What It's Like Losing Your Senior Year To Coronavirus | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

From The High School Senior Losing Her 'Lasts' To The Coronavirus

And to other seniors, you are not alone.

1144
From The High School Senior Losing Her 'Lasts' To The Coronavirus

To the person reading this,

I'm sure you've heard of this global pandemic affecting our country, coronavirus (COVID-19). If you haven't, I'm not exactly sure what you've been doing.

In the span of a little less than two weeks, this virus has overtaken our country, limited social gatherings, and ended the school years for many students. Social distancing may seem like a trivial sacrifice in a time like this, but I can promise you that to the class of 2020, it's nothing short of heartbreaking.

SEE ALSO: If You Think The Class Of 2020 Is 'Over-Exaggerating' Right Now — I Promise You We Aren't

I'm normally not one to be upset about being alone. I don't mind not being around people, I often avoid them completely actually, but I was looking forward to spending the rest of my senior year with my graduating class.

This was supposed to be our year.

Our year to win the baseball championship or to cheer on our guy friends.

Our year to sing our senior solos at choir showcase.

Our year to get first dibs at lunch tables.

Our year to go with the person we wanted to go to prom with.

The very last time some of us will have to spend together before we walk across the stage at graduation and venture into the great unknown.
There's something special about senior year that brings everyone closer together. At my school, particularly, the class of 2020 was never close. We had friend groups that stuck together, but for the most part that was it.
This year that's changed.

I've seen people becoming friends with people I never would have thought they'd speak to. Making new friends senior year is scary in itself, knowing there's a chance you'll never see them again, but you have solace in knowing you'll see those people every single day until you graduate.

We no longer have that solace. I can't tell you how heart-wrenching it was knowing that I won't get to see my homeroom group, people that I look forward to seeing every day, maybe until the day we graduate (if we get to walk across the stage.)

It may seem selfish to be upset over something as trivial as having prom taken away, or a senior baseball season or soccer season, but I implore you to consider the last time you spoke to someone in your senior class.

My graduating class is made up of 128 people, most of whom are planning to go to college far away from our home state. This was our last quarter to be together. One last night to dress up with the people we've been with since sixth grade and have a good time.

This would have been some people's last time to ever play baseball, soccer, basketball, or dance for a school. This would have been the last time we ever had to make memories together.

We do understand how important it is that this virus is contained. We understand that it is very dangerous and that it is killing people. We understand there is no way we could have seen this coming or prevented this.

We do ask for sympathy and for you to understand that we didn't ask for this. No one did.

We may have FaceTime, Snapchat, Instagram, texting and any other form of communication possible, but nothing beats walking into school on a Monday morning and hugging your best friend after a long weekend. No one will know how special it is when your crush of four years hugs you in the hallway and calls you beautiful. Nothing is more special than spending time with your group of people in person.

Speaking for the class of 2020, we don't mean to be insensitive. We were just excited to finally have something that was ours, and to spend the rest of the year together.

We woke up one day with the news that we weren't going back to school, that our seasons were canceled, and that all of our social events were canceled. We're taking it all in, and it's a lot.

We ask that you bear with us in this time of confusion. We are scared, too. I've often heard from teachers and parents that the class of 2020 is the most anxiety-driven by far and I wholeheartedly believe that. We are not only scared for the fate of our final days in high school, but the fate of those around us due to this pandemic. Ask anyone in this class and they probably would say "this WOULD happen to us." We worry because we care.

These are interesting times in which we are growing up. Most of us were born post-9/11. We've never known a world in which TSA was laid back. We've never known a world in which cyber-security was not of the utmost importance. We've grown up in the birth of social media and technology. We've grown through the recession of 2008 and the Afghan and Iraq wars.

We never expected to be a part of a global pandemic at the end of our childhood and the beginning of our lives as young adults.

All we collectively ask for is your sympathy, and to remember how you felt when you realized that you'd never see some of the people in your class ever again.

We all thought this was supposed to be our year, and it was unexpectedly taken away. We're scared and we're mourning, and we're trying to get through this together.

— A High School Senior

Report this Content
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

1346
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less
Jenna Pizzi and her mom smiling by a waterfront with a historic ship in the background.
Jenna Pizzi

There is always a time in the semester when you have about three papers, four tests, five assignments and two projects due within the same time period. Isn't that just the best?

It's almost as if the professors all plot against you just to make college even more stressful than it already is. No matter how many people try to make you feel better, no one ever compares to your mom. Moms always know exactly what to say.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Jobs Your Roommate Has

She's got your back with everything that college throws at you.

1547
Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey in scrubs sit against a wall, smiling and enjoying a break.

If you are anything like my roommate and I, you have a friendship with your roomie. You’re lucky to have gotten a roommate that is easy to get along with and more importantly cool to live with. Whether you found her on Facebook or went random, a roommate is a big part of life in college. This list goes through some of the jobs that a roommate has that help you get through college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

35 Things I Wish I Learned In My Freshman Year Of College

Just some relatable college student advice! Yes, you aren’t the only one!

1369
Towson University
YouTube

Freshman year can either be the greatest year, or the roughest year. It depends on your transition and how you adjust. For me, freshman year in college was one of the best years of my life. However, looking back, there are a few things that I wish I learned.

Now that I am a sophomore, I can finally do things a little differently. Here are a few things that I wish I learned my freshman year of college!

Keep Reading...Show less
Woman in field with a red heart-shaped balloon under a colorful sky.

Being single can be great and awful at the same time. Yeah, it's awesome to have time to yourself to figure out who you are and make your own decisions. It would also be nice to have someone to go through life with, but it needs to be the right person. I haven't found that person yet and here's a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments