As we sit in our homes, we are left with this uncertainty filling our stomachs. Will life start to go back to normal? What can we believe that the media is telling us? And most importantly, will we even get a normal summer? 

Most of my plans, senior trips, and life is on hold right now. I just started going back to work, but besides that, I feel like my life is a mess right now. I am big on planning, and since we don’t know how long this is going on, everything is still in the air. I have a firework stand, senior trips, college orientation, and the last summer with high school friends. (If we are even going to be able to go to college at this point.) I wanted to make the most of it, but with all of this going on, there is no plan. 

Sure, there’s an outline of when we are supposedly leaving for college, but are we really? It’s May, and we can’t even have normal graduations. There are no gatherings larger than a 25% capacity in a restaurant, most people are even too afraid to leave their homes still, and there’s no guarantee this opening Texas backup will work. It could just continue to spread with people starting to get out more. As far as we know, there isn’t even a vaccine yet. Are we supposed to sit around and wait for it? Or return to our normal lives? 

Tarleton started offering online school for their students the other day. With all this going on, it sucks but I might actually do classes that way. There is so much uncertainty lying around COVID-19, and before I go into student debt, I rather know I would actually get the full experience. I don’t want to be at college for maybe a semester and then turn around and have to pack my stuff and come home. Even then, I was eager to go to Texan Orientation, but then it got moved online. 

I’m not wanting to sound like one of those seniors where my “life got ripped away” because of COVID. I know everyone is struggling in some shape or form due to this virus. However, it feels like the last part of our childhood and the first part of our adult life is being ripped away. I keep getting told “well at least you’re graduating class will go down in history,” and I can’t speak for every senior, but I rather have had the normal “boring” experience. I wanted prom, to graduate with my friends, say my last goodbyes to my teachers, but that won’t get to happen either. 

The day I found out school was officially ending online, I cried. Not to sound like an emotional slob, but I didn’t know that March 5th was going to be my last day. I would’ve appreciated seeing the CBI kids, even giving them a bigger hug. I would’ve put down my pen and given Mr. McClung’s musical Friday my complete attention. I would’ve told Mrs. Kidder, there is a long tab of stories that still haven’t been graded (which if you’re reading this Mrs. Kidder, there are SO many stories ready for you to grade). I wouldn’t have taken their weird conversations at lunch for granted, or even Tiatan’s amazing hugs that he would give me every day. I would’ve talked to Coach Asay for longer than two minutes. 

Point being, the abrupt ending wasn’t what I wanted. Thank you, COVID, for taking a lot out from under my feet, but if there is one thing I know, I won’t let you win this battle. You can take my senior year, my first year on-campus, my OCD about having to have a plan, but I will swing back. I will make the best of online school, and continue to talk about plans with my friends once this is over. I will continue to work and love serving coffee in the mornings to the elders. I might even text Mrs. Kidder about the stories. I’m even having my own prom with one of my best friends (which our friendship wouldn’t be this strong if it wasn’t for this virus, so ha). I even get to have a get-away weekend with my family. AND I have two amazing adoptive families. (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read Isabella’s story!). I’m not going to let this virus take more than it has. Yes, I am upset about what I missed, but there are so many opportunities lying ahead of me. Maybe I’ll like online school, I know it’ll save me money. I’ve rebuilt friendships and even started new ones. I even get to do school on my own time. Oh, and history was always one of my favorite classes, so, thank you for the opportunity to go down in history. 

A message to other seniors, or anyone being affected by this virus:
I am so sorry about everything that has been happening to you. Life isn’t going as planned, and I know I don’t truly know how you’re feeling, but just know you’re not alone. Keep your head held high and your hands washed, but also take the opportunities lying in front of you. I wouldn’t have rebuilt friendships, blinked twice about leaving Midlothian, or even learned about how much I take for granted if it wasn’t for this virus. There is SO much uncertainty in the world right now, but there are things like your friends and family you can be certain about. I also know that when this is over, even if it’s 2021 by then, we will have so many stories to share. We had to rebuild our lives so that we could make our living room our workspace. Even learned just how long we can stand to be in the same room as the rest of our family. I actually learned just how important Facetime can actually be. Point is, this virus won’t last forever (I mean it won’t go away, but it’ll stop being such a burden soon). So, take advantage of what we have in front of us now, or even in the future. COVID-19 might’ve opened your eyes to a new path, or even a life lesson your mom was always trying to teach you. There is a future that is BRIGHTER than a past that we cannot change. 

ALSO, I know not many people listen to country music, but listen to Luke Combs’ new song, “Six Feet Apart”!! It definitely hits home right now.