There is no denying that the Class of 2021 did not get their senior year High School Musical. Unfortunately, the circumstances of 2020-2021 would not allow for it. This means that the Class of 2021 is the first class to have their full senior year during a pandemic. These circumstances have allowed us to grow and pave new ways that we would never have imagined doing. First, we attended school in a “hybrid” format while some students stayed fully “remote.”

This makes our class the first to have students completing the school year entirely from their bedrooms. We attended virtual or socially distanced homecoming dances in our friends’ backyards. Our class had virtual or socially distanced competitions for sports and academic teams. We had socially distanced practices for theatre and sports. Throughout all of this uncertainty, we have maintained a positive and optimistic attitude during this unpredictable situation. 

I contacted multiple seniors from Crystal Lake Central and asked them to state their “highs” and “lows” of their senior year with the obvious “low” being Covid-19. This idea was inspired by my sophomore year English teacher, who at the end of each week, had the class anonymously record their best and worst moments of the week on a piece of paper. The consensus was that some common “highs” for the year include:

-College visits

-Late start times/ a more flexible schedule with asynchronous Wednesdays

-The opportunity to grow closer with family during the quarantine

-Meeting people in new ways

Some of the “lows” included:

-Having sports put on pause

-Not being able to see friends

-No school activities: Homecoming, Prom, football games, etc.

Regardless of the “highs” or “lows,” our class has demonstrated the ability to persevere through difficult times and look towards the bright side. “Obviously this year was not what any senior wanted it to be. We feel like we missed out on some of the best parts of senior year like football games, Homecoming week, and just being around friends in general.

“I hope for a prom and graduation at the end of the year to celebrate everything that we accomplished and the struggles that we overcame,” reported Julia Rosenberger (Class of 2021). I hope that everyone can take the opportunity to use this quarantine as a time to reflect and refocus for the years to come.