By Camden Crook and Emma Byard, Staff Writers
You finally made it. All your years of sleep deprivation, hard work and countless hours studying have gotten you to this point: senior year. Now that you’re here, you can finally let yourself relax and focus on enjoying your last few months before college.
Right?
Wrong, thanks to the current pandemic known as COVID-19.
Fear of the coronavirus escalated March 11, when professional sports teams began canceling or postponing their seasons. Deep down, we knew that it would eventually trickle down to the high school sports level, which it did – the following day, the NCHSAA decided to postpone all sports until April 6, a date that almost certainly will be extended for weeks as the virus continues to spread.
For us, senior year of soccer is something we have been looking forward to for most of our sports careers, and to lose our season is devastating. To think we could have played our last soccer game a week ago is difficult to comprehend. This would also mean no Senior Night and no playoffs for a team that entertained legitimate state championship hopes. Even if we do get the possibility of playing again, will crowds be allowed? Hearing fellow Nighthawks cheer the teams on is what makes playing so special.
This current state of confusion will also have an effect on spring break and possibly even summer plans. How are we supposed to make plans for the future when our lives seem to be changing day by day? Even just a couple of weeks ago, seniors were looking forward to spring break with feelings of excitement, eager to enjoy a much-needed vacation with families and friends.
It’s crazy to think about how quickly those lighthearted feelings turned serious. Many students have already canceled trips, deciding not to risk the threat of catching the virus. Others have decided to still travel but within driving distance. Airports are understandably a high-risk area for pandemics like the coronavirus.
Growing up, I often visited family on the West Coast. This past year, I decided I wanted to apply to colleges in both North Carolina and California. My family was supportive of my decision and booked a spring break trip to tour all of my out-of-state schools so I could make a final decision. Now, even if I were able to make the trip, there would be no schools open to visit. Many West Coast schools have already shut down campuses and relocated students, for the rest of the semester.
It’s not just out-of-state schools that have canceled class. From Western to Wilmington, all UNC system institutions have moved their students online as the coronavirus continues to spread. Some colleges like NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill have decided to extend spring break an extra week before beginning online instruction, but in most cases, dorm rooms are being cleared out for the rest of the year.
Despite being high school students, many First Flight seniors are affected by these college closures. Spring semester of senior year is supposed to be an exciting time, full of college tours and admitted students days. Instead, today’s seniors feel left in the dark, uncertain about making one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
From elementary to college, it seems like all students are making the transition to online instruction. While some subjects can easily be completed at home, other classes like music and art will require a creative approach. Another question surrounding the online transition is whether it will negatively affect students’ communication and much-needed socialization with their peers.
For some students, school is much more than a place for teaching and testing. It’s a place where students can be themselves, spend time with their friends and get involved through extracurriculars. For many students, removing socialization and sports takes away so much more than just time away from the classroom.
With first extracurriculars and now school being canceled, it makes students wonder, what else are we going to lose?
It almost feels as if we are awaiting the cancelation of the next big event, which could be prom — although school officials have said they still hope to hold the event. Being someone who bought a fairly expensive prom dress, canceling this would be inconvenient and disappointing. Senior prom is something that most look forward to, and it’s one of those memories you cherish for a lifetime. To think we may never have our senior prom is extremely upsetting.
If worst comes to worst, graduation could be canceled, too. This is where a new chapter begins for all seniors. We have been so enthusiastic about walking across the podium and receiving our diplomas since freshman year, and now there are jokes – not happy or funny ones – that we may have to be mailed diplomas, or as one classmate put it, “Just email me the PDF of my diploma.” There would be no real transition into the next chapter of our lives.
While some underclassmen are ecstatic about being out of school for a few weeks, they have to realize that if they were seniors they would be shattered, too. We have the possibility of all of our “lasts” being taken away. Since there’s no way to make up for the time we have lost, we have to make the best of the time we have left.
Seniors Camden Crook and Emma Byard can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected]
