By Haseen Hasnain
With the disaster that is CoronaVirus increasingly causing stress and fear within all of us. It is no mystery that our lives will never remain the same as it used to be. Whether it will ultimately be for the better or the worse is unsure as of now, but the lessons it has taught us will be remembered for generations to come. The outbreak has been a similar learning experience for students, who had not expected to encounter such blows in their formidable years. We interviewed few of these students who are in the midst of graduating not only from their academic careers, but also truly stepping into adulthood, regarding their thoughts and experiences that have led them to the path of wisdom.
‘Pandemic is temporary, but your achievements are with you forever’
Shwe Newly (APM) at Siem Reap, Cambodia with his friends from APU
These are the words of Shwe Newly, one of the many graduates of Fall 2020, whose futures and dreams have been reshaped by the outbreak, and yet have held onto their optimism and hope. COVID-19 has changed all our lives, and has forced many upcoming graduates to rethink the plans and goals they have been setting for themselves for the last 4 years. However, what this grave situation can not alter are the experiences, memories, wisdom and knowledge these students have gained.
Looking back
Sadman Fayyaz (APM) with fellow FLAG members
When talking about their fondest memories, Sadman Fayyaz (APM) instantly talks about food carts, The Wave and forgetting all the hardship and struggles as he sat with his friends and witnessed yet another mesmerizing sunset on campus. While some students found happiness in the most minuscule details, students like Kelvin Tang (APS) and Ilmaiza Syifa (APS), instantly reminisce about their days as Resident Assistants (RA) and according to Kelvin, the time spent by each RA in AP House shaped their personalities transform them into more flexible, compassionate and open-minded individuals.
Giving back to APU
Kelvin Tang (APS) with fellow SSAW TAs
The graduates of Fall 2020 have truly revolutionized our beloved campus into how we see it today, with their willpower and motivation. Kelvin Tang, the initiator of the ‘No plastic bag movement’ in APU talked about his effort into creating a greener and cleaner APU, whereas Sadman Fayyaz emphasized the importance of the necessity of structured help centres when it came to choosing courses. Although each student has naturally chosen different paths for their lives in APU and their futures, what remains common is their persistence in making the institution a better place for their kouhais, whether it be in academic aspects, easing communication barriers, environmental conservation or even inspiring crazy adventures. Towards an uncertain future
However, the air becomes heavy with uncertainty and anxiety as the conversation lands on the situation of the pandemic and the unpredictability it brings along with it. Almost every student had a set of goals or post-graduation plan they wanted to fulfill, but with the ongoing pandemic, jobs are being cancelled, job-hunting has become increasingly difficult and morale has been down. APU students were previously assisted by the career office with on-campus job-hunting facilities, but the service being unavailable this semester, meant intensely increased competition against students all over Japan with the added pressure of lower amount of jobs being offered. However, with the help of APU Career Office and agencies such as PASONA, students such as Ilmaiza have been successful in securing jobs. Nonetheless, such students are aware of the dire state of their friends, as Shwe Newly talks about how his friends have been supporting each other through the struggles relating to job-hunting with helpful information and suggestions, and the unity is now stronger than ever as students continue to help each other through tough times.
The train of upsetting struggles unfortunately seems to continue as the thought of leaving one’s dearly loved university also brings the realisation of there potentially being no graduation ceremony this semester. Although it has not been decided whether the ceremony will be held online at the time of the interview, graduates seem to hold little to no positive expectations regarding the online event. ‘An online ceremony can not compensate for the event of a lifetime that we will miss out on’ says Sadman Fayyaz, who shares the mutual pain of not being able to walk around B-CON Plaza in the iconic red gown. Many students also expressed remorse in not being able to bring their parents to their graduation, or having to cancel tickets, which according to Ilmaiza, feels more like the cancellation of their one final achievement in these four years.
Together, we will face what comes
Regardless of the hardships and regrets, when looking back on their uniquely glorious journeys, every graduate says they wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything. Shwe Newly describes the bonds he has made through this journey as ‘bonds that will last a lifetime, regardless of boundaries and distances’. Whether it's the bonds they have created, the positive impact they have made in APU, the profound wisdom that they have shared through their roles as TAs, RAs and beyond, or even the little moments of joy, the batch of Fall 2020 will be remembered as more than the batch who graduated online, but as the batch who has inspired us to never give up and continue on hustling, with their sheer determination and enthusiasm. To the batch of Fall 2020, thank you, for everything.
Ilmaiza Syifa, with her fellow RA friends