“We’ve Lost a Part of Our High School Experience”: How Students Are Mentally Coping With the Effects of COVID-19

As a senior, John McQuillin has had several events taken away from him because of COVID-19. “I was hoping for senior prom, hoping for senior escape, all of the activities at the end of the year that we get to do, [and] the graduation party,” he said. Most of all, McQuillin lost his final baseball season. Since the season was canceled, he has found that he has less of a sense of motivation. ...

For senior Grace Elkhal, quarantine has left her at a loss, feeling like she was ripped away from her last few months of high school. “You spend four years with your friends and with your teachers, and moving onto that next step in your life without having that goodbye [is] a major lack of closure,” she said. “It’s a hole that just remains empty until you can really say goodbye.” As El...

Transitioning from middle school to high school is enough of a challenge for a student to face. For freshman Sophia Hauer, COVID-19 took away her first year of high school, her first track season, as well as tournaments for her club soccer team.  But despite all that the coronavirus has taken away from Hauer, she finds herself being able to enjoy the slowed down lifestyle in quarantine. “I’ve...

As an upperclassman, junior Olivia Pisaneschi was ready to enjoy all of the events that the last few months of the school year would bring. Now, she mourns the loss of some of those activities, such as prom and Journey. “I think I was looking forward most to Journey,” she said. “I think that [it] definitely hit hard when we couldn’t go on that.” While some students have found enjoyment since th...

For junior Sam Luft, quarantine has been an enjoyable break. As a more introverted individual, lack of communication has had less of an impact on him compared to many other students.  Though he said that he tends to be more on the quiet side, Luft has found himself missing his close peers and teachers. “I do miss seeing people at school, [and] being able to socialize,” he said. However, Luft ha...

Sophomore Mizael Harris was looking forward to finishing out his last year as an underclassman with all of his friends. Because of quarantine, Mizael now looks forward to being able to see all of his classmates this fall as a junior. “I miss my friends and I am excited to see everyone the next starting school year,” he said.  Harris, who plays for the varsity boys soccer team, was one of the fortunate studen...