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Liv Cooney Photo

Monica Cunningham, Staff Reporter

COVID-19 was a very interesting time period for me. I couldn’t quite comprehend how the entire world was encased by a massive pandemic. It wasn’t all that bad early on because I could still see some of my friends, even though I didn’t do any sports at all during the spring season. I had a somewhat normal summer of volunteering and when sophomore year hit, I was at rock bottom. I couldn’t focus on classes, causing me to fall behind since I also focused on Marching Band and swimming. It was a struggle to not be able to concentrate on my work when I’m stuck at home 24/7. When I was able to come back, which was short-lived, I was relieved but still under a lot of stress. It’s a miracle I haven’t cried everyday from the stress. But I got caught back up and now seeing a little more normal is somewhat reassuring. Even with COVID-19 still around, I’m surprised how much I’ve grown as a person because of this new experience, one I’ve had enough of for a lifetime.

Alyssa Williams, Managing Editor

As someone with a very extroverted and outgoing personality, COVID-19 was very hard, though I knew for my own safety and the safety of others, locking down was the best thing I could do. Being at home constantly was challenging, but it also gave me time to grow with myself and learn new things. I spent a lot of time going for drives alone and journaling my feelings. I also went hiking with my family and practiced new skills. Self love and self care aren’t always big priorities in people’s lives, but they absolutely should be. I am a better person because of COVID-19 and I am really proud of the person I am becoming.

Jordan Scandiffio, Managing Editor

It’s been a year since COVID-19 started and it’s honestly hard to picture life as it was before. I remember in November seeing news articles pop up on my phone about a disease in China. Like many of us did, I chose to ignore it because it wasn’t affecting me directly. Little did I know where all of us would be now. However, COVID-19 really has made me reflect on a lot of the values that I have for myself and what I want to spread to others as well. In my sociology class, I have learned about micro and macro perspectives specifically related to COVID-19. It has really made me realize there are so much more important issues happening around the world than whatever is happening to me personally in my life. I hope I can personally look back at these times and carry those values I have made for myself with me everywhere.

Emily Wright, Staff Reporter

COVID-19 has truly been life changing for me in many positive ways. Obviously, there has been a lot of negative impacts on my life as well, but I have really grown as a person during this time. I have been able to take the time to reflect on myself and my views on the world, I have been able to really figure out who I am as a person. I had so much free time that I was able to do so many things that I would have otherwise never done, like dye and cut my hair, clean and organize my entire house, redecorate etc. I am definitely not saying that I have enjoyed COVID-19 in the slightest, in all honesty, I am sick of it. The first few months were a huge moment of reflection, but now it just feels like we live the same day everyday. Wake up, put on my mask, go to school, go to work, sleep, repeat. It just feels like an endless cycle of nothing to be honest. I felt very trapped in my own mind, thinking and reflecting for hours and days and months. It really was exhausting. Finding motivation to do my schoolwork online was so hard and school really felt so pointless. I feel like I am missing out of so much of my senior year and it really does make me sad, but at the same time, who else can say they had their entire senior year in a pandemic? It’ll be an interesting story that’s for sure. For now, this is our normal and we will survive, but I am genuinely just tired.

Calif Poncy, Staff Reporter 

COVID-19 did not really change how I live all that much. It actually reinforced my lifestyle of watching sports and playing video games. There were of course downsides to the pandemic as it made it very hard to see my friends and doing things I like doing, such as going to the movie theater or going out to eat. The pandemic also did make it so that some of the sports I like watching were either cancelled or were missing some players. It also did impact how I was able to go through my senior year, and as a senior I was only able to go to one football game which is unfortunate because I always really enjoyed going to them.

Grace Touney, Managing Editor

It’s hard to believe that we have been living with COVID-19 for a year now, and looking back it’s been one of the most important times for me. I feel as if I’ve grown so much through this event, and it’s been a very large turning point in  my life. From not seeing people who were in my everyday life through the lockdown, staying home from the first semester of senior year, and my grandma passing away from COVID-19 changed me and how I see life. I am able to see my friends now, work towards what I want to do with my life, and find what makes my life better through this experience. Looking back at how much grief came from this event, it’s comforting to see the good as well.

Alex Moats, Managing Editor

COVID-19 created a lot of self-growth for me. I took time to take care of myself and eliminate toxicity from my life. I met new people who became my best friends and had some of the most fun experiences of my whole life. I lost a few of those people in the upcoming months, but it was for the best. I met my boyfriend who has been there through every hard moment this year. Without him I’m not sure I would be in the place I am today. My dad passed away and it really showed me who my friends were and showed me how important family really is. Ever since my dad died I have gone out of my way to do more self-care and mental wellness. I have started to meditate, work out, eat healthier, and make time for positive people in my life. COVID-19 happened and I think we all just need to accept that and grow from it. It’s hard but the easiest way to get through life is to take the hard moments and turn them into helpful lessons.

Cayden Johnson, Editor-In-Chief

While I did some fun things over COVID-cation, I lost a bunch and it has affected me harder than most things. Junior year was my peak. I was involved in a ton of things and I was good at all of them, then it was flushed away in a mudslide of broken dreams and bad toilet paper memes. Since March, I have been basically treading water. I have been trying to cope with everything, getting my life on track for the next chapter of my life, and then dealing with how I will shortly lose my grandparents and how it is all my responsibility. All this struggle has taught me grit, endurance, and intuition. I can carry those skills with me for the rest of my life, but I wish I could have learned them some other way.

Julia Strickland, Staff Reporter

COVID-19 was tough for me; I love time with people and my family. I was unable to see my friends and grandparents for months. My mental health went out the window, but I also gained many things. I learned to live life to the fullest and never take anything for granted. Looking back at the year now all I can think about is me being stuck in my house and watching way too much Netflix, but it makes me so excited for the future, the things I will do and the stories I will share about how COVID-19 impacted my teen years.

Abby VanHorn, Editor-in-Chief

COVID-19 has taught me a lot, however, I wish I didn’t have to learn these lessons in the way I have. Being stuck at home allowed me to spend a lot of time with my parents, which has been good since I am going to college out of state in the fall. I have also realized that I need to stop pushing myself so hard. I have always held myself to such high standards and COVID-19 has made it really hard to continue living this way. COVID-19 has allowed me to reassess my boundaries and limits and taught me when it’s ok to relax and when it’s ok to push myself a little harder. It being my senior year on top of being in a pandemic also makes this even harder. I wish my senior year was normal, but I have come to realize that it will never be and I have learned to accept that. I just hope that I can end my high school career on a happy note and start college in a less pandemic filled world.

Lizzy Kunze, Managing Editor

COVID-19 was really rough for me. During that time period I lost my job, wasn’t able to see friends, and had a lonely birthday during quarantine. I went stir crazy a lot and took every opportunity I could to get out of the house. I learned how to entertain myself when not able to leave the house and to appreciate the little things in life. Looking back at the year, all I can think about is how much I missed all my my friends. But I can’t wait for the future and have high hopes for things to get back to normal.

Abbie Banyas, Editor-in-Chief

Reflecting on a year of COVID-19, I have learned a lot about myself and many life lessons. From the beginning of COVID-19 to now, we have all faced many challenges we could have never expected. In the beginning, I was very focused on all of the negatives, such as having my soccer season cancelled, trips postponed, and school activities restricted. But as I have faced each of these challenges, I have learned to be grateful for the people and things I have in my life. Although looking past the negatives can be difficult, I realize that I cannot change what has happened and I need to make the best of it. I am grateful for the extra time to spend with family, friends, and focus on school and my future. I have high hopes moving forward to when we are not living through the pandemic and we can all come back together even stronger.

Brynn Hegg, Staff Reporter

COVID-19 has taught me lots of things, in all aspects of my life. It’s shown me how people will go out of their way to show they care, and how others could care less for your wellbeing. It has shown me who and what I truly care about, and how to block out negative distractions surrounding my day-to-day life. It has brought people into my life, and taken some away. But I couldn’t be more thankful for where I am today. Thinking back to one year ago, it was really rough, but even through all of the changes in society and how the world has developed, we still have the initial instinct to adapt to situations that put us behind and at a disadvantage. We have adapted, and we will continue to do so.

Madison Duong, Managing Editor

I keep doing a double-take every time I glance at a calendar and think to myself, “Is it really March already?” I still remember the exact moment I realized our “normal” was gone. This last year has felt like a fever dream. Before they got the vaccine, I was constantly worried for the safety of my grandparents. No traveling was a difficult pill to swallow because that’s my escape, but I knew there were bigger issues at hand. Watching our nation become even more divided over masks and other safety precautions was even more difficult. This past year, I’ve been trying to use all of that negativity as encouragement to become a better person.While the world has seen so much heartbreak, it’s also shined light on our true heroes. I want to be as brave a healthcare worker, as resilient as a teacher, and as selfless as the good Samaritans raising money for those in need. This virus has opened my eyes and heart to see what’s important in life, and everything we shouldn’t take for granted.