Stress has come at us from all different directions this year. Going through a pandemic is not easy, especially during your senior year. Having to possibly miss prom, graduation, pep rallies and college tours are stressful because they are the things that make one’s senior year worthwhile, but this year is different and, as seniors, it is time to adjust.

While we continue to survive this global issue, we celebrate that the Black Lives Matter protests have been active and thriving for almost 6 months, all while keeping our eyes on important moments such as deadlines for college applications and scholarships coming up all too soon. Of course, all of this is surrounded by the fact that there is a quarantine that has limited any chance of making moves and seeing friends and family with the threat of the virus at almost any corner. This is why we must stay together.

While this country is experiencing some difficult times at many levels, it is evolving and many aspects of it are changing, which reminds us that it is important to see the light in all of the darkness and make the best of our situations. This is especially true for seniors who are transitioning from one part of their lives into a very important other part: young adulthood.

Angel
One of my favorite things about going to school was the visual interactions. Even though I get motivated easily, I felt inspired by being in the classroom with my classmates and seeing them work on assignments. It was like a reminder and a motivation to not procrastinate but to focus and complete classwork and work hard on tests because I could see the effort of my classmates as they scribbled on their papers, met in groups, and completed work.

I also enjoy talking to other people and learning about them as it makes school more enjoyable when I get to enjoy another person’s presence, stories, and jokes. With COVID around, meeting new people can be a challenge. There are zoom breakout rooms so that somewhat gives the opportunity to do that and there are social media and texting, but honestly, that will never match up to face- to- face communication, but I have been trying to be more active on those platforms in maintaining those friendships.

Another big adjustment for all of us is online fatigue. This feeling hits hard even after taking those breaks in between the zoom classes. My eyes seem to go in and out of focus if I stare too long at the little boxes on the side of my screen or the screen in general. I feel tired sometimes throughout classes so I have been trying to glance and stare at different things in my room or out the window for just a few seconds every now and then to prevent myself from just staring at the screen for fifteen minutes straight. If you feel the same, give it a try.

Trinity
For the majority of us, school has always provided some sort of outlet that could not be fulfilled in just our personal lives. Personally, school has always allowed me to get into my quiet place and focus because I can not always get that at home. For others, being in school meant being able to hang with their friends or explore new interests in a club, a team, or some other extracurricular aspect of school. Sadly, COVID has taken this away from all of us, but we know that we must find a way to persevere.

Although school has not always been the greatest experience for me, I do miss the social interactions and in-person learning. I feel that there is a level of understanding that cannot be achieved during distance learning, especially since, in some cases, teachers are not as familiar with online tools as the students. I have found that patience and understanding are very important in order to move forward during these harsh times. Virtual learning has become easier and smoother, especially when we help each other, which has been the case for many of my classes.

This pandemic has taught me to reflect on myself and those around me, as well as my community as a whole. Before quarantine, everyone was busy with their daily lives and schedules but this has sort of made things slow down a bit and many people have been able to focus more on themselves. The flip side is the anxiety that comes with that, but we are trying to stay positive here! To constantly worry about the state of this country, your friends, and your family is nerve-wracking. I feel that in order to cope with all of the chaos, people need to simply relax by putting away their devices from time-to-time, getting a snack, and kicking back. It is okay to sometimes get away from the outside world for a couple of hours and clear your mind. Of course, if none of these options work for you, dancing has never hurt anyone. Simply, blast your favorite playlist and dance your worries away.