Students hear their whole life that high school goes by in the blink of an eye. Senior year is the way that students go out, leave their impact on the school, and now it’s all cut short due to a virus and they have no control over it.
Athletes last year to go harder, get stronger, and get better, have all been cut short and possibly cut off completely. Many thoughts are going through the seniors' heads: will they have graduation, will they get to attend their last prom, will they get to see their friends before they go into the real world, or was March 13, 2020 the seniors’ last goodbye?
Emma Schmidt, senior cheerleader and show choir performer, relays how senior year seems to be just ripped out of her hands.
“Everybody has been waiting for 11 years for this time, this year, and now we don’t even get to experience it,” Schmidt confessed.
COVID-19 has impacted seniors’ farewell to most of the clubs and sports at the high school for the 2020 year.
“Not able to experience those last couple things as a student athlete really hurts, especially since you don’t get a closure to your season with the rest of your teammates,” Schmidt stated.
Many seniors were caught off guard by this surprise virus that cut short many of their last weeks of high school ever.
Ashlei Sonnenberg, senior, has participated in athletics for 4 years in the softball program, explained that her season being cut short has impacted her tremendously.
“It’s hard because you look forward to your prom, senior nights, graduation,etc. and you got to see everyone before you have that, so it’s really hard to come to terms with that so fast,” Sonnenberg relayed.
Lots of seniors are having the thought of not returning to school to soak up their last few weeks together.
“It makes me really sad to think that 2 weeks ago could’ve been my last day, especially because I spent it taking a 4- hour long calc exam,” Sonnenberg laughed.
Throwing jokes around is the best way to lighten the mood for this sad and unusual time according to several seniors.
“It definitely makes you appreciate what you did have before all of this happened and I hope the upcoming seniors will learn from this and better appreciate their last day,” Sonnenberg stated.
Lots of the 2020 class have been regretful for the times they’ve taken for granted through the years.
Megan Thompson, senior, relays that having no control over this is what makes her upset.
“ I wish I would’ve not taken it for granted, this was all just a big joke to all of us but now it sucks because it’s all so real now,” Thompson exclaimed.