Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series of articles written by DSUSD students regarding their experiences with school 2020 style, many are in their senior year.

Reflecting on senior year during a pandemic

It was on Friday, March 13, 2020, when we all received that email and call home that we would not be returning back to school until after spring break. I remember that all of my friends and I were stoked about our extra long break. But what we didn’t know was that those extra two weeks would take a turn for the worse. We never went back to school after that. Only distance learning to end the 2019-2020 school year, and to begin the 2020-2021 school year. My senior year. I never envisioned my last year of high school to end up like this. I expected it to be the best year of my high school experience. And that’s not what it has been at all. I’m not going to lie, it’s been difficult. There have been ups and downs. But I’ve been able to find a productive way to manage. I made sure my mental health came first before anything else.

However, the main thing that still takes a big toll on me is the not knowing. Not knowing if I’ll have my last walk on school campus, not knowing if I’ll have a prom, not knowing if I’ll get to say bye to my teachers in person, but the biggest one is not knowing if there will be sports this year. I’m team manager for our boys basketball program, and I was so excited to see what this year would have in store for me and the guys. It’s just a bummer.

The only few positive sides I have come to realize from this pandemic is the health of those I love and my grades. I can thankfully say I have not lost a dear friend of mine or family member due to this virus. And I can also say my grades didn’t tank during distance learning. In fact, my grades are at their highest, and I’m proud of myself for that.

This pandemic has brought us to laughs, and to tears. We have all gained, and lost something. But the important thing to remember is we have not lost each other. We will get through this! Whether that’s this month, or a few months from now, we just have to keep looking ahead.

“The future’s too bright to dwell on the past. Life moves fast, so run faster.” — Frank Iero

Go Knights!

 

Image Sources

  • Shadow Hills High School: Ruhnau Ruhnau Clarke Architects.