It’s over already? I’m going into highschool? Wow, that’s crazy. We were supposed to be the “big kids”, that not only ruled the school, but survived it. But instead I spent my final year at River Bend, waking up a minute before my class started, navigating a more complicated Google Classroom, and practically taping eyelids open to make it through the last class of the day.
Even through all of that, I seemed to blink and the school year is gone. I spent three years at River Bend, but I only had a year and a half in the building. I thought school was the worst thing that I had ever done, until it seemed to become not part of my routine. The new normal became, typing my long password into a narrow, horizontal box, typing my teacher’s link into google to enter their class, and typing in a chat box an answer t0 a question I was 85% sure about. I mean, good thing they that mandatory keyboarding class when I was in 6th grade, because if they didn’t, this year would’ve have had a lot more hand cramps, snack breaks, and late essays.
Of course I have to give credit to the wonderful, objects, activites, and distractions that got me through the unsteady year. I will be honest, I read little to none, but my a book that I am currently reading is “The One and Only Bob” by Katherine Applegate. One of my absolute favorite books is “The One and Only Ivan” by the same author. When I saw that there was a sequel, I immediately was interested. I mean my mom would never say no to her daughter actually wanting a book.
Another thing that has significantly, at least got me through the second half of the school year, is soccer. When the pandemic hit, I took a year and a half pause from it and it affected me in several ways. I was out of shape physically and mentally to say the least. Now going into 9th grade, I am overjoyed at the more athletic opportunities Potomac Falls has to offer!
I don’t know how I am going to adapt to everything being “normal” again, but I am so ready for it. I might not look the most prepared, but I am pretty much tired of being tired. I won’t lie though, I will miss some things quarantine had to offer, but the pros easily outweigh the cons.
This is introduction, yet also a conclusion. I am happy to say that this concludes the experience said to be “remote learning” that had many, including myself, slowly starting losing sanity. I am also happy to say that this introduces the experience said to be high school. I am excited, nervous, sweaty, and all the teenage hormones stuff in between but again, I have been on my toes.
2020 was a year that God decided to put a new lense on. I noticed so much more when I had so much more time to look. I grew closer to friends, family, and got more serious into becoming more independent. I went through new experiences that tested my emotions. I went through different experiences that made me notice why I didn’t like doing certain things. I went through unique experiences that made me stronger in every way.
I attempt to be thankful, all the time, for what I have, so that means even if a year like 2020 comes and slaps me in the face, I look on the bright side. I loved nothing about the quarantine, our loony previous president, and the cicada madness, but I’m still here. I am aware of how many live were lost all over the world, but you have to look at it saying everything happens for a reason.
We can’t rewind the past, but we can recycle it.
