The University of St. Thomas, like many universities, has postponed plans for commencement ceremonies until further notice due to the uncertainty around COVID-19 and the nation-wide lockdown.

This is unfortunate news for all the students who have worked so hard for many years. Some students worked tirelessly to graduate with two majors, others worked in honors programs and some are even first-generation graduates. Yet, this year’s circumstances will not allow these individuals to celebrate as they would have wanted.

However, St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan added in her announcement that the university will still try to give students the celebration they deserve. While it is not clear how or when the commencement ceremonies could take place, many universities around the U.S. have considered a few options.

Postponing the event is the first alternative, which is a solution used for other similar events and gatherings. However, it is unclear how long students will be willing to wait for a commencement ceremony, and how soon it would become a viable option.

While many students would be willing to wait until the summer months, the social-distancing guidelines are not likely to loosen up enough by then. This means that if commencement continues to be postponed, it would likely take place sometime this fall, if not later.

The problem with this option is the amount of uncertainty surrounding the future and the willingness of people to remain engaged as Tommies until then. Many students will probably be over the idea of a commencement ceremony if they have to wait until the fall. Besides, some may feel that having a celebration so much later defeats the purpose of the ceremony and the delivery of diplomas.

This leaves us with a rather unconventional option: going online. Some universities have considered holding live commencement ceremonies online. To many, this sounds like a bad idea, and it’s no wonder why.

Anyone who has attended a class or meeting over Zoom can tell you that technical problems, awkward staring contests, green screens and muted mics are not ideal for any event.

So far, these are the only alternatives available and neither sound ideal. As unfortunate and rough as this seems, the best course of action for graduating students and their families is to accept that the commencement ceremony they envisioned before will probably not happen. For now, all we can do is try to move on and hope for the best.

Gustavo Gutierrez can be reached at guti6327@stthomas.edu.