Celebrating an important transition – Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Spring on a college campus was a time of celebrations. Each joyful and exhausting, the occasions marked significant transitions of all types. After which for 2 years it simply wasn’t the identical.

We acquired inventive and honored retirees and graduates with video tributes and Zoom celebrations. The guts and heat have been there, nevertheless it was not clear how a lot of the human connection we have been lacking till it began coming again this yr. Laughter and pleasure have returned, even when we are sometimes masked and nonetheless a bit distanced, and most of us are awkwardly getting out in public once more. Consuming in a restaurant! Flying to Honolulu! Conferences in particular person! Having somebody place a lei round your neck as an alternative of handing it to you! And, for the primary time in three years, an in-person UH-Hilo Graduation ceremony at Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Objective Stadium.

Yesterday’s Graduation was my first massive spring celebration at UH-Hilo. Joyful college students and proud ‘ohana, dignitaries and school and employees all got here collectively to have a good time the significant transition for our college students to start their subsequent chapter as alumni. It was an excellent day, and I so appreciated seeing everybody, however, greater than ever, we ship our alumni out right into a courageous new world, and that weight we at all times placed on their backs to vary the world appears even heavier now. We have a good time the scholars’ accomplishments, however we nonetheless fear over their future.

We’ve spent plenty of time during the last couple of years discussing what we’ve got missed, however as we return to no matter we contemplate regular, it is usually a great time to replicate on what we’ve got gained. Many people picked up new hobbies and habits. For instance, I’ve by no means seen so many photographs of selfmade bread and stitching initiatives on social media! A few of us realized to look upon the pure world once more with marvel. When one doesn’t depart one’s personal yard, one sees issues which will have at all times been there, however that was by no means seen earlier than. Considered one of my buddies began posting a single picture day by day, beginning with pictures in her dwelling and yard, and ultimately venturing down the road or throughout city, seeing her world with new eyes.

Many people grew to become extra contemplative, and as we mirrored on our lives, we considered modifications we want to make. The Nice Resignation opened up quite a few alternatives for our graduating college students, as employers have much more jobs to fill. Many of us realized that they will do their work from a distance, which implies that a few of our college students can get jobs elsewhere, however keep right here at dwelling to do these jobs.

We ship our graduates out right into a world with quite a few challenges, however quite a few alternatives as properly. These college students who walked throughout the stage yesterday did so with hope, as all their predecessors did, however in addition they depart us with a unique set of expertise than these of earlier lessons. They’ve needed to be much more resilient and resourceful, inventive and tenacious, and maybe above all, affected person.

COVID made the world decelerate, and sometimes that was a great factor, because it gave us time to assume and really feel differently than we had prior to now. However for these on a course to complete their diploma, the slowness most likely generally felt like a burden. They needed to be affected person with us as we discovered the web world; they needed to adapt to fixed change. They needed to cease and take into consideration their households and buddies, but additionally about themselves. Ideas that we used to suppress got here to the fore: What are wholesome behaviors? What’s in my greatest pursuits? How can I assist my group see this by? What do I actually wish to do with my life?

And now for a lot of the world comes speeding again. We aren’t solely doing an increasing number of issues in particular person, however we’re additionally making up for misplaced time. We’re quenching our thirst for firm with long-postponed commemorations and celebrations of life’s transitions. However I hope our graduates don’t lose that newfound endurance and savor each minute. They’ve earned it.

Bonnie D. Irwin is chancellor of the College of Hawaii at Hilo. Her column seems month-to-month within the Tribune-Herald.