There鈥檚 a certain swagger that comes with the first day of senior year at high school 鈥� but the coronavirus pandemic means those starting classes Monday are in for an experience unlike any had by generations of students before them.
鈥淚n the past I鈥檝e always seen the people in grades above me do all their, like, 鈥榣ast first day pictures,鈥� and like, you know, new outfits for the first day of school,鈥� said Jake New, a senior at Bowie High School. 鈥淔or us it鈥檚 just, schools in our living room, you know? It鈥檒l definitely be weird.鈥�
Milestones like Monday will be the first of many moments seniors around the D.C. region will be missing this year. With Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools doing virtual learning for its entire first semester, New said he hasn鈥檛 taken his senior pictures yet, and he feels like something will be 鈥渕issing鈥� with no fall football games, spirit week or senior homecoming.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to be a lot harder not being able to see or hang out with my friends at school,鈥� said New, who said that participating in the school choir and other clubs will also be 鈥渁 lot harder to do 鈥� and enjoy.”
鈥淭hose are my best friends, so it鈥檚 going to be harder not seeing them in person and hanging out,鈥� he conceded.
But New is also looking for the silver lining in the situation. For a teenager, doing your work from home can have its advantages.
鈥淵ou can be on a couch or even in bed as opposed to sitting up at a desk,鈥� said New. 鈥淚nstead of having to get up early to catch a bus, you can just walk downstairs, and it definitely feels like there鈥檚 a bit less pressure because everything is kind of on your terms even though there鈥檚 a set schedule.鈥�
For now, New is hopeful that he鈥檒l be able to return to a physical classroom when the spring semester begins this February. He鈥檇 like to be back and in-person 鈥� provided it鈥檚 safe to do so 鈥� and also play one more season on the tennis team.
But he also admitted he doesn鈥檛 expect that to happen.
鈥淧robably not, honestly, which is a bummer,鈥� said New. 鈥淚 think we鈥檒l be virtual for the whole senior year, and then I think they鈥檙e going to end up trying to make things up for seniors.鈥�
Nevertheless, New tried to keep looking at the positives and the possibilities that await him.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the first day of senior year, so whether it鈥檚 at home or at school, it鈥檚 still a big day,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith it being senior year, it鈥檚 the first day that鈥檚 going to accelerate into the rest of my life.鈥�
And it all begins in his living room.
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