Many seniors’ most cherished memories are from experiencing fun senior activities such as senior ball, baccalaureate, grad night, and graduation, alongside their friends and graduating class. Unfortunately for the class of 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has the possibility of taking away these events from the seniors. 

“I was looking forward to ball, and of course graduation, because it’s a senior tradition that I have always looked forward to and now that has been taken away because of the coronavirus,” said Sydney Soares (‘20). 

The school district decided to officially move all PUSD schools towards remote-learning on Monday, March 13th with the possibility of continuing online through the end of the school year.

“I do not like the remote-learning because of how much it threw us off of our normal life. I also really miss seeing my friends every day at school which can’t be done being stuck at home,” said Jacob Fineberg (‘20). 

Many seniors feel as if their hard work throughout their younger highschool years has been stripped from them with the possible cancellation of graduation. Due to the coronavirus, many of the activities special to the seniors, including senior ball, graduation, and baccalaureate will possibly be suspended or even canceled. 

“As an underclassman, I see graduation as important because it’s a time to celebrate the years of work that you have put in to be where you are now and it represents celebrating going through school and getting a job in the future,” said April Krywe (‘22). 

 Since researchers are unable to predict the end of social distancing at this time, there is no exact timeframe where we can expect to get back to our everyday activities. However, according to The New York Times, the coronavirus pandemic could last over 18 months, according to a 100-page federal government response plan.     

With this said, students could have possibly already had their last day of school during the 2019-2020 school year and sadly for the seniors, they might have to miss out on many tradition-like activities. 

“I was really looking forward to my senior year of track because it is the last time I will get to compete in a competing event sport in my life for my [high] school and I have been working really hard to try and get a letter in my event,” said Fineberg. 

However, students are trying their best to stay positive and finding ways to cope with the quarantine. 

“I hope we can have our senior activities made up to us, but in reality, it isn’t anyone’s fault or duty to make them up to us. That is why I am creating a video montage for the senior class to reflect on the awesome four years we’ve had and to help us remember them for the years to come, and also hopefully shine a little light during these bad times,” said Fineberg. 

During this time of uncertainty, the senior class of 2020 is doing a commendable job of understanding the seriousness of the current situation while coping with the possible loss of their senior events.