How full-time schedule differs from hybrid schedule

Opinion Story by Kaia Monaco – Staff Reporter

Despite having only been back to a full-time schedule for two weeks, it is already clear how different school will be from now on. Not only will students be adjusting to a schedule they haven’t experienced in almost a year, but will also have to adapt to going to school with 2,000 other students once again. 

Now that everyone is back, the lunchroom is uber crowded. Despite the gym also functioning as a lunchroom, students are still not very separated. Everyone is sitting right next to someone else, with their masks off to eat, so this seems like a super spreader for Coronavirus. 

The worst part of having all 2,000 students back is the hallway congestion. Students are packed into the hallways and onto the stairs to the point of almost not moving. You are constantly right next to someone, and it is impossible to know what they have been exposed to. Plus, in the hallways and lunchroom alike, it is incredibly difficult to contact trace. 

The effects of all students being back are seen outside of the building just as much as inside. The traffic coming to and leaving the school has returned to its normal, hectic state. It is now incredibly difficult to get out of the parking lot at the end of the day, making me really miss the hybrid schedule. 

Overall, now that we’re back to a full in-person schedule, school is much more crowded. This was a given, however, I was not prepared for the volume of students that would be attending school once again. It is nice to be working with teachers and other students again, but it is stressful being surrounded by so many people at all times.