There is no part of this that is fair. We have gone through the same 12 years as every class before us and every class that will follow. But we, we are the ones who are robbed of everything our last four years has led up to. We have spent countless hours studying for the SAT, days and weeks perfecting essays so that we would get into our dream schools. We faced the same celebrations and heartbreaks as every other person who has ever applied to college. Only now, we must commit to a school without spending the day on campus for accepted students day or walking around the downtown going into every store and finding the best place to eat. For kids who applied to schools far away without touring campuses, you need to find your home site unseen through pictures online. Or better yet, we give up and leave the choice up to whichever video gets more likes on TikTok. When we finally make the biggest decision of our lives so far we don't get the chance to celebrate with friends or put a pin in a map, star on a wall or name on a board for the school to see. It's not fair.
If I had known last year that I'd never step on a lacrosse field again, I wouldn't have taken a game for granted. Every spring athlete is in the same shoes. We were teased with a season that ended before it began. We practiced only to find that it was in vain. Many of us planned on ending our sports career after graduation; it was another thing we had to say goodbye to. We were robbed of our last hello. The same goes for the theater kids. The seniors who finally got the lead only to find that they would never see opening night. Many of the musicals have been rehearsing for weeks or months now and to have the time and efforts lost is heartbreaking.
Prom, senior trips, retreats, graduation. These were supposed to be the days we laughed about, silently remembering the memories you made that helped you say your final goodbyes to the life that had become so comforting and familiar. We may never be able to show our kids our prom pictures, only to have them judge our outfits, or tell them about our senior prank and how we were threatened with not walking at graduation. because we may not get to walk either way. We may never throw our caps in the air after listening to the valedictorian give their speech. We may never celebrate our schools traditions surrounding May 1st or our final days at school. Our goodbyes may be left unsaid. We may never get to walk down the halls again or run to class because you can't be late (again).
At only 17 and 18 years old we have been forced to cope with the fact that our senior year will be like no other. This will be taught to our children in their history classes. We are expected to be understanding because of the tragedy that is this pandemic but how about the tragedy of our last months as a high schooler? Should we in turn expect officials, school boards and principals to understand us? Yes. Even though we are lucky enough to stand here healthy and loved that is no excuse to allow adults to be disappointed when we are upset. Yes, we understand that in the greater scheme of things going on in the world, we are lucky. But we are kids. Our lives revolve around the now, the now shows us that everything we've been looking forward to, may never come. We are allowed to be upset. Don't let people who don't understand tell you to look on the bright side. The bright side may be brighter but that doesn't mean it is bright.
Sincerely,
A heart broken Senior
