Growing up, so many people go through a period or few where they feel stressed out, uncertain, and genuinely scared. I know I felt that way when I graduated from high school six years ago. I also felt that way when I graduated from university. Really, at any point where we’re experiencing a major life event or a big change, like moving houses or bringing a child into the world, we’re going to go through an internal battle, whether it’s distress or eustress.
But that internal battle we all deal with throughout the different stages of our lives only seems worse with the addition of the current pandemic. How fearful recent graduates must be knowing that they’re going to be starting college or a landing a job during a viral outbreak where everyone seems uncertain at this point. I just can’t imagine.
That uncertainty is what inspired greatergood.org to invite high school and college seniors to record a video on how their last semester was affected by the C*********s. The person who submitted the best, most inspiring video would win a $1,000 cash scholarship.
“For many college and high-school seniors in the graduating class of 2020, the c*********s pandemic has dramatically changed their final year. But, true to our mission, Girls’ Voices gave young women around the world the opportunity to showcase their creativity, resilience, and ideas for a better future, despite this challenging and unprecedented time.” Patricia Cogley, the director of greatergood.org’s Girls’ Voices, said.
19-year-old April Judd, a recent graduate from John Abbot College in Quebec, Canada won the global contest, earning the first-place prize, among 379 other students across 49 countries.
Judd decided to deliver her inspiring message to the class of 2020 by using a little sense of humor. While her video would give anyone a good laugh, her message is also wise, like her metaphor of, “Life is a practice in improv.” (She’s not wrong!)
Judd, like the rest of her fellow graduating class, knows just how crazy today’s times are. Yet, she remains a bubbly and cheerful attitude.
“In the chaos that our world is experiencing right now, it’s really easy to get caught up in the negative.” the young adult said. “We are all, truly, in this together and we are all capable of change and growth that can only make this world a better place.”
She definitely has more to say than just that.
Listen to the wise, young adult’s submission below. I think she could teach all of us, even us who haven’t recently graduated, a thing or two.
