Coronaclass of 2020

So while it may seem pretty unfair, and not very fun at all, at least this class will have a good story. “I didn’t have a senior prom. I was in the coronavirus year.” Not to mention that today’s graduates will always have one over all other graduating classes. “You kids don’t know how good you have it. I didn’t even get to go to school for months! We all had to shelter in place. We wore masks in public!”

After all this sacrifice and ability to drastically modify on the fly, it seems this class will have the keen ability to imbue wisdom on others. So what advice can one possibly imbue on this particular class?

Suppose we can start with the idea that everything is always in flux and life is what you make of it. Small solace to someone thinking of moving to say Ann Arbor or Irvine and wondering if they will have a place to get some sleep and food. But all things will get figured out and perhaps even “normalize.”

Once they do, on with life.

Be smart. Don’t be unnecessarily reckless. Be safe. I know it’s a dad thing to say, but keeping yourself out of the hospital should be priority one.

Stay connected to your friends and family from your hometown. By now you have learned multiple ways to keep in touch remotely. Don’t lose that. Your friends will always be your friends if you keep in touch. And your family? Sometimes they are all you have. Shoot a note now and then.

Hone your Zoom skills. You learned them. Now refine them.

Be responsible with your money. Establish a rainy-day fund. The general rule of thumb is to have six months salary or living expenses squirreled away, but don’t let that be daunting. Be frugal for a year and try to put away a month’s worth. Then build off that. Find a trustworthy high-yield savings account online and use it.

Establish credit. Get a credit card and use it responsibly. Always pay off your balance. Keep that one credit card for a while. Do your own research but, whatever you do, do not get a credit card with an annual fee. Nobody cares if you plop down an American Express black to pay for your nachos. And if someone does, stay away from them. Find a card that gives you a percentage back on regular purchases. Use that extra money to pay off the balance, or heck, even put it into an investment account.

Even though it might seem difficult, an investment account will pay dividends (sometimes literally) for years to come. Put some of your graduation money into it, or even the money you didn’t spend on prom, even if it means just buying an S&P index fund like SPY, which right now is just over $300 for one share. If that’s too much, try XLF, a financial sector account that runs about $24 a share. If it goes down, buy more — that’s called dollar-cost averaging and it’s a wealth building practice. Whatever you do, pick a good index or stock. It doesn’t have to be exciting. Sometimes, especially with money, boring is good. Over time, it will rise and will provide you with the value of dividends which can be reinvested.

You still with me? Here are some tried-and-trues: Learn to fix basic things. Learn to cook. Apparently, you can even do this on TikTok. Carry spares. Always have a backup plan. Or two. Or four.

Don’t compare yourself to anyone. You be you.

And remember this: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt.

The former first lady went through a thing or two back in her day. While this time may seem incredibly challenging (because it is!) there have been other dark days in our collective history and, with support and fellowship, you will make it through this. You may have been dealt a bad hand on this one, but that doesn’t mean the deck is stacked against you. In fact, it will definitely get better from here. You are the coronaclass of 2020. Wear it with pride.

Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com. Follow Jon on Twitter @jonmays.