Now that the first semester has come to a close, I took some time to reflect on what has been going on the past four months of the school year.

I knew that school wasn’t going to be normal this year, whether that was because of wearing masks while in person, being virtual 75% of the time or not being able to interact with your friends at school like you had done in the past.

One of the biggest challenges with school being 100% virtual for the first two months of the year, is the added responsibility on students.

Students have to serve more than one role throughout the day. They also serve as their own IT department and cafeteria worker.

Everybody has a schedule to follow, but rather than showing up to a classroom, you have to search for the link on your class Canvas page. If you’re having chromebook or internet issues, you have to deal with it on your own.

Not everyone has the luxury of having a parent at home during the day to cook them lunch. If you aren’t one of the lucky ones, you have to find something to make for yourself.

While teachers are doing their best, sometimes getting the extra help you need is harder in the virtual/hybrid setting.

If you are online, asking for help is a little bit harder than when you are in person. You might not want to interrupt the teacher during the lesson. On the other hand, if you wait until after they are done talking, the teacher might not notice your message in the chat. Also, as if the added anxiety it gives students to ask for help isn’t enough already, having the whole class hear your struggles adds on to it.

School is more than just academics, it’s also about getting involved, whether it be participating in sports, clubs and activities or attending school events.

As a sophomore, my first year at high school has looked very different from classes before mine. Due to the restrictions in place, I haven’t been able to attend sporting events to cheer on my friends, go to a dance or even go to the planetarium as part of the astronomy club.

All in all, the first four months of the school year have not been as fun as I anticipated it would be. Here’s hoping “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” as we move into the second semester of the school year.