There’s no debate that the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected everyone attending school, but it’s clear that this year’s graduating class got the short end of the stick during this pandemic. 

As wild as it is to recall, the coronavirus affected us first not in our senior year, but in our junior year, arguably one of the most important years throughout high school. We had to cut our junior year two and half months short, taking away crucial time for college and SAT prep, in fact we weren’t even able to take our SAT’s at the time we were supposed to. This added extra stress going into our senior year since we had to worry about when, or if, we would be able to take the SAT.

Along with SAT concerns, seniors had to worry about applying to colleges, something already difficult and stressful enough with the in person help of counselors and prep, but moving all methods to online was ten times the challenge. We struggled with small questions that could’ve been easiest discussed in person, but alas that option was not available to us. We were left to ponder on our own or hope for a chance to connect with a counselor online, for help on decisions that can be so detrimental to one’s life. 

Lots argue that last year’s seniors had it worst, as they didn’t get a graduation nor a proper goodbye to their high school years, but if you look at the path we’re headed down, it is highly likely that 2021 seniors won’t be getting any of an in person senior year, let alone a graduation. Not to mention the extra curricular activities and events we missed out on. Last year we missed our first ever prom, and the chance to be crowned king or queen. Now, we’ve already missed homecoming, and may miss prom this year as well, completely taking away that experience from so many. 

Arguably worst of all for seniors this year, are the overwhelming amount of us that are missing out on our senior year sports season that we’ve dreamt of since freshman year. For me personally as this year’s cheer captain, something I have been working for since I joined, I have been left with nothing to cheer for. Along with several other sports, guidelines continue to restrict our practices  and seasons until we are left with barely a fragment of either. 

Covid restrictions have done overwhelming amounts of damage to students in all grades, but if you want to argue which class has taken the most brutal impact, it’s clear that 2021 seniors take the cake.