Corona-Cation, and its Effects on Our Senior Year

Sports Section Chair: Michael Brown

Welcome back to the Senior Column! Wow, what a month, huh? Pandemic or not, the show must go on, and we here at The Wolverine Times will continue to push out the content you people crave. And with The Loaf out of season, there is nothing the people crave more than the Senior Column.

You’ll never guess what I’m writing about this month.

Yeah, I know, I know. I’m sick of hearing about the coronavirus. So sick of it. I refuse to watch the news now. I know that’s probably not the best course of action, but I’m just so sick of it.

But what’s being done to our senior year is unprecedented, and I feel I have to write about it. We’re not getting to spend our last few weeks of high school ever with our friends, our prom has been rescheduled, and we don’t really know if it will even happen, even the graduation ceremony is in limbo. Oh, and that whole AP exam fiasco. But who was really surprised to see College Board rear its ugly head once more?

So much is happening. Or, rather, so much is not happening. I just wanted to share my thoughts on some things, and also gather some thoughts from some of my peers.

Ultimately, I am more concerned about some things than I am about others. For example, prom isn’t of much concern to me. I hadn’t planned on going anyway. That sounds really lame, but I didn’t have a date, and I just didn’t really want to spend all that money for a night out with friends when A) my best friends don’t even go to this school and B) I can hang out with them any time for way less money.

I really do miss being in school, too. That’s not something I would’ve necessarily imagined the Michael of February saying, but these Digital Learning Days simply aren’t the most optimal form of education. That being said, that’s what we have to work with for right now and I’m thankful for our teachers who are working very hard to get stuff to us.

You can chalk me up as “not a fan” of DLL. But then again, I realize nobody is, and it’s likely worse for the teachers than it is for us. So it is what it is. Photo Credit: Canvas

I am, though, quite perturbed about this whole AP situation. If you weren’t aware, AP exams will be administered at home. They will be shortened, only 45 minutes, and will contain no multiple choice questions. Horrible. I hate it. Even worse, they said the questions will be designed to prevent cheating with Google, etc. To me, that just signals that the questions are going to be really hard. That scares me! Especially for classes like Gov and Micro that I haven’t been in since December.

What I’m concerned about more than anything else, though, is graduation. Graduation is something we have been looking forward to and working towards for 13 years now. Every year we would see a senior class graduate at First Baptist Woodstock and would think, “One day, that will be us.”

I knew that High School wasn’t going to be exactly like High School Musical, but this is just ridiculous! Photo Credit: YouTube

But now, maybe it won’t be. That is just heartbreaking. I really hope the higher ups in the county have some sort of backup idea/plan just in case they deem the typical graduation unsafe. Could it be postponed? Could we have a much smaller version at the football stadium? I really don’t know.

I do know that the county has our best interests at heart. I am fully confident in that, and I’m thankful for it.

I asked a few fellow seniors how they felt as well:

Grant Hardwick, of Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana:

“Since we will pretty much be gone the rest of the year, I know we will be missing out on some memories and fun times we could’ve had (sad emoji).”

Itzel Franco, of Woodstock High School:

“The biggest thing I have to say is how I really took the senior year experience for granted. I never realized the truth behind the saying, ‘you never know what you truly have until it’s gone,’ until the virus caused us to go on ‘coronacation.’ I really do miss going to school and seeing all my friends.”

That reminds me a lot of Andy Bernard’s famous quote from The Office, “I really wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

Luckily, I believe the good old days are still ahead of us. I really do believe that. College is going to be amazing.

Lastly, Eli Evans, of The King’s Academy in Woodstock, Georgia:

“There’s a great number of things that we could be upset about. Prom at my school is currently being delayed, graduation is threatened, my senior year was cut short, and people are struggling to stay on top of online learning. But we can also choose to make the most of the situation and see the good. My family has become closer and more-tightly knit after consistently being in the same house day after day. The world is now fighting a common enemy, creating a sense of unity. I would argue that social distancing is bringing people together, in a way, and that is what I want to dwell on. If we are creating a community through this virus, we have the numbers and influence to stop the spread.”

Very encouraging words there. I really hope you all stay well during this vacation, mentally and physically. Don’t let cabin fever get the best of you. I have kept myself busy with video games like NCAA 14 and Battlefront II, and watched lots and lots and lots and LOTS of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, which I have come to determine is actually my favorite show of all time, just slightly edging out The Office

Still the best game of all time. Keeping me busy right now. Photo Credit: GameStop

“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (HCSB)