Last weekend, Michigan Tech University and Finlandia University both sent out a new set of graduates into the world at large. Both sets of graduates, for the most part, have had four-or-more years in the area, where they spent their time studying, enjoying the local outdoor spaces, and sitting down in our local restaurants, or at least driving through them, if time did not allow for sitting.

We at the Daily Mining Gazette know that these last few years have been among the most unusual and the most difficult times imaginable for these students.

Whether it was time spent sitting in classrooms that were not fully prepared for a pandemic, or having to sit in on classes via Zoom, where the instructor taught one concept while the homeword stressed something not covered in the lecture, the last two years have been challenging. Students, more so than usual, have had to learn to troubleshoot their classes, which is not a typical skill learned in college.

Despite these challenges, graduates, you made it. The nights of chasing down late-night Taco Bell or McDonalds before getting back to that paper you should have started two weeks ago. No more arguing with your groupmates about who has done the most work.

We at the DMG commend you again for this accomplishment.

We will miss you in downtown Houghton and Hancock. You made traffic a challenge, both with loud music and your sometimes questionable lane changes. You filled our local shops looking for brooms or snow statue equipment. You brightened our days, even when we as locals could not find ways to express that sentiment.

As you head out into the larger, we hope that you cherished your time in the Copper Country even more than we cherished having you grace us with your presence and your perseverance.

We wish you good luck as you head out to find employment that makes use of your skillset throughout the country.