To my 2020 seniors:

I had a long note written about the virus and how it affected our lives but I have decided to trash that.  We hear about the virus all the time so I won’t give you more.  Instead I’ll say this:

Keep it up!  Senior year has been different for you and you are missing out on a few experiences that others before you have had.  That sucks.  Yet you also have a great experience of sleeping in and running through your entire watch list on Netflix or Hulu.  I know some of you are watching that new Bachelor singing show and I am judging you for it.  Still, it has gone on too long so the novelty has worn off like a new car that you paid far too much for and somewhat regret the purchase.

Look forward! You are graduating high school in a crazy time of cheap gas and economic dread, yet you’ll hopefully have years of college to gain skills and experience to be able to drop into a strong hiring market in an economy that has rebounded.

Focus!  Find goals and crush them.  Every single one of you should be practicing your pushups, pullups, squats, streches, runs, and ping pong ball throwing skills.  Download Pimsleur and start learning a language.  Use Lynda to learn to code.  Plan out your academic schedules for your undergrad.  Look into future internships.  Get off Reddit. 

Cherish the good times you had and school and look forward to future good times.  I have appreciated getting to know all of you, but especially those that laugh at my jokes.  I have enjoyed our classes together and the good times we have had; I know there will be plenty more.  I hope you walk away from things happier and stronger and better able to rock the world when your time comes you Zoomers.

Llanos