Daniel Jee
Staff reporter
As the social impact of Covid-19 diminished, the 24th graduation ceremony regained its former self in Orpheum theatre with no restrictions on June 1, 2022, at 7:00 pm.
297 attendees out of 315 graduates, families and staff gathered at the 95-year-old Orpheum theater on Granville street to celebrate their graduation in a formal atmosphere.
“The commencement was fine. It was… it was good. It was nice to go to the commencement because I am graduating. So, it’s nice to have ceremony for the grade 12s,” said Angel Gantulga, grade 12.
Staff speeches, medal presentations, and celebrations were held as normal as before the pandemic in front of a large crowd.
According to British Columbia federal government, there were no official regulations on organized gatherings and events, but the general safety measures such as wearing mask were still recommended.
“You could bring a mask if you wanted to, but that was optional,” said Angel.
Due to the pandemic, official events such as graduation ceremonies were limited.
In 2021, the graduation ceremony was held with students gathered in the parking lot and a limited number of people entering MPR, attended by only five staff and each family members.
The previous year was even more limited. In 2020, the graduation ceremony was organized with a video posted online reading the student’s name along with the picture of them and a photo booth installed in Lafarge lake.
But people’s daily lives are gradually recovering as the impact of COVID-19, which has plagued countless people, decreases.
Events such as graduation ceremonies began to take place normally again, creating precious memories for students.
“I was relieved, I was very happy that we will be able to get commencement because there was like no clear indication if we would have the commencement or not because of the pandemic,” said Angel.
The most ideal future that everyone hopes would be for precious moments in each life to be unspotted by social epidemics.
It is a world where technology has made it possible to meet online anytime, anywhere, but still, gathering in person is something special for people that even such the advanced technology cannot fulfill.
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