BY CAMERON CAMMACK

Sitting behind a computer screen, hundreds of students are returning to school through the Internet. With the continuous progression of COVID-19 and it being apparent in our everyday lives, going back to school has seemed to cause more anxiety than excitement. Among my peers and teachers, I’ve heard one word over and over that most accurately describes the situation that we are all going through “weird” or “different”. This school year is bringing new challenges and changes that no other years in history have dealt with, which in turn, makes school very strange. Students are navigating canvas or zoom, missing their friends on opposite hybrid schedules, and even missing big events that help shape their high school experience

Arriving on the first day of school and seeing everyone wearing masks and the caution tape lined down the middle of the halls, made me realize how surreal this is. It feels like we’re living through a dystopian world and is unlike anything we have ever experienced.

As a senior, it’s a bit disappointing not being able to enjoy a normal final year of high school. I think many other students in my class agree, as most of us have worked so hard for the past 13 years to get here. Like the Class of 2020, COVID-19 is making us miss out on memorable experiences that take place during your senior year such as homecoming, weekly football games, and even just seeing our friends. We are experiencing high school differently now than ever before with the addition of virtual weeks breaking up our routines and schedules.

Although the pandemic has brought upon struggles, it has also led towards several technological advances, such as doing class through Zoom, or even having your doctor’s appointment through a screen. For some businesses, it has been deemed more convenient to work virtually and has led to more proactive, efficient progress.

As for my peers and teachers, I feel we are all confused about what the future holds for this school year. I know I’m scared that the whole school year will be like this, and I’m sure many others feel the same way. 

Over the previous years, I was so excited for the first day of school because it meant I got to meet my new teachers, see who was in my classes, and even have a fresh start if I wanted to. This year is very different, instead, I was dreading for school to come because I knew there would be several changes and struggles that this year would bring. I think this is a learning experience for all of us.

With life feeling like it’s somewhat still on hold, I hope we can all find small things to look forward to, and find the good in everything. With the existence of coronavirus,  a lot of us have realized how much we need to treasure time with our loved ones and not take time for granted, this also applies to school this year. Life is always what you make of it. I know many of my friends have done such cool things with their quarantine time such as starting projects and discovering new things that they enjoy. 

Even though the past few months have not been ideal, I think that we can all appreciate the effort all of our teachers, essential workers, etc. have put in to make this situation not as bad for us. So, here’s to a good school year, I hope all of us can find something to make these times feel a little bit brighter even if it’s just something small, and to not let this year go to waste.