By Gemard Guery – News & Editorial Editor

On March 13, 2020, our lives changed in a way no one could’ve anticipated. Students around the country – the world, even- found themselves stuck at home in quarantine taking online classes. Most students around the country had to finish the 2019-2020 school year at home.  

As the pandemic progressed, some schools gave students the option to come back in-person for the 2020-2021 school year.  While some students came back to school, other students like me decided to stay home.  

While COVID-19 is still very much a thing, these new mask guidelines are a great step towards a “normal” life again.

I came into high school with a very pessimistic attitude. The Class of 2024 hasn’t had a normal year since eighth grade which was taken away from us just before all the fun activities were supposed to happen. We came in thinking that a “normal” high school experience would be completely unheard and it’d be a miracle if we got an even somewhat normal senior year.

For me, staying online for the 2020-2021 school year was anything but fun. I did not want to be home, but I didn’t really have a choice because of safety reasons. This time last year was a terrible time because I truly did not enjoy school. I did not want to attend online classes and had never felt more disconnected from school and the content I was learning. There was nothing more I wanted to start in-person and have a normal pandemic-free school year.

Now, in just a year, the situation has changed significantly. I am now in-person with everyone else and we’ve reached a point where masks can be optional. To me, that’s nothing small.  It shows my normal high school experience is actually possible. I can enjoy all the fun events that the classes before me were able to enjoy and work hard, play hard.

The one I’ve heard so much about that has often been referred to as “the best four years of my life” would actually be happening – even if it did start a bit late.