Looking back, this school year was, well, quite out of the ordinary, for lack of a better phrase. We were away from the building and each other for a good part of the year, and were heavily reliant on our tiny technological screens and fluctuating internet connection to get us through all of it. We’ve had technological mishaps here and there, communication was a struggle, and basically met new and old people through Google meets. It was new, but time flew by and now we’re almost done—with everything.

Maybe the new environment made school a bit easier for you. Getting to class was made ten times easier—you can just get yourself fixed up a bit, pop open your Chromebook and hop on to your meet. You can run over to the kitchen for a quick snack or drink. You wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting or leaving things back at home because you have all of them already right at your reach. As a bonus, class time was even cut shorter.

On the other hand, remote learning not only sucked out the fun in going to school for most of us, but also sucked us into an odd, unmotivating environment of having class in our bedrooms, places where we should be resting, sleeping, or playing around. We miss talking to our friends after school and the trivial excitement of intriguing events in school, replacing it with a mundane, seemingly never-ending routine. The strain of looking at and sitting in front of screens all day can also be tiring and numbing.

Some may have even had loved ones lost to the very thing that kept us inside our homes and changed everything—the pandemic. I’m sorry for your loss and my deepest sympathies go out to you. Others may have even had it themselves, and I hope you are well now, otherwise I wish you a fast recovery. As all of these are happening, other life events are also taking place, preoccupying our minds and giving us stress. For our seniors who are ending their highschool years like this, I wish them the best of luck on the next big chapter of their lives.

We are nearing the end of the school year. Years later we will look back on these events and maybe even pass on stories about it to our kids and grandkids. As we draw the school year to a close, let us take the time to reflect on this experience as a unique stepping stone in our journey. I wish everybody a great summer. Make the most of it!