Since our high school careers began, 2024 graduates have been dealt a rough hand of cards. As 

the class of 2024 entered Guilford, we were in the middle of the Covid-19 epidemic. This caused a hybrid way of learning where half of the week we were in person and the other online. Our classes were shortened and most days of the week we got out of school between 12 and 1. Our finals at the end of the semester were altered to “no harm” finals. This meant our first introduction to high school was the opposite of what high school was really like. We didn’t get any school dances, football games, or school events. Every freshman roamed the halls with little contact with one another, not knowing many people or the high school experience they were missing out on. 

   As sophomore year rolled around, we went back to relatively normal school besides the COVID-19 protocols . We all had to wear masks at all times, and the desks couldn’t be too close together, upon entering class many teachers asked you to wipe down your desk with disinfectant spray. This left an isolating feeling for many students. We couldn’t socialize much in classes, teachers knew how difficult high school adjustment had become and didn’t teach the whole hour nor incorporate labs or fun activities. 

   We had a homecoming but we had to wear masks and the dance was held outside. Our winter formal got canceled due to an increase in Covid cases. If you came in contact with any students that had the virus you had to be quarantined for two weeks further isolated from your classmates and teachers. 

   As junior year started things went relatively back to normal, however, the effects from the last two years made the new adjustment for many students very difficult. Junior year is also considered one of the hardest years in a student’s high school career. This adjustment and rigor of junior year made school difficult and draining for many of the students in the class of 2024. The school activities continued as normal, but with the energy sucked out of many students these activities didn’t bring much excitement. 

   As senior year will be ending soon, many students are burnt out and don’t want to be at school any longer. This is the case for most seniors but given the track record for the class of 2024, this “senioritis” seems to be hitting harder than normal. Along with that, the issues with FAFSA and the changed date to begin the FAFSA have brought additional stress to the graduating class of 2024. FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a graduation requirement for seniors and a large source of financial support for college.  

   Many of us will miss high school but with what we have had to deal with, high school has been a constant battle with all that we seniors have endured the last four years. Many of us are jumping for joy about the encroaching graduation date.