Junior reflects on ‘ironic’ first full year of high school

After going through hybrid learning and virtual school, I don’t feel like I should be in my third year at Central.  This year will be my first full year of school since eighth grade.  

 I feel like I missed out on so much last year that thinking about everything now makes it all seem unreal.  

 I’m excited for the usual high school activities, not even the big high school events like dances, and games but seeing my friends everyday. All little events seem more exciting after last year.   

 Not only did I miss out on big school experiences but I also missed out on academic opportunities.  

 Online school was a challenge to say the least, and I’m nervous to see where I stand academically. It’s not like I didn’t do well in school last year, but I’m already exhausted and we’ve only had three days of school.  I’m worried more about the heavier workload teachers have already been assigning. Teachers gave us a break last year, because they understood how hard it was, but this year it’s normal.  

 Normal isn’t a bad thing, it’s just something I know every student is going to have to adjust to.  I think everybody’s already tired and stressed for this upcoming school year.  Junior year is already stressful enough so this just piles on top of that.  It’s baffling how this time last year I was sitting in front of my iPad all day at school, and now I have to start thinking about colleges and prepare for the ACT.  

 I think about the type of person I was both academically and outside of school during eighth grade. When I compare that to I am, now I see how different I am in both categories. Everything in between then to junior year kind of blurs together. It feels like I pushed fast forward and jumped to this year. I didn’t want to experience high school that way, but it happened and now I feel like I’m stuck trying to figure everything out.  

 All in all, I’m looking forward to this year. I know it’s going to be stressful and challenging but that’s how it felt before Covid. It’s hard but important to remember that those feelings are normal and valid. I’m excited to return to the normal of school even if that normal feels new.