It was March 12, 2020. My sister Miquela, a high school junior, came home from school just like any normal day. What she didn’t know was that the world was about to shift on its axis, and she had just attended her last day of in-person high school. Now, she’s preparing to graduate in a few months and attend college in August after over a year of online learning. I sat down to talk to her about what it felt like to experience all of these changes in such a strange time.
Miquela will be attending CU Colorado Springs this fall and hopes to be an interior designer after graduating. Her whole application process has been very different from past years.
“I went once in person, and it was normal but with masks. And it was a smaller group than usual,” Miquela said.
Schools have also made unusual decisions for the incoming freshmen, with some, like UCCS, removing standardized test scores from the application. With the improving vaccine rollout, many schools are hopeful there will be a partial return to normal in the fall, but few decisions have been made yet. Incoming freshmen are still unsure about a lot, including living situations and in-person classes.
“It makes me wonder what it will be like in August,” Miquela remarked.
For now, though, she is working hard to finish up her required classes and get ready to graduate in June. When I asked how online learning has changed her perspective on school, she replied, “I like online school better than I thought I would. I can do my schoolwork while being comfortable at home.”
Miquela also has social anxiety being around large crowds of people, so in that aspect, online school has actually become her preference. However, she agrees with many other high schoolers that the hardest part about our situation is not getting to see her friends during her senior year.
Another difficulty for the seniors, both last year and this year, has been missing out on traditions like prom and graduation. Miquela’s high school has made many important events, like prom, into virtual ones that students can attend safely. They have also created senior parades and other outdoor activities that allow students to celebrate without breaking COVID protocols. Most graduations, too, have been moved outdoors and given COVID rules so students can still celebrate their achievements.
When asked what Miquela would say to other students going through the same situation, she replied, “I would say just do your best with what you can in the world right now.”
The last year has brought many hardships, but we’re beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully, students can get back to enjoying in-person learning very soon. In the meantime, hang in there. Seniors, graduation (and summer for everyone else!) is just around the corner.