The reality of senior year 2021

Editorial by Junior Editor- Katie Langle

 

Ever since freshman year, I watched the seniors experience the rights of passage that come with their age. I saw the girls on the tennis team get roses and walk across the football field on senior night, I dreamed of the day that I would get to have my senior banner hanging up on the fence surrounding the tennis courts, I was eager to stand at the front of the student section at football games and do not get me started on how excited I was for prom and homecoming. But as everyone knows, things are different this year. It has not felt like senior year, I still feel like the freshman who was watching her brother have these experiences while I thought about what it would be like for me in three years. 

On March 13, I had no idea how much my life would be changed. I left school that day hoping we would get an extra week or two of spring break. I had no idea that would turn into the rest of the year. At the beginning of the year, my main concern was whether I would get a tennis season or not. It was a huge relief for me when they confirmed that fall sports would continue. I played every day, scared that it could get taken away from me at any moment. With being a senior on the team come many privileges. Two of them being a senior night at the football game and getting to be honored on our float at the homecoming parade. I never got to experience either of those. Our coaches and team mom did a good job at still making my last year playing tennis special. We had a senior night on the tennis courts, got our banners and I got to play every day with the girls I had been playing with since freshman year. 

This senior year has not been like any other before. I never would have thought that I would be waiting on a decision on whether we would have in person or online school. And I especially would have never known how much I would miss waking up at 6 a.m., taking tests at school and getting assigned projects and presentations. I took these little things for granted, and now I am praying that I will be able to just come to school second semester. 

Everything is changing so fast that it is hard to see where we will be by the end of the year. When I think ahead to graduation and prom, I just want to make those milestones like any other senior. 

Although freshman me would be sad, she would also be proud of how I and other seniors are handling this less than ideal situation. I am doing all I can by wearing a mask and limiting my exposure to others in hopes that I will live out the dreams I had as a freshman.