By Kaden Crist
A disease called COVID-19 that caused a pandemic spread throughout the whole world in 2020. Almost all stores, schools, and restaurants were shut down. Everyone had to adjust to these changes including the Class of 2023 seniors who missed April and May of their first year of high school. They were also in eLearning for extended periods of time during sophomore year and had to adjust to new changes and rules.
Students used this time to self-reflect and figure out some life decisions and choices that could set them up big for the future.
“I used to be scared to face challenges and certain situations,” senior Luke Wray said. “Now I know there’s always a way through situations and I’m not scared to ask for help.”
People came to the realization to face challenges and matured enough to figure out asking questions and getting help from others to get through life. Another big help for this was quarantine for COVID-19.
“Covid helped a lot, lots of isolation, it just gives you time to think and reflect and I think we can all agree that everyone went through a change during Covid whether it was good or bad,” Wray said.
This shows people that mostly everyone went through some differences. Some changes could have affected people’s lives, good or bad.
“My least favorite change is probably my personality,” Wray said. “You really start to learn in high school who’s fake and who’s real and you see who’s mean and who’s not. The change in that way is hard. You have to make sure you change in the way you want to change, not let others shape you.”
Many people used time to realize things that needed to be changed whether that was personality, mentally, emotionally, or even the way they look at things.
“Definitely just personality, my mentality, the way you see and think about things and how you go about certain things has changed.” Wray said.
People realized that you can’t take things for granted and live every moment you have to the fullest.
Senior Anna Dennison lost two and a half years of “normal” high school due to Covid. This big change made her want to live life to the fullest after seeing how fast everything can change.
When big changes like this happen students don’t realize how much it helped or hurt them. When people make changes they tend to change the way they look at things, personality, or mentality.
“The biggest change would have to be how I really realized life can change in a second and to be thankful for the things you have,” Dennison said.
These students came to the realization that things can come and go at any point and that nothing is guaranteed. This proved to them that tomorrow is never promised so you have to live your life to the fullest no matter the circumstance.
Mental changes aren’t the only thing that occurs throughout the years. Both Dennison and Wray tore their ACL. Wray missed football and basketball season due to his injuries, and Dennison missed the ending of her cheer season, including Delta’s basketball semi-state run.
“Tearing my ACL was very depressing, but it was definitely a reality check in a good way that made me realize all the great memories that I have made throughout the last four years, and I’m going to take a break and be back better than ever.” Dennison said.
Wray is now back from his injuries and helping the track and field team to a successful season. Dennison is currently recovering from her surgery and is off her crutches.
