best, so it wasn’t too bad. The original plan was to release the video at 7pm on June 29th and we would all sit in our own homes and watch the video together, dressed up if we felt like it. But then when the parents of the grads said “We’re doing an in-person grad ceremony the night of the original grad ceremony at 7pm” it broke my heart. Here I had worked so hard on my speech and I had talked to the principal and the receptionist who was doing all of the work and who were stressed about making it the best possible grad they could for us and then (to me) it felt like the parents were saying that’s not good enough. And I felt sad because I put myself in the school’s shoes and felt that blow, as well as to myself because I was invested in it too.

That night I sat on the couch and sobbed on my mom with her arms around me because I felt so much pain. Pain for everyone who had invested in the virtual grad and were shot down, pain because I knew what people were sacrificing, pain because I felt personally hurt at the fact the speech I had worked so hard on wasn’t going to be seen, pain because my bubble of excitement had been popped again. When I calmed down enough to breathe regularly I cried out to God internally and asked him “Why? Why MY grad?” And he answered me immediately as I felt him say “Because… I have given YOU the strength to endure.” Needless to say, I was able to sleep that night.

So while I hated that plans changed, it was a relief when they changed again (I was able to get my video the morning of my grad and then attend the in-person ceremony that evening.) My mom went to the (socially-distanced) grad-planning meeting held on the lawn of one of my classmate’s parents to hear the plans. At the same time that this ceremony was being planned, we were planning the Assembly Drive-By Grad! At our Gospel Hall, there were five other graduating with me: Nathan, Katie, Colby, Layne and Sydney! Us grads went to Estevan one day to buy some balloons and materials for the little “thank-you’s” we were handing out, which was a blast. Afterwards, Katie came back to my house and we assembled everything.

Grad was getting closer and plans were becoming more cemented, including invitations to my family so that they could come and watch my virtual grad with me on Zoom. But of course, one more thing had to change and throw plans awry once again. Just a couple days before grad, the school wrote and told us that because of a late submission by one of the guest speakers we weren’t actually going to get our grad video until the day after. <Insert nervous breakdown> Just kidding, but seriously, I wasn’t prepared for that curveball. Thankfully the guy who produced the grad video was kind and drove down the USB sticks the day before our grad in order to get them to us on time, as originally planned. Phew.😅

So on the evening of Sunday, June 28th the six of us grads from the assembly donned our grad finery and had a blast. Katie’s family had a yard with two entrances so that people could just drive through. So we grads stood beside the driveway as people drove through, handing them little grad hats filled with candy as a little party favour. We smiled for a million photos and had a great time. In true prairie fashion, we even had a semi drive-through and blast its horn. And in true Nolan fashion who, having driven an hour to get to the drive-by, decided to drive through twice to get his money’s worth, and then sent his kids through again in the back of a pickup… We loved it and it was a truly memorable event.😁

After the drive-by, the family’s got together in Nathan’s quonset to have a BBQ and open gifts from the assembly and young people. Funny story: the top of my dress has a corset type thing in it, and it was the first time since I was five that I haven’t been able to finish a burger. So, if you plan to eat a lot while wearing your grad dress – don’t get one with a tight top…😂 That night truly made me feel celebrated and as though I was about to graduate.

The next day was the day I’d been dreaming about for years. Grad 2020. Monday, June 29th.

I spent the morning creating the video from the night before to send out to the Assembly to show them what we did and some of the speeches, and then headed into town at noon to get my hair done and pick up my diploma and grad video. My hair looked exactly how I wanted, once again, (because if you’re getting your hair done – why not get it done differently the second time?) Thanks Channy! Then we arrived at the school… and in true COVID Grad 2020 fashion, my bag had been given to another girl accidentally. It certainly makes for a funny story and there are no hard feelings because I was just thankful to get a USB stick with my grad video on it. We headed home and I put my grad dress on for the Zoom call with my family. I received some scholarships, opened some gifts from my family and chatted. Then it was time to leave and head to the farm for my grad ceremony. I knew I was getting nervous because I couldn’t eat anything and the smell of my family eating made me VERY nauseous.

When we arrived I met with the rest of the grads at the back of the house, and it was so good to see my friends in all their finery, some who I hadn’t seen since March. We got some pictures taken and then it was time. We lined up alphabetically ( it wasn’t a straight line – there’s no hope for that whether you’re in kindergarten or Grade 12…😂) and as our names were called we walked to the archway, paused and then walked down the lawn where we chose a rose and gave it to our parents after hugging them. We then took our seats and once everyone was seated were announced as the Oxbow Prairie Horizons School Graduating Class of 2020. We stood and received a standing ovation. Then we had a toast to the students by two of the parents, after that a toast to the parents by Bryn, then a toast to the staff by Anna and Mariah. Then I gave a different Valedictorian address (different than the one in the prerecorded video), and then Breck and Ericka gave the Last Will & Testament. After that, we paraded around where everyone was seated, shot off some confetti, and took a socially distanced class photo with a drone. We then had a parent dance and after that, took photos with our friends before heading to the school where we met up before the parade. On the way I gobbled down some supper because now that my speech was finished – I was starving!

At the school, we took another class picture – which is honestly one of my favourites of the day – and then lined up with our escorts to begin the parade. We walked through the Hospital/Villa parking lot and then down Main St, all lead by the fire trucks and the volunteer fire department. There were people sitting on lawns and then further down Main St, people lining the sidewalks. We waved and smiled and had a great time. We were slightly confused though but just kept smiling as we walked up and down the street five times. Eventually, we lined up and had our names announced over a loudspeaker. When I noticed that no one was stepping forward as their name was called, I seized the chance and stepped forward to wave at the town, where the photographer, Starr Mercer, snapped another one of my favourite photos of the day. A couple of my friends also followed suit, and the photos from those moments truly convey the true joy I experienced. My escort, Colby, was super considerate of my shortness and the fact I was kicking a long dress while walking, so would slow down because the rest of my class was basically running down the road. At one point, on the way back to the school, he even looked down at me and asked incredulously “Are you panting???” I would be embarrassed at the fact I was but then I was wearing a dress that didn’t let me breathe all that well and kicking a skirt that was too long (I decided not to wear heels for the parade, thank goodness) as well as kicking rocks out of my shoes so I felt no shame – just gratefulness that he walked slower after that…😂

After the parade, my friends and I took more pictures before they left for the grad party. Then we stopped at Mick’s (a convenience store) to grab some ice cream bars before heading home, where the young people arrived a couple of minutes later. When we got home, my very kind mom got some warm water to soak my feet in and then gently towelled them off. They were so dirty from wearing sandals on the street but they were also SO sore because little rocks had gotten stuck in between my feet and the shoes, bruising them. They hurt so bad that I found the fluffiest pair of socks I could in the house and then hobbled around for a couple of days. I even got a couple of blisters which lasted for a month. So, if you’re ever in a grad parade – wear sneakers or something, because gravel and sandals are not a good mix.😅

And that is the tale of Raquenna Simonyi-Gindele’s graduation in the middle of a pandemic. A story that involved a lot of tears and frustration but one that involved a lot of joy and the feeling of being truly celebrated. At the end of the day I look back and I can say that this was one of the best grads – especially considering the circumstances.

Now that you’ve read all about the emotional rollercoaster I was on for four months… Here are some photo’s!

Check those out in my grad formals blog post but here you can enjoy this photo of me yawning… For some reason I yawned the whole way through my photo session – if anyone has an explanation for why this happened, please comment because it really was the most bizarre thing.😄

The night of June 29th, I sat down and told my family that I felt like a truly celebrated graduate. All the emotions I had felt, paled in comparison to the joy that the moment I had been working towards for 13 years had arrived. I felt graduated that night, which was a strange feeling. I had worked on high school for so long and now I’ve achieved that goal. It left me feeling aimless – even though I’m about to head off to University (virtually, anyway).

As my Grandma Fairfield said as I told her I might end my blogging with a grad post, “You could be Kenna on Campus instead of Kenna on the Road” and while I’m not really sure if I’ll sit at the keyboard to write a blog post after the one tomorrow, I thank you for following my journey and maybe I’ll see you again soon.

Also, here are some other super cool ways the public celebrated the OPHS Grads of 2020…

I appeared on CTV news: https://regina.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1970255 (It’s not a long clip with a couple of other classmates but if you want to see my clip it begins 0:21 seconds in!)

And that same day there was another mention on the Regina CTV News! https://regina.ctvnews.ca/raquenna-simonyi-gindele-1.4967159

Then, a couple of days before grad there was another shoutout to the Oxbow grads, where my name was even mentioned! https://www.estevanmercury.ca/news/regional/oxbow-salutes-its-graduates-of-2020-1.24158219