The year 2020 has been unapologetically the craziest year of Millennials and Gen Z’s lifetime. Ranging from entire continents being on fire to a pandemic to political unrest. The panic and chaos can take mental and physical tolls on people. This year may have also helped people find new meaning or helped them find where they stand on certain world issues.

Students expressed how they felt about 2020 as a whole with the chaos, panic, unrest, change, etc. the year has brought.

“Surprised,” said 12th-grade student Sergio Perez. His quote was short and sweet and perfectly wraps up how many others responded.

“2020 is something I didn't think I would have to experience,” a senior said. “Personally, it's been a very stressful year, especially with all of the events that have unfolded over the past ten months. It was definitely very unexpected and it has changed my life in one way or another.”

“I really have no words; it changed me in so many ways and even though the year may seem bad, I still managed to find good throughout the year,” Sophomore Arriana Gray said.

“It sucked,” a senior said. “That's pretty much all I can say but it probably wouldn't have been so bad if our country's leader took it more seriously.”

Some students felt as if 2020 was no different than in past years. Simply another year with the usual twist and turns that come with life.

“It still feels the same but you just need a mask,” said an AEA senior.

Any year has the potential to shape someone, but particularly in 2020, there were many individual events that could have influenced a person; beginning with how the year has affected their mental health and wellbeing.

“This year has caused me to have a high boost of panic attacks and mental breakdowns,” a 12th-grade student said.

Many other students ranging from 10-12th grade shared how their anxiety and depression worsened from the conditions 2020 has brought, from quarantine keeping people apart to the political and civil unrest.

“My mental health at the beginning was very horrible,” a senior said. “It started getting better and now it is horrible again.”

An unfortunate trend in the survey that many shared about was how their mental health was improving and then drastically declined in 2020.

While some did not like being separate, many introverts shared that there was truly no difference.

“Uh no, because I am a loner and I always have been, so there's no difference in my daily life,” another 12th-grade student said. Directly connected to a person’s mental health, students shared how this affected their physical health.

“I’ve been encouraged more to skate every day for 5-8 hours,” a senior said.

“I actually think about this a lot, and I really looked into my physical health this year, another senior said. “ I took this chance to be more active and do better for myself since I kind of had the opportunity to do so.”

Not all students however had such a positive turn in 2020 with their physical health.

“It has made me lazier. Getting up in the morning is harder, doing school work seems optional,” senior Natalie Drake said. “My diet hasn't been the best. I've just gotten lazier.”

While most students agreed they either had more time to be active or no motivation, one student has a different change.

“More tattoos,” a 12th-grade student said.

Quarantine in Ohio went into effect on March 16th and is still occurring today. The initial lockdown changed the lives of every resident whether it was temporary or permanent.

“Quarantine made me hate being at home even more,” a junior said.

“I had to shop and do stuff for my older relatives who couldn't leave their homes,” a senior said.

The extra time quarantine provided for everyone at first seemed to just be a two-week vacation. However, it quickly became two months and social distancing still occurs today. This gave people the opportunity to explore new interests and find new meaning in life.

“I got a job, moved out, got the car I have wanted, and started my drifting career,” a 12th-grade student said.

“It has helped to teach me not to take things for granted,” senior Natalie Drake said, “ I have not been inside my grandparent’s house or hugged them since February. It has made me miss our family game nights at their house, my grandma's delicious pancakes, and my grandpa’s funky slippers.”

“ I want to be a small business owner and open up my own barbershop,” senior Jaidyn Luna said.

“I have realized I need to appreciate the normal because it can be taken away from everyone in the blink of an eye, or should I say, cough,” an 11th-grade student said.

Quarantine also gave people the opportunity to find new hobbies and ways to spend their time. Albert Einstein Academy’s high school students shared what they began doing during quarantine.

“I picked up paintball which is very active and has helped me be not as antisocial as I used to be,” Jaidyn Luna said. “I also discovered I love to fish.”

“Yes, I was very excited to take this as an opportunity to try new things and pick up on new hobbies like painting or planting little flowers and catching up on some books,” a 12th-grade student said.

“I learned just how interesting rats are, so I now have 4 and they are all being trained, junior Sarah Oskowski said. “I also picked up wood-burning which is very calming to me.”

2020 has been full of tension as the 2020 American Presidential Election approaches. Students shared if and how their political opinions changed this year.

“All politicians are corrupt and none of them are as they appear to be,” senior John Primrose said.

“I have begun to keep up more with politics as the 2020 election I feel will be life-changing for better or for worse,” a junior said. “As someone who is unable to vote I try and encourage others to.”

“I have been able to really sit down and look at the facts and oh boy, this country is so screwed no matter what happens,” 11th-grade student Sarah Oskowski said.

A major piece of 2020 has been the political movement that began this year. From the United States to around the world. Students were asked if any of these movements affected them personally.

“In some ways yes and also no. Mostly no because I don’t really care about politics yet because I am not even old enough to vote,” senior Chris Kostal said.

“I see a lot of good intentions in the moments but a lot of them have lost sight of what they started these movements to accomplish,” senior John Primrose said.

Many students agreed with what John stated. Simply that they saw good but they have been distorted into hate.

“Honestly, I was a bit nervous when there were protesters near my house,” a sophomore said. “It wasn't really the people protesting that got me nervous, it was mainly the police who had some unnecessary equipment to handle the situation including guns and full metal suits.”

A subject that has become political over the past decade is climate change. Going alongside political views changing, students were asked if they have thought differently about the environment.

“We really need to be more considerate of what we are doing to the animals and the earth,” senior Jaidyn Luna said.

Many agreed with Jaidyn that we all need to be more environmentally conscious.

“Looking at facts and stats, I learned that during the lockdown when nobody was leaving that the earth was starting to heal itself, and that really made me realize just how bad we are messing up our own home,” Sarah Oskowski in 11th-grade said.

2020 has been full of surprises and changes for all. Let us all hope another curveball is not thrown at us before the year is over.