By TREVIN BRANDT
Staff Writer
For the first time since March 13th 2020 (which was 377 days ago) High School students from the Visalia Unified School District returned to school in person. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, school in 2021 looks much different than the normalcy of the last school year. Students are required to wear a face covering while on school grounds. Social distancing is enforced through the separation of desks and a strategic walking route. The capacity is limited by having two different tracks. Track A meets in the morning from 8:20 to 11:10 and Track B meets in the afternoon from 12:35 to 3:25.
Attending school today was a very surreal experience. After spending a whole year staying distant from people, it is difficult to get used to the feeling of being in a full classroom again. It’s hard not to look at all of the classmates you are being exposed to and wonder if any of them have the virus without them knowing it. Personally, I am not too worried about getting the virus due to my young age, however if I were to choose, I’d rather not get it. Putting myself in a situation where I am exposed to many people outside of my household is a risk, but after spending a day at school for the first time in a year, I am more than willing to take it. It was such an incredibly joyful, relieving, and emotional experience getting to see and talk to my fellow classmates. Just being able to walk on campus was more than enough to put a smile on my face.
Today was by far the most excited I have ever been for a school day in my entire life. This pandemic has definitely made a lot of us question why we had taken things for granted in the past. There were countless days in 2019 or 2018 where I would go to school staring at the clock, waiting for 3:16. But now, I would do anything just to relive one day where I don’t have to worry about covid, especially a school day. As a senior, my days of high school are limited. There are only two months left in the semester. After experiencing school today, I am quite sad that I missed out on a whole year of it. But I’m not going to allow that to dictate my attitude towards the last two months. I am going to soak in all that they have to offer. I invite all of you to do the same. It can be so easy to be negative in the time we are living in right now, but if you look at what you have, and appreciate it for what it is, you will find yourself in a much better mental position.