Eye of the Editors: Dear Class of 2020
Dear Class of 2020,
At first glance, March 13 seemed like a normal Friday as we went through our usual routines, thinking we would see our friends the following week. We never could’ve imagined that would be our last day of high school.
There won’t be any more running when we’re late for class, cramming for tests or listening to fourth period announcements from USB.
Our first three years of high school were spent stressing over our grades and extracurriculars, and last semester, some of us added college applications to the mix. Each day, we dragged our sleep-deprived bodies onto campus and never gave up on the end goal: graduating in our caps and gowns alongside the people who had seen us grow up over the years.
We’ve put in so much hard work over the years and dealt with the never-ending stress as best we could. Yet, instead of enjoying our last couple months of senior year as planned, we’re now confined to our homes, hanging out virtually with our friends while endlessly sleeping, eating and watching Netflix.
We’ve been forced to come to terms with the fact that we won’t have our Senior Breakfast or celebrate at Grad Night. Even the chances of having a traditional graduation ceremony or prom are gone.
This is a confusing, upsetting time for all of us, and some of us might regret choices we could or should have made during high school. If you need to let your tears out or vent to your family, let your emotions out. But after doing so, don’t forget the months we had and the great memories we did make.
Even though high school isn’t ending the way we hoped it would, let’s not remember our senior year as a time where we missed out on so much. Rather, let’s focus on all of the accomplishments that we should be proud of and cherish the timeless memories we’ve made with friends and teachers who’ve stood by our sides for the past four years.
But for some of us, that’s the last thing on our minds. Some of us are living in a state of financial uncertainty, and we might be thinking about our college plans right now. Some of our loved ones are risking their lives to help others in the hospitals, and some are lying on those beds, fighting for their lives. Some of us would give up everything in the world to be with them and hug them.
While there may be a million negatives about this lockdown, there remain some positives. At Diamond Bar High School, a few students banded together to create their online tutoring service, DB Relief. Nationally, last month was the first March that didn’t have a school shooting; the last time this happened was in 2002, according to CBS News. It’s sad that it took a global pandemic and district closures to make that happen.
Class of 2020, we are strong. We’ll leave this quarantine with stories for future generations: the heroism our doctors and nurses displayed, the lack of toilet paper at the stores and how hard it was for some people to follow a simple stay-at-home order. We’ll emerge from our homes with skills and hobbies we wouldn’t have explored before. But most importantly, we’ll remember to not take anything for granted, because they might not always be there.
We will get through this. But in the meantime, we have to follow the stay-at-home orders, and if we go for a quick stroll or jog, we must wear our masks and practice social distancing. The more seriously we take this pandemic, the faster it will slow down and the safer all of us will be.
Sincerely,
A fellow senior
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