I’m beginning my final article the same way I’ve approached so many other assignments following the COVID-19 pandemic: late, ill-prepared, and lacking direction. Although the high school experience for the Class of ‘22 has been anything but normal, I’m thankful for those who have made my time here memorable.

I have great memories of my freshman year, my only “normal” year of high school. I walked into this school like everyone else: awkward, nervous, and not knowing what to expect. Though it seems like a lifetime ago, I will never forget winning the Rec Basketball Championship, playing my freshman baseball season, or walking to the gym every day with Brady, Anthony, and Nick; never making any progress and cheating on my workouts. I can’t reflect on my freshman year without talking about ASP. The week I spent in Kentucky was one of the most enjoyable, grounding experiences I have ever been a part of.

Both my sophomore and junior year revolved almost entirely around COVID and really meshed together. Once we went fully online I began to lose the motivation I carried when I walked into this school. School felt fake and the work we were given felt optional. I started to turn in assignments that were late or incomplete, and the effort I put into my work didn’t reflect the amount of time I had to complete it. My mental health took a toll, as I realized how lonely I was and how much I missed being around my friends. I tried to keep in touch with them as much as possible, playing golf, baseball, and Xbox as there wasn’t much else to do.

Finally, the following September, we were back in person (sort of). School my junior year was painful to say the least; we went two days per week and I was only able to see my friends in the Cardinal cohort. Classrooms were empty and depressing and I only fell further into my bad study habits. However, my poor work ethic was only being reinforced as my teachers expected less. The days dragged while the weeks flew by and I was angry that I was being stripped of my high school years.

Of course, there were a few fond memories made this year, including going out to dinner on Wednesday nights with my Cardinal friends and studying with Will G. at two in the morning for the next day’s chemistry quiz. Come summertime, things were looking up. There was now a vaccine for COVID and mandates were beginning to be lifted. There was hope for my senior year.

I’m incredibly thankful that my peers and I have had a somewhat normal final year; however, the pandemic has had lasting effects on me and the school. For starters, I wasn’t able to break the bad habits I had adopted during quarantine, and my grades suffered as a result. Teachers were expecting more and I was still producing the same quality of work. It wasn’t all bad as I was able to reconnect with my old friends and form new relationships given the school was more unified.

I wouldn’t be writing a senior testimonial if I didn’t conclude with a cliche. To anyone reading this article who still has time left in their high school years, make the most of your time here, savor the moment, and try to not care what others think of you. I didn’t do a great job following this advice– however, it is worth listening to.