OA students left the building on March 13, expecting a two-week break. Now the return is scheduled for May 4, and many anticipate we will not return this year.
No group of students at OA – and across the nation – has been more emotionally impacted by the abrupt school closures than seniors. All the anticipation of the final part of their 12-year journey, including prom and graduation, are now in limbo. Many are accepting the fact that they may never go back to high school again.
We asked a few seniors to talk about how they are feeling and what they are up to during these insane circumstances.
“I’ve been able to dedicate more of my time to my hobby, playing the guitar. I feel this time away from school has allowed me to have a more self-reflective moment in my life and appreciate the small things that happen day-to-day. I feel a lot less stressed and am enjoying time to pursue things that genuinely make me happy.” – Michael Johnson
“It’s really disappointing because we’ve been working so hard all these years to get to this moment and these are the last times we will all be together, which got ruined. I am just happy I got my soccer and hockey season in.” – Matthew Nosalek
“I feel really disappointing, and it hasn’t really sunk in yet at all. It feels more surreal than anything.” – Lydia Uhlar
“Honestly, I am the last person that will say, ‘I want to go to school.’ But, being off all this time and thinking how I have made it through 12 years of school and now I don’t get to experience the end result of it all. The fun that came with the last few months and enjoying that last few moments with my friends and classmates makes me want to go back to school. I am not happy about it, but hopefully there is some way we can still experience it all. I miss being with my friends, and I took the time I had with them for granted and didn’t appreciate it enough along with school.” – Frankie Ireland
“I think it’s unfair to seniors, and we have to miss out on everything. We are not even getting updates about what is happening, like are we getting all our credits to graduate? How will we turn in our scholarship letters? Is there still going to be a prom? Everything is just a mystery right now.” – Alyssa Callender
“I am absolutely heartbroken, it’s all I’ve been looking forward to, and now it’s all gone. It makes me feel like all the hard work we’ve done for senior year, and the fun things we get to do is just ruined. I understand it’s nobody’s fault, but it’s so sad, and we will never get our senior year back.” – Haley Braga
“I think that it sucks that we are missing out on all the fun senior activities, but there are definitely upsides too. I get to sleep in most days, and I get to eat food that I make and not school lunch.” – Sean Tammelleo
“I’m worried that I’ll get the news that school break has been extended even longer. Missing prom and every other senior event will stink.” – Alex Francois