The SHS Class of 2020 experienced an extremely unfortunate end to their senior year. No one could have predicted they would be missing their last sports seasons, senior activities, and the traditional SHS graduation ceremony. However, their deep disappointment did not end there: For many 2020 graduates, attending their first semester of college was like nothing they imagined. 

Colleges and universities across the country took different approaches as they resumed classes during the fall semester. Some colleges, including UMASS Amherst, decided to go fully remote, which was devastating for many incoming students. Other colleges persevered through these unprecedented circumstances and decided to reopen in a hybrid model, which was very exciting but also came with strong limitations.

SHS graduate Courtney Cutting attended her first semester at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. This year, the university only allowed freshmen on campus and offered hybrid options for courses. Although it didn’t look like a normal year, Cutting was excited to begin the next chapter of her life. Reflecting on her first few months, Cutting said she was “able to be positive about the situation most of the time, but it definitely gets to me occasionally. I was just lucky enough to be on campus this year.” According to Cutting, meeting new friends and joining a community has become much more difficult with social distancing guidelines. 

Similarly, Brigid Bonner, an SHS graduate who attended her first semester at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, stated that although it was difficult, she wanted to look at the positives: “Because of COVID-19 restrictions, I met some of my best friends because we are together so much.”

The pandemic has taken so much from this graduating class, but having an optimistic outlook and making the best out of situations is vital for getting through this difficult period.