Across the United States and much of the world, students are missing months of school due to COVID-19.
Many of these students are high school seniors, myself included.
Seniors are missing a part of our lives that we have looked forward to for many years. Proms, banquets and even graduation ceremonies are being cancelled due to the virus. Many of us are unsure about our futures. College, work and even smaller things –such as long-awaited trips – are in jeopardy.
The Class of 2020 may go down in history as the class that missed out. After discussion with many of my friends and fellow seniors at Robbinsville High, there seems to be a re-occurring theme of sadness, stress, and disappointment. For many of us, senior year was going to be the best year of our lives. While most are disappointed about our final year in high school being snatched from under us, we are also incredibly worried about friends and family members that may be more at risk of contracting COVID-19.
Some may say that our morals are in the wrong place, that we should be less concerned about missing prom and more concerned about the health of more susceptible individuals. I believe that if any senior were asked, they would disagree.
We certainly are not happy that we are missing such important events in our lives, but they are the least of anyone’s worries right now. Most Robbinsville High seniors have many close family members over the age of 60; many already in declining health.
On the outside, it may seem like our lives are the easiest they have ever been, just because we get to stay home. In reality, this may be the most stress that any of us have had to endure.
Many seniors may not have someone in their life to push them to get their online school done and don’t have the will to do it otherwise. For many students, jobs are hanging by a thread. Many of us want to help, but we don’t have the money, the time and frankly, due to our age, we aren’t always taken seriously.
Things could be much worse, but it must be remembered that this is
the scariest thing that
most of us have lived through. We haven’t lived through a Vietnam or Cold War. Most of us were even born nearly a year after the collapse of the World Trade Center. Bad things have happened in our lives, but this is beyond that.
We are young, but this is terrifying for us, too.
If you have an Robbinsville High School senior in your life, give them some words of encouragement, or a pat on the back. If
you are a senior, just remember that this too shall pass. Keep your head up, and do what you can to help.
Matthew Miller is a writer for The Graham Star. He can be reached at 479-3383.