Coronavirus is changing senior year plans

Lauryn Hughes | arts editor

When school let out for spring break on March 6, no one would have expected that was potentially the last day of school.  From moving classes and sports events to senior sunset, prom and possibly graduation being canceled, this year has given the senior class something they never would have expected. 

“I think it really sucks that school has shut down. I feel sad sometimes about it because I wasn’t able to make more memories with the seniors that I’m not super close with, even with teachers, I’m really upset that I didn’t get to really finish off the school year,” senior Natalia Martin said.

The plans that some seniors had been awaiting have been either postponed or canceled.

“The closing has affected so many of my plans, I wish I could have the chance to pull off a small senior prank, I wish we could’ve had senior sunset, senior spirit week, even skip day, it just all never got to happen,” Martin said. 

Along with events being canceled, many seniors are finding that preparing for upcoming AP exams is a challenge.

“I find it stressful in terms of preparing for AP Exams and I feel as though  teachers may not be as accessible online. Sometimes it’s hard to get help on assignments or concepts if you can’t share your concerns in persons or show specifically what isn’t being understood. I also think it’s harder for the teachers, as you can’t see whether students are understanding and if they dont speak up, they may get left behind,” senior Carey Jedow said.

As well as AP testing being modified, college orientations are now being changed as well. UT Austin recently announced that their freshman orientation summer sessions would be moved entirely online.

“It just all has not been great and it’s getting to the point where my freshmen orientation for college has been moved to be online because the school doesn’t feel safe with so many students there, even though it’s in July,” Martin said.

And even though many seniors were probably suffering from senioritis, they will certainly admit now that being stuck home is worse.

“I miss all of my friends and teachers, I even miss walking to class, I miss the funny comments in some classes, I miss the way teachers would greet us when we got to their classes, it might sound weird but like i miss the environment of school,” Martin said.

Instead of waiting for school to start back up again, seniors are taking matters into their own hands and making plans for when they can see eachother again.

“As of now my senior plans have changed in that since prom is cancelled my close friends and I are thinking of organizing one of our own, I might have to cancel my graduation trip because it’s in early June, but if I do I’ll have a graduation party when this is all over, if graduation gets cancelled I’ll honestly break down because I’ve been so excited for that moment for so long, so maybe my friends and i will build our own tiny stage and have a redo graduation,” Martin said.

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