As we approach the end of 2023, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape the lives of high school students across the nation. These past few years have been unlike anything we could have imagined, and despite significant improvements, it is important to acknowledge the challenges we still face today.
The pandemic has significantly disrupted the academic field; remote/hybrid learning and the constant changes in curriculum and expectations have made it challenging to stay on track and adjust. High schoolers are left struggling to find the balance between utilizing online resources and the ever-present distractions of the digital world. It is difficult to tuck our phones away and think when we have become so accustomed to having the answers within the click of a button.
The lack of face-to-face interactions during the pandemic has made it extremely difficult for many students to navigate day-to-day social interactions in class. Public speaking has caused anxiety for decades, but it is different when the luxury of hiding behind zoom screens and masks (which we became very comfortable with) is suddenly gone. Talking in front of a full classroom becomes much harder when you haven’t had to do it for two and a half years.
As high school students, we continue to face the lasting effects of the pandemic. The disruptions to our academic and social lives have presented us with unprecedented challenges. However, we will continue to adapt with resilience and determination as we face these obstacles.
