Their Words

“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” (Winnie the Pooh).

In this difficult time family is more important than ever. You usually take them for granted until you need it most even though they’ve always been in your corner. My extended family has struggled with this a lot. My mom’s side of the family has been calling to check in on us and it has made me realize how much we depend on one another. From being a part of at home preschool with my cousin, having video chats on Messenger, writing a letter to my grandparents, celebrating my cousins’ birthdays over quarantine, I’ve never felt so close while being so distant. Same thing as my dad’s side. All of my cousins are in college but two of them are staying in an old house right next to my grandparents along with my aunt and uncle. They’ve always had a close relationship with my Ninny and Papa because they live so close to them, but this quarantine has made me push out of my comfort zone. I sat and talked to my grandma about my thoughts during this pandemic which I haven’t really opened up to anyone about because I was afraid to, I was astonished to realize her thoughts were similar. I’ve never connected with her the way I did that day and I’m starting to realize how important my family is to me. Even if we don’t always show it, the love has always been there. I’ve been thinking about my future and I want my future children to know how much they are loved by saying it to them even if they get embarrassed by it. It’s hard to really comprehend how much your family loves you. I do have mixed emotions about this break during what should have been the most special moment in my life, high school senior year. It’s difficult to see people post their memories on Snapchat seeing everyone smiling in their prom dresses, my grandpa telling me how awesome his graduation party was, and just people talking about their senior year. I want that, yet this has taught me how to be stronger. I know I won’t have the same type of memories as everyone else but I would rather have that taken away from me if it means I’m saving others lives. It can be difficult staying at home and as hard as it is, it’s worth it. It’s worth seeing my stubborn cat jump on my bed every morning and greeting me, it’s worth getting closer to my sister and being able to talk to her about things that we were too busy to do in the past, it’s worth making my mom smile everyday and lifting her up after coming home from working in the office for a company that provides in home care for disablied adults, and it’s worth connecting with my dad as he said to me, “Do you even realize how proud of you I am?” We all show love in our own ways and I’m fortunate enough to have seen the love in a different perspective because of this quarantine. Even if the world is crumbling at our feet, I know my family will always be by my side.

#UnitedAsOne #Family

E.T. MSHS Class of 2020

It could be worse. That has been my motto this past ten weeks. My family is still employed. My family isn’t starving. My family still has a home. Although these past ten weeks have been hard, my family isn’t suffering like many are and that’s something to be thankful for. During this time, so many families have had time to reconnect and all be together. Having two parents working outside of the home, that has not been the case. It seems like we are busier now more than ever. And the idea of all staying home together all day hasn’t been an option. It feels like little has changed beside me not going to school. My parents still wake up, go to work, and come back. I wake up, alone with my dog, and have the ability to take my time and have control of my day. Seeing the positive things in life has been crucial for me. Throughout these ten weeks there have been highs and lows. Reflecting on the highs has given me hope for what’s next.

As the last part of senior year was stripped away, many normal senior activities won’t happen. That not only takes the experience away from me, but for my parents as well. Since I’m an only child, my parents will not send their child off to prom or see me walk across the stage at graduation. Not only have I been looking forward to these milestones, but so have they. It’s not like I have a younger or older sibling where they get to experience those things again or have previously. I couldn’t provide them with something as basic as a graduation. While they’ve been supporting me through the tough days, I feel like I need to support them too. I was their one shot at a graduation and prom. Along with a normal send off before I leave over 1,000 miles away for college. It feels like there is no closure. It all just ended.

This has now provided me with fear for the future. Our society is forever changed. When I walk into Costco, I’m required to wear a mask. Stores on the weekend make you wait outside because only a limited number of people are allowed inside. Humans are hurdled like cows through the line just to get inside. Will that ever change? However right now that question seems small compared to the big question most seniors have. Will I be able to go to college? Some colleges are already proposing online schools for the fall. This is not what I signed up for. I’m scared for myself and others that we will never get to experience what college is really like without regulations.

I think it’s really hard not knowing what’s next. I have no control. Everything in my future is dependent on this virus. This whole experience has been lonely. For the longest time, Facetime was the only way of seeing my friends face to face. The only human interaction outside of my family was when I ventured out on a walk. Going on walks and Facetime have become essential. While all of this has been hard, I have to remember that God knows what’s next and he has control. So although this all sucks, the main lesson I've taken from this is, it could be worse.

#Family #Change

B.W. MSHS class of 2020

Isolation has been a breath of fresh air for my family. Every Sunday since the beginning of quarantine, our family has embarked on a Sunday hike; a chance for uninterrupted family bonding. COVID-19 restrictions shutting down parks on both sides of the border sent my family in search of a new expedition every week. We were as Lewis and Clark: my sister, my mom, my dad, and I. Our hike at The Rocks of Sharon proved to be the most eventful.

In preparation for our rustic walk, we read the trail guide that professed a “delightful ridgeline ramble with stunning views of Mt. Spokane.” Excitement and anticipation led our drive to the trailhead, but our haste erased the patience needed to check the weather forecast of the day. The five-mile hike provided ample time for the variable weather of spring in Spokane to put on its show. The first act opened with warm sunshine causing me to regret my choice of leggings instead of shorts. The dirt trail up the mountain winded through thick, wild greenery on a steady uphill slope. I was thankful for the cooler temperature in the shade of the furs. People grew sparse about a mile in as my sister and I walked side by side far ahead of my parents. The natural presence of the outdoors produced weekly gossip and deep conversation between sisters; topics ranged between struggling with Corona isolation, practicing our British accents, and boy talk.

As we started getting close to the summit breaks in the trees became more common revealing previews of the gorgeous views. The higher elevation brought heavy wind and dark clouds. I suddenly wished I had brought more layers. By this time my mom was getting dangerously hungry. We decided it best to stop and eat lunch on some rocks we found on a break in the trail. The vast views of the Washington-Idaho Palouse called to be admired by our curious eyes, but the strength of the wind blew us into a nook between some towering rocks. There we hid while we ate our prepackaged energy; I think wrappers and all!

The remaining route to the top of the mountain became steeper with every step. My legs burned from exhaustion. I had to continually remind myself of the reward waiting at the top. As we took our last steps up to the rocky crest the wind pulled the clouds apart to place patches of sunlight on the rolling countryside that extended to the horizon. Our love to seek adventure and beauty in the outdoors is shared as a family. This view was for us. We earned it together!

Suddenly rain and snow bathed the scene. At that moment there was no place I would rather be than standing with my family on the top of a mountain in the falling scrapple. The stress and anxiety of my crumbling senior year washed away. From this moment on I knew I could make it through anything as long as I had them by my side. Quarantine allowed my family to experience this adventure.

#Family #Hiking

M.V. B Class of 2020

“When I opened my eyes one morning, I wished I was dead.” If I get up, I will be accepting that she is leaving, not like she did anything around the house anyway. I slide out of bed and throw on some sweats to head downstairs to get everyone's lunch orders. As I was making food, she came down to get her laundry. We have not spoken to each other since the first week of quarantine, when he was still here. He finally moved out and we all thought it would get better, but I guess only her fiance gets the privilege to speak to her. As she comes out with her clothes, she points her head to the ground and stomps up to her room. I get nothing. I bring my brother his food and go tell mom and dad that their food is ready in the kitchen. I grab a can of pineapple juice and go back up to my safe space, hopefully being able to ignore what is happening. I remember back to when everything started to go downhill in those first two weeks we became isolated here. Mom said it was just a phase, and that she will always love us. I was gullible enough to believe it, that she would not stop loving me. "You know it all, you're my best friend. The morning will come again, because no darkness and no season can last forever." Those words ran through my head for weeks. I kept having hope, knocking on her door to say good morning. I get nothing. All I ever got was rejection. The constant reminder that I am so unloved by the person I want it from the most. The feeling became numb after the first five weeks and I stopped trying.

“Time for dinner!” I wipe my tears, put my journal back on my desk, and go down to sit with my brother as we watch her bring down her bags. My brother looks at me with pain in his eyes. He feels betrayed by her almost as much as I do. We are angry. “I will be back next week I promise.” Lies. There will be another story, another excuse to why she needs to stay away from us. There always is. As she gets in her friend's car and leaves again, I take my brother back upstairs before the yelling starts. They always fight about her, about whose fault it is that she has become like this. As my brother and I put our headphones on, we just sat on my bed and watched the storm outside until the clouds started to break. I was made a fool of for eight weeks, thinking that if I tried hard enough that she would love me again. I guess that is what you get for believing that your siblings will always love you. "The sky is blue and the sun is shining, so my tears are even more noticeable."

#Family #Change

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” -General George S. Patton

The time the nation has spent in imposed quarantine has greatly affected the populace, its clasp not foreign to me. An air of mystery surrounded the harshness of the many sudden restrictions. Would we be able to go outside? If we leave to go to the store, how safe are we? How can we be sure our loved ones are safe? The unceasing torrent of questions birthed by the shift in our routine greatly affected not only my close family, but me as well. Yet, we complied. Time, although maintaining its nominal passage at first, seemingly began to blend. Days become weeks, we’re complacent. The vast array of news sources provided no hospice in a time of great need for the hopeless. Monotonousness became an unwanted norm, yet I was unprepared to be ripped out of such a cycle.

Waking at 10:30 A.M., I was prepared for another pointless, unproductive day. I reach for my phone to check notifications out of habit, and instantly feel a colossal, nervous pit retching in place of my stomach. A message from my father; “I have coronavirus”. As a nearly sixty year old man with prior issues, he is in no condition to hold steadfast against it. I’d not spent nearly enough time with him to forge a strengthened relationship after his separation from my mother, let alone connect with him on his deathbed. I frantically began to reply, asking what methods of treatment are available, how he contracted it, where and when I’d be able to see him. He’d been out to the grocery store, a seemingly normal activity, and returned home with the virus. A person in his condition is not only at high risk of contracting it, but may be severely affected by the symptoms. He’d slipped out of normalcy, believing he could do such a simple activity without risk. This underscored the importance of restrictions on such groups to me in a way I’d never foreseen. If I were to contract it from the same activity, it’d most likely have little effect on my health.

I waited with bated breath for information regarding his condition for weeks, yet received none. He apologized for not being in my life, not building a stable relationship with me while he had the opportunity to, exacerbating my condition. The importance of remaining within the restrictions as an unemployed dependent shining true, in order to protect those at risk and keep my family from being excised from my life. Within 2 weeks’ time, he replied. The feeling of relief washing over me in that moment was unparalleled. He’d felt as good as he had in a month, a condition unexpected for a man in his age group. Although I joked with him prior, I felt compelled to make the monumental importance he holds within my life known, to express how glad I was that he was not only alive, but in good condition.

My experiences within this time have made it evident to keep those close to me, well, close, and allowed me to appreciate the brisk action taken in order to allow my family to remain safe, while retaining our rights in a meaningful manner. I implore others who must work to do so, and those who remain dependent to avoid bringing a similar, or significantly worse, outcome to members at risk within their own family.

#Family #Health

C. M. MSHS Class of 2020

“Just stop your crying, have the time of your life.” - harry styles. This lyric has gotten me through so much the more time we sit here and cry about all the things we are losing. We lose so much of our young childhood to be sad and depressed. When there's so much to benefit from this. We are all in this together and have our own individual stories and experiences. We need to stop crying and enjoy life. We still have many who have lost theirs and families have lost so much. We need to be more family than ever and really count on each other to have the time of our laugh. One day we will laugh about this and the tears will be dried, the scars taken and wiped. Many of us need to trust. Have faith in one another and truly be close. The more we do these things the better our time will be and the faster these times will go by. My family has done pretty good, sure we have our moments but that stuff has been all our lives. We are family, we aren't always going to get along. This has brought smiles to our house. We have learned to respect each other and truly be family for once. We often have our own worlds and don't see each other often but we now see each other everyday and say good morning and I can't tell you how much this little thing has brought me joy. I haven't decided what college I am going to attend but I know that I will choose and be happy. Lifes goes on and my future is what I make it. Life throws curve balls and punches that will beat you to your knees and keep it there if you let it. I have learned to take the punches and roll with what lifes gives me and be grateful. This is what it's like at the sparbers house. Remember that lifes goes on and it is super tough right now but this won't last forever. Soon we will be free and have the time of our lives. I love my family and friends for making this time much easier i have also spent too much money online shopping and buying things i don't need. I know parents can be against video games but honestly I spend hours talking to my friends and keeping my head out of the gutter and I bet some of you wish you could do the same. The sparber house has come together to become one. We have learned to adapt. We all need our space. But together we will make these next few weeks work. I can't wait for summer and life will get so much better. Rainbows only come after rain.

#Family #FTC

L.S. MSHS Class of 2020

“What I wouldn't give to be eighteen, wild and free..”. Quarantine has meant staying inside, only going out when it was for things we absolutely needed, for weeks. I miss the freedom of being able to get up and go for a drive with friends whenever we want to. I miss the nights looking at the stars and staying out until the last minute of curfew. Waiting until eighteen for freedom wasn’t something I thought about before, but now it’s all I can think of. When this started, it was staying home for fear of carrying the virus and giving it to my family. With no school work, and everything closed, I spent my days sitting on my couch playing video games, FaceTiming my friends, and reading the books I never thought I would have the time to. But my mom is a manager in healthcare, on the frontlines of this everyday, and my dad was still part time working, so I never felt quarantined. Other kids are with their parents for the whole day, everyday of this. But even with a pandemic, my parents are still needed elsewhere. My mom works all day, always getting phone calls, in meetings, or at the clinic. She set up testing sites and is doing all she can to help her employees and the people who live here. She has no fear. She goes out everyday not worried about getting sick, just focused on her job like it’s a normal day. My dad is back to full time work now. He works in a construction type of job, so he has to wear full protective gear. A mask, glasses,and gloves. He always says he would rather not wear them. It makes it hard to work because his glasses always fog up, and the mask makes it really hard for him to breathe. He has been the one with fear. I didn’t see my grandparents for months because neither of us wanted to get them sick. Taco Tuesdays with our group were over. He hated going to work those weeks when we were in quarantine. He always came home mad. Mad he would end up getting me sick. Not fearful for himself, but always for me. I’ve always loved my parents, but this time has really shown their love for me. I have never appreciated them as much as I do now. But I’ll be leaving soon. Leaving the only city I’ve ever lived in. All the visits I was supposed to make to my future college were cancelled. I didn’t get to go and meet the people who I’ll be with for the next four years. I didn’t get to go to the campus with my dad and sign up for classes. I had to do that by myself over a zoom call. I didn’t know I would want them with me for these things. I didn’t know this quarantine would take so much from me. I know it’s important and for the safety of everyone, but I’ll never get these moments. I’ll never get to walk across a stage and be the first one of my siblings to graduate. I won’t be able to truly show the people related to me how well I did without them. I can’t wait to be eighteen and take my life back.

#family

T. C. MSHS Class of 2020

“Everything happens for a reason.” This quote has been going through my mind ever since the government extended the stay at home date. My family and I have never worked this much together, and we all talk and communicate if there is something that’s bothering us. Rather than before this happened we would normally get mad at eachother and not talk through it all the time, we have also given more grace to each other. Not being able to do any of the senior things normally, has really affected me. Take the Dance Team for example, we have not made it to state in 4 years due to not good dancers on the past teams and no good leadership. So this year it was my DREAM to become captain (which I did) and make it to at least districts. We achieved this goal and beyond, we made it to state with flying scores. We had no support from hardly anyone especially when the year had just started, my team did it ourselves with the support from our parents. My Dance Team practices from starting in the summer to finishing at the end of May, so it was so nice to see our hard work pay off. In the end, two weeks before state, school got canceled. It was a devastating moment for me and my team. Especially the seniors, it took me a long time to recover from this, for dance was my life for four years and all of a sudden it was over without any warning. I know I can find other dance teams in the future, though this year's team bond was like no other, we were a family. But my family at home was supporting me all along the way up until the end, and throughout this quarantine. So if this hadn't happened, we wouldn't have gotten closer as a family. I have had a lot more time to focus on myself and spend more time with my family. Normally, we are all working, I never got to see my sister because she worked at night while I was gone during the day. Though it has been hard not being able to work or go to school, at least there is a positive side. I have changed my mind multiple times about what I would want to do in the future, I don’t look at this as a good thing. Because now I want to do so many things that’s just not possible. Either I don’t have the money for it or I will be too far away from my family. I think I have finally come to a decision though, and talking to my counselor has really helped. Some “one on one” time has helped me decide for sure. I can’t looking into the future, but I know that good things will come soon enough, and there is a light at the end of this long long pitch black tunnel.

#Unity #Family

E.K. MSHS Class of 2020

I have two quotes that have helped me through this time of quarantine because there is no way that only one quote can get you through all of what is happening. The first is, “Take life one step at a time.”-Anonymous. Having this mind set has helped me get through these times of trial. We are home together all day and although that may be hard I see a reason to forgive and forget, to move and take each day one step at a time so in the long run you can take life one step at a time. It seems as though the world is against us. Each day you say it is almost over and we are almost free. Then life throws a curveball and we aren’t allowed to do anything until July. When this happens I think that it is important to remember that God has a plan for you and that everything will be alright. Remembering that there is a plan for you, leads me into my next quote which has been with me for longer than this virus has been in the world. When I was young in my primary class we would sing a song called, Families Can Be Together Forever. My second quote is, “Family is forever.”- Russell M Nelson. With more time to spend with my family, I have come to realize that family is what is most important. God has allowed this trial upon us to help us focus on what is truly important. Each of my family members has been sealed to me for eternity in my church. That is what I know to be true. Because I have this knowledge, I know that I need to love my family especially during this time. My family has always been the most important thing in my life. Wherever I go they will always be at the center of my heart. Not a lot has changed in my family as the pandemic that has struck the world, rocked our boats. We continue to have faith that everything will be alright. I think at best we have become more aware that we are stuck with each other. That is why the quote I have chosen has been a help through these times. With school taking up most of the day you aren’t always with your siblings and family and now that we are I think we have each grown a bit closer even as we get more annoyed with each other. My sister and I are able to spend more time together. Before the quarantine my sister and I would rarely see each other because of sports. Once we got put together for 24 hours a day, we found things that we could do together. We have gotten a real chance to become each other’s best friends. Together we dyed our hair and have spent late nights laying in my bed just talking about what we want to do after the quarantine ends.We are able to open up to each other and she talks to me more now that she isn’t with her friends as much. Feeling the overwhelming love I have for her is so eye opening. She’s my eternal sister. This is the best blessing I have and I think that is what has been most important to me. Family is the most essential to me. Nothing will ever be more important to me and I am thankful for the time that I am able to become closer to them and have the love I have for them grow. And in summation just remember that families are forever.

#FamBamForever #OneStep@aTime #family

S.S. MSHS Class of 2020

“I wish there was a way to know you're in "the good old days", before you've actually left them.”-Andy Bernard

For the past 10 weeks many things have changed in my family. My sister was laid off, my mom and dad had to start working from home and I started working more than ever. My sister had moved out not too long ago, just before Thanksgiving, and her boyfriend moved in a little bit later when he finished college. Just when my sister was getting the hang of things at her job covid-19 arrived and she was laid off. She and her boyfriend were unemployed and making more money than when they were employed. Just recently my sister went back to work. My mom and dad have their own little business that they built from the ground up. When the stay at home order was put into place my parents began to work from home and rarely went into the office. My dad started working from home at the worst time possible. My dad is a bookkeeper and had just entered a quarterly month when a lot of his clients started asking him for whatever they needed. My dad was mentaly tired by the end of the month. My mom has been buying ingredients to make meals for the family rather than buying a frozen lasagna or pizza. She does all of the shopping for us, my grandma and my sister. Due to online schooling I have been able to get more hours at work and because we were considered essential we started selling more hand sanitizer, more cleaning products, and started selling toilet paper. We got really busy and were constantly applying hand sanitizer and wiping down every constantly used surface every hour. My whole family has been saving a fortune on gas. My dad doesn’t have to drive around to all his clients going places and meeting people. My mom only leaves the house to go to the office and when she needs to go shopping. My sister never leaves the house because she didn’t have to but know she does because she is working again. I on the other hand usually only work Monday-Thursday so those are the only days I drive and I don’t work too far away. When comparing life before and during the stay at home order not much has changed since we as a family don’t go out often and like out alone time at home. Being at home together for long periods of time showed me how much my family can annoy me sometimes. The further into quarantine I go the more I miss my regular routine, going to school, seeing my friends and teachers, not having to be constantly using hand sanitizer, AND FINDING HAND SANITIZER AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE. The times I visit my friends and grandparentsI can’t give them a nice big hug and tell them how much I miss them.

#Freedom #Friendsandfamily #family

A.F. MSHS Class of 2020

“Never thought it’d disappear, Senior year”, Drew Baldridge. To say that this was meaningful to me.. Is false. I had felt that this became a global feeling that seniors have experienced. Although I still got to experience the beginning of my senior year, I never got to do the things that I was really looking forward to; From the senior sunsets, the Senior All Nighter to Graduation.. All of what we wanted disappeared.. Even though Covid-19 took what I wanted most, it also gave me some unforgettable memories. I got to experience a whole new world,

there has never been a time where I had no expectations. To say the least, I was only expected to stay at home and do nothing. A lot of the things that we have worked so hard for, ended very quickly. It felt like we did everything for nothing. Eventually, I started to realize that there was more to me than what my friends or anyone else thought of me at school. Focusing on myself and my family became a priority. I found new ways to hang out with my family, as in themed dinners, making ‘quarantined’ tiktoks, movie marathons and oddly enough, buying baby ducks.

My experiences during this, probably matches everyone else’s. In the beginning, I was very conflicted on how I felt, but no matter how I felt, it wasn't going to fix what was going on. I took advantage of this time and started to really focus on myself, I would spend my day driving around town listening to my music and wasting my gas. I started to realize that this would be the only time I would be able to just focus on myself. Quarantine made me get creative, my friends and I would meet up in a parking lot and sit on the hood of our cars and talk to each other as if we had just met and were sharing our entire life with each other. My friendships only grew stronger, we all got better with communicating but also got better at not prioritizing our phones

when we are with each other. All this time just showed us your life can change within minutes, but you cant control it so you might as well be happy with your life. My views on my family never really changed, we have always been close and try to be together every night anyways. The only thing that did change was my mom having to turn into a dictator because we really would just sit on the couch all day and magically, a mess would appear all around the house.

But, my view on my dad did change, I only get to see him every other weekend so it’s already hard as it is, but I have always seen my dad as the greatest man ever, so our relationship only progressed. I started to notice that I really was his main priority and that my happiness was his dream for me. We have spent most weekends just on the couch until 1 in the morning watching stupid comedies, but this wasnt an unusual thing to be doing when I go over. But being able to just see life in another light and being able to focus on what I want, just overall changed how I saw everyone else. This time has really shown me to be grateful for what I have and the relationships I have.

#Family

N.M. MSHS Class of 2020

“Don't be scared, no, don't be scared 'Cause you're all I need” Love someone, (Lukas Graham)

We learned that being together can help get over anything, and yes it is scary to see how everything has changed in such a small amount of time, no more soccer season, no more seeing my friends, we also lost our last semester of high school, the one what was supposed to be the most fun semester.

Actually I will say it is even more weird and hard for me. I couldn't have a normal graduation here or in Mexico, (I came here 6 months before graduating in Mexico) and now this. I was scared about all the upcoming things: graduation, college and leaving my friends but I used to think “we still have 4 months I have no reason to worry about”. Now everything is so close but there is nothing we can do about it.

Unlikely we found different ways to stay connected with our friends, family and teachers. We found an app called “Rave” where we can watch movies and shows at the same time, also we can talk and text each other, it is really fun. I also feel that I became closer with my family, we learned to have fun together doing a lot of things, especially with my brother. I play soccer with him all day. We help each other to become better at soccer. We also played video games, we did everything together and it is fun.

I also worked around one month on a warehouse called “URM”, I used to work there on summer and also weekends, they started having a lot of work so they called me if I was able to go help so I started working a lot, even though it was dangerous I just ask God for protection a I new everything is gonna be alright.

Is super different to do homework alone, without playing around or talking with my friends, sometimes I felt like I didn’t want to do homework but my friends and teachers inspired me to keep working hard but now it is kind of hard. But I’m still really thankful with all my teachers because I know they are doing their best to help us learn and answer our questions every time we need them.

I will miss my school way too much, every single thing. Even small things like walking in the hallway, taking lunch with my friends, having my soccer practices after school, etc. But we also know that all of this is worth it, I know we are going to get over this and I hope everything goes back to normal soon.

Even though this is one of the worst moments of the contemporary story, it helps us learn to be thankful with what we have, and also is incredible the amount of people helping the community. Sometimes the worst events are the ones that help us be more unified as a community and as humanity.

#Family

E.G. MSHS Class of 2020

“As we go on, we remember, all the time we spent together, as our lives changer from whatever, we will still be friends forever.” This is the first line from the song “Graduation” by Juice WRLD.

This time of social distancing and self isolation has affirmed where I see myself going next year and in the future by helping me realize what I want to do in my life and how I hope to positively affect the world.

Both of my parents are essential workers, and their work ethic has caused me to become excited and apprehensive about what my life will be like after high school. Some things that make me excited for the future are finally seeing what life is like outside my parents house, and getting to make my own future. In contrast, something I am apprehensive about is, knowing that I am going to have to make some more adult decisions on my own without being able to solely rely on my parents. Because my parents work most days, I take care of my younger sisters when I am not doing school work. As the eldest child I've been doing this most of my life, yet now I have a newfound appreciation for all the hard work my parents put into raising us. Something that I took for granted was how much effort goes into raising a family, and the willpower it takes to get up and do it all again everyday. The goal I hope to achieve in my life is working/helping children in previous war torn countries, and helping build schools and orphanages. I have spent so much time babysitting my sisters and other kids, that I know this is where my passion lies. This time at home has solidified my want to help people where I can. It is hard to sit at home knowing that I cannot help those who need that.

While I love my family, I am quite eager to “leave the nest” and start college later this year. It is a surreal feeling, knowing that I graduate high school in a couple of weeks. The reason I chose that song lyric, is because it really resonates with me when I think about my high school experiences and how I'll never do some of those things again. I will miss dancing with my friends at the dances, and cheering for our team at games. On top of those things I will miss the friends that I had just recently made here and yet have to leave so abruptly. Honestly I am very excited to start this new chapter, and quarantine has definitely affirmed that. Before all this started, I took simply hanging out with friends and going to school for granted, but now that I am spending these last weeks of my senior year at home, I realize how much I miss it. High School is a fundamental life experience and with this whole situation, it is hard to not feel like we were robbed of graduation and other key things. One of my hopes going into the future is to help people like I have seen my parents help others. Everyday I see my parents come home after work, and it inspires me to make a difference, because if they can risk their health to go to work, I can go out into the world and do my best to make a difference.

#graduating #collegebound #gratefulforparents #family #kindness #futurefocused

J.M. MSHS Class of 2020

Dear Today, Tomorrow Here

Dear Today, Tomorrow here. You must feel pretty cursed being born after 9/11, then having to work for the next 18 years of your life, climbing to be the best you can be and to always be better than you were yesterday. Within those years you had to spend 12 of them in a school with thousands of people telling you to be different or do better. Between the athletics and the academics there was never a time you could stop trying to better yourself in every aspect. All because you are grinding towards that glorious day you get to walk across a stage in front of everyone you love and so many more, to receive that crucial piece of paper that says you did it! The piece of paper you worked everyday of your life for and that powerful moment when everyone in your life sees that you did it. The most important thing I can say to you is that it's going to be okay. That is not all you have to work for or look forward to. You have your entire future ahead of you: finding your soulmate, your wedding, your children together, that amazing paid vacation from work that we all know you will work everyday for, where you can take the people you love and enjoy life with, to just relax. Just because you think you had your life planned out doesn't mean your plans are going to happen exactly as you had imagined. We definitely had everything planned for our senior prom. The date was figured out, the color of our tux, and the crazy dance moves we were gonna release for all of our peers to witness in our clean black with royal purple trim tux. Knowing we would have to manage not tearing it while doing the worm on that shiny prom dance floor. And of course we can never forget our senior prank, getting as many dirtbikes and four wheelers into that building as we could for the ride of Champions! Everything was planned to the T, and even though we had it all figured out, it unfortunately never happens. Those few things you thought you would always have to look forward to. Although, I can tell you that from where I'm sitting now, it all works out. We start out devastated and angry, in denial that we will never get those treasured high school experiences. Then once you finally accept the fact that life does not always get to go the way you planned, there will be countless and endless nights ahead of you. Nights where you get to go out with your friends, have the time of your life and simply just be kids. I am not trying to say that you should never rely on your plans but, for our sake, be ready to roll with the punches and the roadblocks that are waiting to fall and block you in. Always try to keep a perspective like Dad did, keep your head up and smile, because tomorrow is a different day, and tomorrow cannot hurt you today. Of course, I cannot forget the torture that surged through our minds as we discovered we were going to be stuck inside with Mom and Alex. Never hearing the end of the 48 Hours murder mysteries being played on the TV when mom claimed the living room, and the constant gun fire of Alex playing Call Of Duty just twenty feet away in another room. Only hearing a few phrases such as “HE’S ON ME RUNNING TOWARDS YOU” coming from Alex’s domain, clashing horidly with mom’s television explaining in detail how the murderer got away with 32 diffrent victims in this small town. All I can say is enjoy every bit of it while you can. Living through this Covid-19, Chinese Virus, Rona Season whatever you want to call it, has taught me and will soon teach you that being close to family and the ones you love is more important than anything else you will most likely get to do in life. Plans change; people don't live forever; and nobody knows how long we will get to be stuck inside with those we love thinking “Oh my word, all I wanna do is take a nap without hearing Military Man, and Sherlock Holmes all at once” but if there is anything I can get both, you and I, to remember is that family is the best gift we never realized until it disappeared. So, for me back then and me now, I want to confirm that the ups and downs of family might be rough at the lowest points but the highs we get to experience with our family are precious like a glamroge egg. Those fun times that become stories we love to share with anyone and continue to go down the family line to be told for generations. So I can promise that through the end of my senior year, going through the tortues and obstacles of online school, and staying home for longer periods of time than ever experienced before, has only solidified my view on family and how important it truly is.

Sincerely Me

#FamilyFirst #Family

G. P. MSHS Class of 2020

“There comes a time when we heed a certain call, when the world must come together as one". This lyric is from the song We Are the World. With everything that’s going on in the world right now, such as the coronavirus, this quote helps point out that people are coming together to get through with this. Take the coronavirus for example, the whole world went into quarantine. It was required for every person to apply hand sanitizer and at least be 6 feet apart from other people. Being apart helped decrease the number of positive cases. This lyric helped change the way I see the world and it also changed my family and I. The world changed along with everything. With Covid-19 going on in the world today, it came to mind how I see how things are different in the world today. As it all started, business stores realized that people needed to stack up their own homes with food and personal hygiene, because of that prices were being raised. There is a limited amount of food and hand sanitizer that people are able to take home. Citizens need to wear masks and are to keep 6 feet apart. People with jobs need to be cautious about sickness, but if people don’t work they won’t be able to provide for their families needs. Everything is different, from how children aren’t able to go to school, to how the eldery are too scared to go outside and get the necessities they need. For this sickness to go away, everyone needs to understand what social

distancing is. If individuals work together and keep 6 feet apart or stay in their homes and not go out, then we would have fewer cases of Covid-19. This time has also changed my family and I. We are cautious about this sickness due to the fact that thousands of individuals have died from it. It’s crazy how using personal hygiene was normal, but now it is becoming more of an every second of everyday thing. Running errands is now different because as my sister and I go out to buy necessities, we are to wear our masks and apply hand sanitizer after touching supplies. Due to this pandemic, my sister got laid off and my little nieces and nephew couldn’t go out to enjoy the sun. Never have we played board games until now that we’ve been in isolation. My parents' belief in our God grew stronger. Routines are becoming different, my parents and older siblings are spreading awareness about how contagious this virus is. This pandemic has changed me. Not attending school and doing online assignments from home became more unusual than I imagined it to be. Sleeping schedule is all over the place. Not being able to be around my friends is like a nightmare. Being inside my own home isolated, feels like I am trapped because there is nowhere else to go. Eating is every hour because of how bored I can get is unusual. In conclusion, this pandemic has changed peoples lives. Everyone is isolated, prices for items are rising, schools are closing, wearing personal protective equipment to be safe, and doctors and nurses going out their own ways to save lives. These reasons are why time apart from school changed me and my family.

#family

T. L. MSHS Class of 2020

The Blind Side is a 2009 American biographical sports drama film written and directed by John Lee Hancock, based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). The story is incredible and inspires me in so many ways. I chose this story because it’s something I can relate to or I should say something I've been through. One of the quotes that caught my eye was where he says “Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didn't at least one of the six hundred guys think about giving up, and joining with the other side? I mean, valley of death that's pretty salty stuff. That's why courage it's tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you're doing something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either doing something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.” Reason why I chose this long quote is because everyone has a purpose and is capable of doing something they love. If you love what you’re doing nothing is going to stop you. This story caught my eye because it’s something I really can sit and take my time reading or even watching. Moral of the story is keep doing what you’re doing and don’t ever give up. #persevere #perseverance

G. P., MSHS Class of 2020

I began with poetry, down the street, alone following shoes. I’ve walked these streets with snakes before, but this time is a little different; this time we all walk with snakes strapped to the laces of converse, boots… it’s not quite time for summer sandals. The poetry has been all over the place- berating, deep, reflective, cruel. It’s because of the snakes. We are underneath this Quarantine, and we all feel the snakes in some way or another. And so I walk. It’s March, and I have my light pink coat with a matching hat and boots. Phone in my hand, I type as I go- words flow. “My eyes own what I see” I say as I look at the pavement, I speak of a‘white cat peace offering’ as I walk by the neighbor's old, white pet. I follow the following shoes to the gravel lane, to ‘Low’ road, a road with a different name, a road of high pressure and low heart rate. A road in which I tangled with snakes and starved. My poetry started out pretty when I was younger- my grandpa used it in a sermon once. Snakes coiled around words and tangled, constricting phrases once I knew a bit of the world. We all learn a bit more each day, don’t we? No matter who you are, no matter how ‘good you have it’. I’m walking down Low road and it looks like it will rain- because of course, Life is Poetry in itself- and I write about this spring, and how it feels like the Witching Hour of the Fall on repeat. This quarantine is called the Witch’s Spring, yet now I know it will stretch and coil and tangle and constrict the Summer with its scales and fangs.

Why am I writing this? Simply to tell you that we all have snakes coiling and constricting. Always. And when it is Spring, but Life’s poetry is cold and dark, our snakes come out and tangle with one another. I am writing this to tell you that’s why Mom can’t hold you, why your grandparents stay away, why they all use cruel words sometimes. Because, we are underneath this Quarantine, a bit stuck, able to walk down the street, only to come back. The snakes are simply there, because you are human, because I am human. For the snakes were there when I starved and come back when I’m scared. For you they may come when the weather is cold or the papers pile upon your desk- it doesn’t matter the cause. The snakes come when they come. And as I walk upon this road, I remember how I’ve learned to write again, how the snakes in the past constricted once, but don’t constrict again. We are all under this Quarantine, snakes tangling, and this is because we’re together. So let them tangle, and let them heal. But don’t do this alone. The truth in Poetry is writing with the snakes, letting them do what they will in acceptance, yet writing still.

#mentalhealth #2020strong #perseverance

G.E.A MSHS Class of 2020

“I remained too much inside my head and ended up losing my mind.”- Edgar Allen Poe

I’m always stuck inside my own head. And ever since the shelter in place order it’s been hard for me to get out of my head. I’ve suddenly tried to create a learning environment for myself. It’s been hard not to worry about how I’m going to be able to learn and how I’m going to have to prepare for my AP tests without my teachers. It’s overwhelming to say the least. And while doing my schoolwork, I also have to focus on college. I have to start thinking about meal plans, what my major will be, and most importantly, what university I want to go to. Then there’s the Coronavirus. I can’t see my friends anymore, I can’t go to school anymore, and I’ve been stuck in my house for the past 10 weeks.

At first staying at home was terrible. Day by day my anxiety was getting worse and worse until I could no longer sleep and I was on edge all day. I couldn’t stop worrying about school, college, and the coronavirus. I was literally stuck inside my head. My anxiety had never been this bad. I was mentally and physically exhausted most days and it was struggle to do work when it was optional and I was getting little help on it. My parents could see that I was struggling and eventually I had to learn how to control my mental health again. I thought I knew how bad my anxiety could get, but these past 10 weeks have truly tested my limits. Even though I was able to gain control of anxiety, there are some still some things I’m still anxious about, and I don’t know if they will ever go away.

A couple of days ago, Krispy Kreme was giving out free donuts to seniors. Some friends of mine wanted to carpool together. I had anxiety just thinking about it. I thought that there was no way that I would get in a car with so many people. I don’t know where they have been. And they seemed so laid back about carpooling together. What if they have been hanging out with other people? And those people having also been hanging out with more people? 10 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to carpool with my friends. But my anxiety has caused me to fear any kind of social interaction. In the end, I decided to not carpool with my friends, but I was miserable about not being able to. I wish I could carpool with them, but times are different now. I never knew that my anxiety could get so bad that I wouldn’t even want to hang out with my friends. I don’t know if I can ever be completely comfortable with hanging out with a large group of people ever again. But I also know that my anxiety doesn’t have to control me. I know that there will be a time when I can hang out with my friends again, and I’m going to have to face my anxiety when that time comes.

These past 10 weeks have been some of the most challenging in my life. I had to learn how to keep my mental health in check as new stressors arose. I learned what my limits were. For better or worse, the way my mental health affects me has changed, and I have to learn how to not let it control me.

#MentalHealth #Anxiety #perseverance

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

“I'm not givin' up, givin' up, No, not me, Even when nobody else believes, I'm not goin' down that easily, So don't give up on me” (Andy Grammar, “Don’t Give Up On Me”). I am someone who has always wanted to give up. On myself, the people around me and the world. These weeks since the school shut down and being quarantined away from my friends and family only add to that feeling of wanting to give up. It’s not easy. Nothing ever is or has been. Life is hard and throwing a pandemic into the mix doesn’t help anyone. There is nothing we can do about that though. Life is hard, we live in a pandemic, and yet, everyday, we keep going. I, myself, keep going. I’ve wanted to toss my computer through a window, go see my friends and give up on quarantine and everything else. That’s not what I’m doing though. These last weeks since school has shut down have shown me that no matter how much I want to give up, how much other people expect me to give up, I won’t. I’ve lived through a lot of hard things and a pandemic won’t be the thing that makes me give in to that tidal wave. My family has never given up on me. Through the good times, the bad times, and the worst times, they haven’t given up on me. No matter the choices I’ve made they’ve always stood by me. The same thing goes for my friends, who’ve never abandoned me when I’ve needed them most. I’ve had time to reflect on that in these last few weeks. They haven’t given up on me. I refuse to give up on them. School was an escape. Of course I wanted to escape it like most kids, to not have to do it. School is hard. I’d rather just quit. Obviously my parents wouldn’t let me. This, especially as a kid, would upset me. Why couldn’t I just give up? It would be so much easier. Now I look back on that and realize, yes, it would have made things much easier. However it wouldn’t have made me any happier or left me better off in the world. My parents had forced me to keep going, they didn’t give me the option to quit. It just didn’t exist as a choice in my life. Now I sit back and realize whenever I’m questioning what I’m doing, or why I’m here, it’s because giving up isn’t a choice. Just like I need my parents to not let me drop out of school, I needed to show other people that giving up isn’t an option. Other people always need you. The world always needs you and no matter who or what you believe in, that’s what you’re here for. In some way, the earth needs you. So you can’t give up. I can’t give up. “Even when nobody else believes”, I won’t give up on myself or anyone else. What these weeks have taught me is that I am important and that everything I do is necessary. This pandemic has changed nothing for me. It may seem like it but it is only another obstacle for me to jump through in the course of my life. I don’t see a way around it. Just like there isn’t a way around school or life as a whole. This isn’t a choice, but I won’t let it be something that makes me miserable or change me. The virus changes nothing. Giving up on myself through this still isn’t an option and I’m still going strong and making my way through life. Backing down and away from this isn’t going to get me anywhere. I have to stand my ground, take on the tidal wave that’s being pushed towards me, and keep going; because “I’m not going down that easily, so don’t give up on me”.

#Don’tGiveUp #StayStrong #perseverance

K.K.W MSHS Class of 2020

Truthfully this is a hard thing to write about, I could see how some would be able to muster up what they want to write within minutes. It's not necessarily that I lack the ideas of what to write, but the strength to actually write it. When thinking of song lyrics I’ve resonated with I couldn’t help but try to find something positive from a song I enjoy. I was stuck on the lyrics from The Five Stairsteps song “O-o-h Child”. It’s a song of comfort and reassurance for me. “O-o-h child, things are gonna get easier. O-o-h child, things’ll get brighter.” Before I explain this quote's connection, I must start from the beginning of my internal experience. School being shut down happened so fast; it’s like no one could even take a breath or fathom the thought that this would be the end. Many students were excited for the break. I’m not even going to try to lie and say I wasn’t excited. Honestly at this point my senior year wasn’t thriving and the fact the end was near gave me relief. Once it happened, my excitement became fear of the unknown. I tried to think of the positives. I could see my friends, but I couldn’t. We had to stay home. I could work to take up time, no. For the first few weeks no one came and I barely worked. I tried to make the best of it but it was hard. It’s especially hard when you’re not content with yourself. This caused so much self thought I wasn’t ready for. I wasn’t ready to face myself. There have been many downsides to the stay at home order, lack of socialization, the craziness of going anywhere, the fear of a deathly virus. The absolute worst part was realizing that I am not content with who I am. As much as this seemed negative I realized that I’ve been given the opportunity to reflect. I’ve been given a chance to become happy with who I am. I’ve also felt reassurance for the future because I know things will be back to normal. As a senior I’ve been robbed of so many things I wanted to do. At the end of the day though I know this will pass, and normalcy will return. This is where the lyrics come in, because they’re lyrics of hope for the future. I was scared and terrified of the future after high school. But now I’ve gained excitement. Excitement to go out, go see my friends, and have the freedom to start my life after this. Plus a better relationship with myself. Things that I now consider essential are not things like toilet paper. They are things like happiness, connections with people no matter how far they may be, and the importance of telling those who you love how you feel.

#Self-Improvement #LovingMyself

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

“You’re not gonna stay to say goodbye to your teachers? It’s our last day of highschool!” What a ridiculous idea, I thought. There was no way that some random Monday in March was the last day of my senior year of highschool. I laughed at my friend’s comment and packed up my things, leaving the school halfway through the day without knowing that I wouldn’t see the inside of a classroom for the longest time since before I started kindergarten. I wish I stayed the whole day.

The first two weeks were blissful, stress-free and much needed after an overwhelming rush of senioritis that arrived on the first day of school and seemed to last the following 6 months of the school year. The next 4 weeks became repetitive and monotonous, mixed with feelings of mourning after school closures were extended through the end of the semester. The last weeks following up to now were dreadful. Wake up, eat, watch TV, procrastinate, sleep, repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Even as someone who thrives off of routine to stay sane in a normal world, the lack of the unexpected is growing to be unbearable. Everything happened so fast it was almost like a dream, having gone from a simple discussion about the new virus in AP Gov to being out of school indefinitely, all within one weekend. I never thought this would be how we’d end our senior year.

I have felt such an intense array of emotions throughout the past ten weeks that no other time in my life could ever amount to. I have experienced relief and adrenaline for the unprecedented time off from school. I have felt anxiety and dread for the unknown. I have dealt with the overwhelming spitefulness that quickly turned into numbness over the part of my life that I had dreamed of for years being taken away from me with such ease.

I’ve also spent a copious amount of time feeling incredibly angry, yet also guilty for having such emotions. I know it’s fair to mourn the loss of something we never thought we’d lose, but processing this loss has been difficult to do without viewing myself as ungrateful or bitter over something that doesn’t even have a source to be bitter at. There is no one to blame, and that can either be comforting or just completely infuriating.

Aside from the negative feelings, the weeks spent at home beckons a great amount of time to reflect and adapt. I often find that this can lead to intense sadness if I spend too much of my time grieving, though it also provides room for growth and practicing gratitude and resilience. I’ve found that there is great difficulty in learning how to appreciate and cherish the positive aspects of a situation as detrimental as this one while you’re trying to live through it, though it is extremely beneficial to learn that gratitude. I constantly remind myself that the awaited trips to the grocery store with my mom will start to seem like a luxury, and the simple drives around the block blasting music with my best friends for the first time in months will feel like a dream.

There are thousands of reasons to feel resentful over missing out on the senior year that we have awaited for the majority of our academic careers. However, we are experiencing a time of our lives that will appear in history books, and our resilience and adaptability will be celebrated for years to come.

#Perseverance #Self-improvement

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

When everything started, I believe many of us thought things wouldn't change all that much. As time went on, I realized that was most definitely not the case. In the beginning, everything felt kind of the same. Except for the school shutdown. Then there were social distancing rules in place, and the economy stopped almost completely. Through this time I have spent more time alone than I have in what feels like years. That's not necessarily a bad thing either. It's proven to be rather helpful in certain places. The people I choose to surround myself with often mean a lot to me. Personally, that's why this pandemic has been so difficult. I value interaction so much, even mundane small interactions, as well as interaction during learning. I won't lie to you, online school is terrible, but at least I know that too now. As a result of being alone, I have taken this time to reflect and understand myself. Before the pandemic I was so close to having a job, and that was halted just like the economy. Many of us feel as though our lives and youth are being taken out of our hands. I understand that so much, yet it is a lie. This period of reflection can help us become the people we desire to be. Our generation will forever remember this. This is what binds our senior class. I personally think it's really interesting that someday if we ever get asked about our senior year, we all can say that this was our experience. It is a shared experience and I mean it sucks, but I feel as though it will have an impact on us forever. That's why I have taken this time to try to understand myself and my values. Honestly, that's all you can do. I am trying hard. I constantly try hard at everything I do. As of right now during this pandemic, there is really not much to try hard about, and I have realized that sometimes, that's okay. It's okay not to try so hard, and it's okay to feel alone, and it's okay to take this time to look inside yourself and find out what makes you tick, what you value, what makes you cry and what makes you smile. From this time we have been given to discover ourselves, I hope that as we grow we can remember what really means the most to us. I have so much hope for our generation, and who knows, maybe this pandemic can help us come together as a new generation of citizens unlike any the world has ever seen. In the end, even though things are rough now, and our lives are changing in an unforeseeable way, I still would like to believe that good things can come out of this crisis. My wish to you is to hold on to hope.

#mentalhealth #2020strong #perseverance

M. L. MSHS Class of 2020

My eyes focused on my index fingers as they stung. The nails had been sanded far into the skin, yet you couldn’t tell due to a couple poorly wrapped scooby doo band aids. I refocused on a huge sanding dish in front of me. My arms pushed and pulled a wooden frame of a guitar on the dish as my feet rocked my body in a rhythmic motion. I had been sending for hours, and the day prior looked the same, but to my hands and even my poor shoulders it felt like years had crawled by. There was one benefit to being doomed to sand for eternity, it allowed me to think. I was able to relive a lot of memories in the past weeks as my shoulders continued to take blows. One of my favorites was my birthday when I received a set of rosewood and spruce, so I could build a guitar with my brother. It was such a good memory but when i relived it , all i could focus on was how shy i was even around my own brother. My fingers stung again. I stopped sanding and lifted the shell to examine my work. I frowned, I was far from done. The rhythm began again and so did my thoughts. A few more minutes passed and I heard the door open behind me; it was my brother. I felt my heart beat a little faster and my brain scrambled to form sentences, too afraid of what he would think of me. A few seconds later and the door opened and closed again. I was alone. “Stupid, STUPID... He's family, you've grown up with him and you can't even talk to him, you're going to be shy forever.” my brain screamed. I tried to just focus on my sanding but everything ached, it was unbearable. My arms and the wood stopped moving and so did the sound that filled the garage. I was left in silence, at least externally. My brain continued its back and forth of trying to defend myself and accusing myself of being too closed off. Just as the sanding had felt, this constant thought felt like it had occupied my skull for a long time. The walls that surrounded me for the last 10 weeks didn't help either. The walls that surrounded me every day only echoed the thoughts constantly. It was just last year that I had conquered these feelings, yet as soon as the world slipped into quarantine, it seemed these thoughts had made their way back home too. It was too loud for too long. This wasn’t my first time standing, nor was it the first time I've had to work on bringing myself back to life. I picked the shell back up and pushed it against the paper. Pushing and pulling with all of my strength as I waged a war behind my eyes. Back and forth back and forth my shoulders mimicked my mouth, and my hands my words. And every tiny millimeter that paper shaved off, my head lightened if only just by a little bit. It felt likes weeks of walls slowing closing in on me and after hours of sanding, my shoulders requested another break. I checked my progress, “Only a little bit left”. I heard the garage door open and out came my brother again. This time he stayed talking to me. My brain began to spiral, my shoulders and my hands no longer hurt. Yet I was aching. I thought back to all of the sanding I had done before, all of the progress I had made before, and it made me push harder. I drove the shell into the paper grinding it as hard as I could. I responded to my brother and kept the conversation going. As they would whittle down, so did the pain. Every millimeter that had been ground off took a piece of my fear with it until the sanding stopped and I was just looking at my brother enjoying his company, being myself. Enjoying me. I checked the shell once again full of hope. It was done,after what felt like a millennia of boredom and I was finally done. My brother checked too to confirm it was right and he left the garage. No more sanding, no more pain. These four walls would now be my proving grounds. I finally did it. I started dancing by myself to a new rhythm when the door opened again.

“Now do the other side”

#Creating #Growing #self-improvement

A.W. MSHS Class of 2020

“Everything is within your power, and your power is within you.”-Janice Trachtman

At the beginning of the school year, I was admittedly quite unsure of my future at Mt. Spokane. I had just recently moved to Washington from Oregon, where I had resided with my father for about a year. Living with my dad, it was different. And it was a new experience for me, as I had spent the majority of my childhood years with my mother. The only times I ever got to see my father were on occasional visits or a summer trip. So when my mother allowed me to move in with my father when I was seventeen, I was thrilled. This is something I felt I had to do, something I had to experience. So in 2018, I relocated to Oregon. I attended a small school there, in a small town. It was a little difficult to adjust to at first, as it always is when you move to a new place. But soon enough, that little town began to feel like home. Soon into the school year, however, my grades started to decline. I became unfocused, undetermined. My dad’s place just didn’t feel like a place where I could do work efficiently, because, in all honesty, it never was. It was always perceived by me as the “weekend house” or the place my siblings and I went to spend our summer vacations. So, I continued to perform poorly in school. My low grades were completely my fault, despite my father constantly blaming himself and his household. In the end, however, it was entirely my doing. And by the time I actually began to put some effort into my studies, it was too late. With poor grades, failed classes, and missing credits, I had no choice but to return to Washington and complete my schooling in Spokane. This was not necessarily a bad thing, and I did not see it as such. I knew that to finish strong it was something I had to do. But I couldn’t help but feel torn between the two places. I saw so little of my father during my years as a child, and there was so much that I felt like I missed out on. I had to follow through with it, nevertheless. It was a hard decision to make, yes. Ultimately, however, I believe it was the right one. I feel that my time at Mt. Spokane High has changed me greatly. It did this by opening up new educational opportunities to me and offering me an enhanced school setting in which I could work to my fullest potential. As soon as I began my year at Mt. Spokane, things went much better for me in my school life. And while I may not be a star student, my grades did improve substantially. I no longer felt unmotivated or lacked determination. I had a goal, a purpose. The quote provided (discovered by me in my early days of schooling at Mt. Spokane) contributed greatly to this newfound mentality and is something I will take with me as I enter the world as an adult.

Attending Mt. Spokane High School was an experience I will forever cherish. They always and forever make their students the top priority, making sure we always receive the quality education we need even in these times of quarantine. It was truly a privilege to attend this school, and I will never forget the time I had there. And if you’re ever in a situation like I was, in any area of your life, just remember that everything is within your power, and that power is within you. And with these words in mind, you can accomplish anything.

#self-improvement #determination

RN, MSHS Class of 2020

“Huh, as we go on, we remember

All the times we, spent together

As our lives change, from whatever

We will still be, friends forever”

- Juice WRLD & Benny Blanco

This lyric comes from the song Graduation by Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD. When I hear it, it reminds me that even though the ending to my senior year and the ending for the 2020 class in general have had a bit of a different farewell than what normally happens at the end of your last year of high school. However, it doesn’t matter if it’s not a proper send off, life is supposed to throw curveballs at you and we will all be connected from this experience and remember this wild time in our lives. It also says we’ll be friends forever and that line hits a little different because we probably won’t have a proper goodbye to most of our friends. Although some schools won’t open up college campuses, so maybe when they reopen everyone can say goodbye. But, goodbye doesn’t mean forever, because friends you make in high school you should try to keep in touch with for as long as possible. This pandemic has put everyone in odd situations. We have to take this situation, learn from it, and take this opportunity for what it’s worth because we are experiencing what will become a big part of not just US history, but world history. This time has changed my views on what I want my future to look like. Of course I’m still going to go to college, but during this quarantine I had knee surgery during this pandemic, so it really made me realize how easy I’ve had it my whole life and I have taken to many things for granted. My view on how my how I want to live has changed. I’ve kind of just rolled through school because I didn’t like it, but now that we have all been through this and have realized how much all the little things we do day-to-day actually impact our lives. It’s crazy how you don’t think about daily things you do until you have them taken away. People always say you can’t take things for granted. Now I truly understand that and want to change my life for the better. Hopefully everyone will view this situation as a negative we can all help turn into a positive. An entire turnaround for the world, not just the US. Once we get back to somewhat of a normal lifestyle, we all have to get this country back on its feet and build up the foundation again. Whether it’s the name of a song or your actual ceremony, graduation comes and goes and it’s supposed to be a monumental point in your life. So with the situation we are currently facing, why not use this as a reason to work harder because something was taken away from you that can’t get back. Use it as a chip on your shoulder. This is an unusual time for all of us. Don’t come out of quarantine with nothing to show for it.

#work #appreciation #graduation #self-improvement

D.R. MSHS Class of 2020

When quarantine first started I had a feeling it meant my senior year was over, so I started looking back on how I spent the year. I was confused as to why it felt like the year went by so incredibly fast and why it felt like I couldn't remember most average days at school. Looking back on my last year in highschool made me worry that one day I'm gonna blink and I will be 50 with 4 cats and I will look back at life and wonder how it went by so fast just like I'm doing now.

Then one day I was watching a cheesy teenager movie and I heard the quote “The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count. We do not remember days, we remember moments ( All The Bright Places)”. It made a lot of sense, time felt like it was speeding up because I wasn't having very significant and memorable moments to structure my year around. This realization made me want to pack as many memorable moments into my life as possible. By that I don't mean I want to go on some crazy adventure every week, it just means that I have to place more value on the small things. In other words, you have to romanticize your life, this is the hardest part for me because at first it feels ridiculous to place such value on seemingly insignificant moments. I started by finding small things that could hold more value in my day-to-day life. One of my first overly romanticized moments was when it was raining and I sat on my deck at 3am and talked on the phone with a friend for hours. Even though we mainly talked about quarantine and a show called Avatar: The Last Airbender, it was still really nice and I used that moment as something to structure my week around so in the future I would be able to remember that week because that's when I had a memorable moment; I was essentially trying to slow down time. When you don't add value to the small things, the days start to blend together and become unbearably repetitive. For me this looked like starting the day with a disappointing bowl of cheerios because I usually didn't wake up early enough to make actual breakfast, then I would go to work for another 8 hour shift at a job I hate, after that I would walk home and spend an hour or two on homework or netflix then I would go to sleep and do the same thing the next day. Obviously this is not the most exciting way to live, but it became a lot better once I started actively trying to make the day memorable. I had many memorable days because of this, for example I can tell you that on April 5th I saw a raccoon successfully cross a busy intersection and it truly made my day.

This may sound like an inner monologue that came straight from an unsuccessful Hallmark movie, but it actually did help make life slow down a bit and I would recommend this to anyone looking to do the same.Time has a way of flying by when you're not paying attention. At 18 life already felt boring and repetitive, this quarantine actually helped me make better decisions about how I choose to view life. Being stuck in quarantine makes you re-examine a lot of stuff about yourself, for me this ended up making life a little more exciting. #moments #perseverance #self-improvement

Anonymous, MSHS Class of 2020

”The future’s uncertain and the end is always near”(Jim Morrison, in the song ‘Roadhouse Blues’).

I think this lyric closely relates to what we are seeing in the world today. We shouldn’t have expectations of what hasn’t come yet, and we most importantly should not take our small time in this universe for granted because right around the corner there is an infinite amount of possibilities both good and bad. I think these times are both a threat to human civilization but also a time where it is important to step back from ourselves and evaluate the current state of the world and our own lives. We need to assess and look at what ultimately led to this situation. This is exactly what I have been doing the past three months. I think these times have helped change and adjust the way I see our modern world. This pandemic to me was bound to happen. I feel like nature and the natural state of the earth has gone a long time being warped and decayed by the ever growing industrial and urban society many live in. I think this natural force is trying to spark a realization in humanity to its ugly things it has done to the planet and further make us realize that this virus is almost natures way of trying to find balance and sustainability. Now I don’t want my interpretation to seem morbid. This is a scary situation and nobody deserves any of this, but we still have to look at the path we have taken and the ultimate consequences we are now facing. Honestly these times for me haven’t really been about change but rather a reinforcement and reminder to things I have pondered and realized throughout my life. These reminders are still very important and have reminded me to seek connections with others, seek knowledge and growth in life, and seek adventure and experience while I am here. Introspection at this length can be very overwhelming and I have ultimately realized how reserved I am socially and with this observation I hope to come out of this pandemic with a more outgoing approach to other humans. Staying at home confined to only my family at first didn’t seem desirable but now I would definitely say this pandemic has sparked new appreciation for my family and has made me see how much my family does for me and how important they are to me. I have found many truths through these series of events and I just hope that we all can come out of this with what Jim Morrison and The Doors we’re saying in our minds. I think we all should realize the randomness of the future and the uncertainties of life we all are bound to face at some point. I hope this sparks appreciation in all of us towards all the people who fought this virus and or were on the front lines fighting this virus.

To conclude, if I had to use two words to describe how my quarantine has went and how i’ve felt I would have to say that I feel more aware of the problems and challenges the world is facing, and I have spent many days now reflecting on all these problems both globally and on a self level. I hope that we all can get through this pandemic stronger and become better more caring people through the struggle we all face.

#Stronger #self-improvement

G.L. MSHS Class of 2020

Throughout this quarantine, the song that has been helping me get through this is That Way by Lil Uzi Vert. In the first verse of this song, Uzi spits “But I don't wanna go out bad, wanna go out sad, wanna go out that way (no).” This song verse has inspired me to keep pushing myself to fulfill my dreams and not give up. Though the world is struggling to regain and rebuild what Covid has brought upon, I've been mentally and physically pushing myself to be the best person to my family and friends, and help them through this terrible time. Therefore, I don’t wanna go out sad or bad, but instead go out positive and strong. Since quarantine has started, I've been grinding to lose weight, become a better son, and be a dependable friend. School shutting down has lit a lightbulb in my head on how to change and become an impact on others in a positive way. One way I have impacted others is by texting them on how they are holding up. I’ve also been more respectful and caring towards my family, and have attempted to help my parents out as much as possible, because I do not want to go out the bad or sad way. I feel like through this time period, I've become closer to my friends, even though we haven’t seen each other as much. We spend a lot of time on xbox and texting each other, and by doing so, we have been making sure none of us are struggling or being a negative impact toward others. Though Covid has made people go insane by having to be cooped up in their houses all day, i’ve taken this time to look on the bright side of things and realize what I need to change for myself. Doing so, it could simply start with sending a goodmorning text to my friends, or making my parents breakfast in the morning. The little things are the ones that impact and matter the most. Staying at home all day has been stressing me out, and I have been extremely bored at times, but it is what it is. Being bored and stressed is not an excuse to better myself. Other than changing myself, I’ve spent this time getting ready for college. I’ve done so by applying for scholarships, attending virtual tours, and doing research on my major and what classes I am going to take for my major. By doing so, I feel like I am capable of achieving my goal of becoming a mechanical engineer. In conclusion, quarantine has really opened my mind up and brought a whole new me to this world. I do want it that way, and the only way I will have it that way is by grinding and being the best person I could physically be.

#ThatWay #Grind #self-improvement #perseverance

I.P. Class of 2020

“Well, I won't see you around I'll slip away into sweet and somber 'Cause you can knock me down But I will only come back stronger” -Sam Norris.

This is the intro to one of the songs I have had on repeat during these hard times in quarantine, and is a great way of showing my point of view and opinion towards this pause in the world. During this time, I have had some hardships with my mental health, struggling with my depersonalization-derealization disorder, and had a lot of questions on if the future I was choosing with music production was the one I wanted to live. I am very happy to say that I am feeling a lot better now because I’m not questioning what I want to do for the rest of my life, nor am I no longer feeling like someone else. I wouldn’t let anything take away what I want to do in my future, not even an epidemic! I am realizing I should be proud of myself because I was accepted into SFCC’s Audio Engineering Program, which is a program that teaches me about music production, music business, audio science, etc. Earlier this year. I have been excited to start school since, but once the quarantine hit, my computer recently had some hardware issues and I haven’t been able to produce, mix, or master music in any way. This was a struggle for me since I used to make music everyday after school and now that I lost school and this, it has been hard. I interpreted the start of the song as my thirst for music when it says, “I won’t see you around I’ll slip away into a sweet and somber.” because I had to take a month-long break till I could make music again. During that time, I had focused on school work and planning out an online side-job I could do to make money during isolation. I may have taken a little break but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t planning or brainstorming about what I could do when I got back to normal. I have been planning on finishing up my website and starting an online business selling beats and instrumentals for film companies and artists. My site will also let artists contact me for mixing and/or mastering their songs if they need me to. That's where the next lyric comes in and says” Cause you can knock me down But I will only come back stronger.” I have had very few moments in my life where I have felt hopeless and not optimistic, and this past month or two has been it. Although, if it weren’t for these challenging times, I wouldn’t have grown closer to God, or my passion, music. I recently have gotten back into making music and I’m finishing up my planning for my online business of teaching others how to produce music on Youtube and Twitch, and selling my own beats on my very own website! If I have learned anything from this experience it's that life could throw a global pandemic/crisis at us, and we would still come out stronger than we were before, not weaker.

#futurefocused #perseverance #self-improvement

J.F. MSHS Class of 2020

With the downtime quarantine has brought with it, I have gotten the chance to rewatch some of my favorite movies. One of these movies was none other than the almighty, Kung Fu Panda. I am sure that most people are familiar with the film and the wise Master Oogway. As a kid, I was blind to most of the things that were said and the true meaning that they carried. When I rewatched them, they finally stuck. Perhaps his most famous of these quotes is when he finds Po stuffing his face with peaches of the sacred peach tree. He tells Po, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.” With everything that has happened over the last few months, it’s hard to see how any good could come out of our current situation. However, with all of the extra time, there’s almost no excuse not to use a little bit of it to better yourself. We deserve it. For me, I used the time to learn the basics of coding. I am going into Computer Science at WSU and didn’t want to go in completely blind. I also relearned how to play the Kendama. Yes, I’m talking about the little Chinese hand-eye coordination game that was popular in 5th grade and outlawed at MeadowRidge because the staff saw them as weapons. I think they were simply annoyed by them. In the end, everyone wants to be able to look back when they are reaching their final days to know that they left behind the best legacy they could. Being only seniors in high school, it can be nearly impossible to look that far into the future, but sometimes it’s not necessary. That path to victory over your life doesn’t start when you’re getting out of college, when you settle down with your family, or when you reach a certain age in your adulthood. It has already started. With that in mind, I tried to be as efficient as possible, which meant watching the entirety of shows like Outer Banks in a single day to save time taking long naps to maintain energy and picking up old skills to cure some boredom. “If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now.” Even though it was hard, I tried to see this time as if it was the gift from a relative that I didn’t ask for, but it’s a gift nonetheless. #self-improvement

G. E. MSHS Class of 2020

“Well, on with the show”

- Motley Crue

I am a freshly turned 18 year old senior at Mt. Spokane High School, class of 2020. Finally, I have made it to this milestone in my life and it is very exhilarating. But sadly, my last year in high school has been cut short due to obvious reasons. At first, it was hard to grasp the idea that it was all over. All in the blink of an eye, the friends, the fun, the memories, the small cartons of milk from the school cafeteria, the surge of adrenaline I would get blasting my music on the way to school while hoping that I would make it to my first class on time were all gone. Although my senior year didn’t go as planned, I realized eventually that it would have to come to an end. As I look back I cherish the moments I had and remember the lessons I learned. But, as they say, “life goes on,” and as Motley Crue would say, “On with the show.”

During my extended vacation at home I have had a lot of time to think and move on, a lot of time to overthink you could say. With all this time I figured I would put my positivity to the test and stop self loathing. I thought I should better myself and come out of this stronger than I came in. So, I am taking this as a blessing in disguise to work on myself for the now and the future. I don’t have plans for my future, more like goals. With this in mind, I know that if I want to be successful in reaching my goals my mentality plays a key role in that. A legend once preached, “If you want to live on your own terms you've got to be willing to crash and burn,”(Nikki Sixx). I have to keep pushing for my goals and take every chance I get, while keeping in mind that failure happens and I have to be willing to accept that, but those opportunities aren’t always going to be on the table for grabs. From now on I live by that. Rather than dwelling on the past and stressing about the future, I want to be able to live in the now and make the most of the time I have. As once said by an idol of mine, “You never know what’s going to happen sometimes, or what you think’s going to happen never happens, or when you least expect it, the Santana record comes along and just blows up”(Tommy Lee). In my case though, Covid-19 comes along and blows up. With everything going on today, this seems to be a perfect example of a drastic change in the way of life. So, taking this into account for future years to come, I will always be expecting the unexpected. This turn of events has caused me to change and rethink what I will be doing next year, and the years after that. Although it is quite hard to say or even know what my future will look like, I have new expectations of myself along the way. As I am working hard towards my goals, I promised myself to save some time for fun too because it is always important to be happy in life. But, where will I be in the future? No one can know for sure, but your future is what you make it out to be as you go on with the show called life.

This really is one for the books, and I believe I have made the most of it.

#historybooks #motleycrue #expecttheunexpected #classof2020 #self-improvement

E.M. MSHS Class of 2020

I was walking down the Centennial Trail for the very first time. At first we went up a large hill. I could barely see over the top of it. I had to overcome this hill first. People talked about possibilities of the school shutting down. I knew it would happen, since the virus was getting increasingly worse. I just didn’t know how everything would work out or what would be awaiting me when I reached the top of the hill. When school closed, I didn’t know how to feel. At first I enjoyed my time off school as if it was a vacation. I didn’t think of the future or how long this quarantine would last. My sister and I learned a new dance and even had a Mario Kart battle to see who would win a race using only our feet. It felt like an early spring break, no schoolwork, nothing to worry about, if anything it was relieving and therapeutic. To break from everything. The hike fills with greenery, a sudden change from what it once was before. Everything is shutting down and getting cancelled. My worries began. Are we going to get prom? What about the play I’m doing makeup for? What about the end of the year band concert? What about my senior trip? And most importantly, am I going to even have a graduation? The air is cool on the hike, it smells fresh. The river is flowing quickly and you can hear the geese conversing with each other. Everything I worked hard towards is suddenly out of reach. I kept thinking of how unfair this is. I don’t get what other seniors had. We approach a bridge, and look out towards a ferocious waterfall. The water roared louder than I’ve ever heard, I leaned towards it, not at a dangerous distance, just enough to feel the power of the waves. The cool wind rushes through my hair as I watch how the water has a war with itself. The class of 2020 has endured so much. We’ve learned strength. We’ve pushed through no prom, no big games, no senior concerts. We don’t have these things but there is one thing we do have, and that is persistence. We’ve learned to take what we have and run with it, enjoy the little things, and work harder when we feel like we can’t. I stopped upsetting over what I couldn’t do and thought of what I could do. The other side of the bridge is calm and the river flows naturally. This is my realization that yes, things can get difficult and intense like the rampaging waterfall, but you have to remember, life isn’t just these difficult moments, life always finds its way. There’s a reason some things are how they are. Even though it feels like everything is being stolen from us, we are being shown how to adapt to change. We’re persistent and we are strong. We are the class of 2020 after all!

#Persistent #Hike #perseverance

S. R. MSHS Class of 2020

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory”- Dr. Seuss. This quote has struck many people including me in a different way than many people would imagine. Now that we are in quarantine, I finally realize all the things that I had really taken for granted. Whether it was spending some time with friends, or going out in public to have some fun. These difficult times have really had a big impact on my daily routine and sometimes I find myself not knowing what to do with the extra time I have around the house as do my parents. My family has resorted to going on walks, biking together and spending even more quality time together. On a regular day if the pandemic and quarantine never existed I would wake up around 8am, get dressed and eat breakfast. After that I would wash my teeth, do any chores that my mother would ask me to complete and then I would do my homework from school. Finally, I would eat lunch and then the rest of the day is completely to myself. I would play basketball, or hang with some friends or even spend some time on video games before I sit down and eat dinner. What my day looks like during quarantine is I wake up, eat breakfast and wash my teeth. Then I would do a few chores before realizing I basically have the rest of the day to myself and that I cant hangout with any of my friends. For a couple of hours I'm on my phone and then spend time on video games but after a few hours, everything gets repetitive and boring and I wanna do something else other than be on my phone and play video games. This is how my family and I started to realize that we should spend more time together. And what this has caused me to realize is that my parents are fun hard working people that love and care for me more than I thought. Before the quarantine we would spend time together basically only when we were eating dinner and on the weekends. But what this quarantine has done is allowed us to do more productive things together like go on walks and play board games. What this quarantine has also affected is my upcoming future and many others upcoming future. I had amazing plans to get a some sort of random job and save up some cash so I could buy myself a Motorcycle and go to college for computer science and meet new friends and do a ton of exciting new things with friends like bike trips and hanging out, but now, all of this might not be happening anytime soon. But what this also caused me to realize is that I need to focus more on myself and that I need to spend more quality time by myself and try to really start planning out my life and figure out where life will take me and how to prepare. This quarantine has been a mess but it has also caused me and my family to get closer to one another and spend more quality time. The quarantine isn’t so bad it's just the way you look at it. For example, I don't look at and keep all the bad memories during this time, I appreciate all the good things and those are the ones that matter. #family #perspective #memories #walkswithfamily #planningthefuture #futurefocused

M.K. MSHS Class of 2020

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”

For the longest time my motivations for what I do have been foggy. Sure I have short term goals, don’t fail at School, clean the backyard, practice for the debate tournament, stuff like that I have in spades. However, these goals are fleeting, they really aren’t enough to carry a life on their own, for they are forgotten as quickly as they are done. This lack of meaning is something I’ve been able to live with, after all, the circumstances under which I was born are far better than for most people, at least from my perspective. I don’t have an abusive household, I live in an era where the entire catalogue of history can be accessed via mouse click, and I was also born without any health problems. At that point I have a difficulty moaning, it feels selfish at that point. Why bother with a long-term goal when the situation you’re born in has probably already met the long-term goal of a Serf in 14th Century England.

However, the last couple weeks have made me start to rethink my perspective, or at least question it in a way I never thought was necessary before. Quarantine has changed a lot of things for a lot of people, and people are feeling from those changes, their entire world has been flipped upside down from these changes. However my life feels more or less unchanged.While I’m seeing other people longing for their old life compared to this dull one, the dull life they speak of is the life I’ve been living for years on end. Seeing this has made me wonder if I’ve really wasted my years or not. Seeing all these people speak of the experiences they had, the things could do before the lockdown. Have I been missing out? Am I lacking the purpose that other people have. To be honest, I’d be lying if I said I am satisfied with the present. All this wasted time, and I feel like that despite being on this Earth for 18 years, I have nothing to show for it.

Because of my re-evaluation of the present, I also must re-evaluate the future. For the longest time I’ve known where I was heading. Grade 1, Grade 2, etc. That goes back to my “Short Term Goals” mindset I spoke of earlier. However with Graduation coming soon, I now am forced to create a Long Term goal, since the future has no clear path. It’s all fog, and I’m going to have to figure it out all on my own. This scared me, but now I’m okay with it. I might fail at points, it might be difficult, but it will force me to do what I’ve failed to do for 18 years, to have a purpose. When I die, I want to say that I did so fulfilled, if I died tomorrow, I couldn’t say that, but if I can find a long-term goal, a purpose to my life, even if I might fail, I’m come ever closer to feeling fulfilled.

#Why #Future #futurefocused

G.C. MSHS Class of 2020

Fighting Grey

The day I decided to paint my closet wall, I knew what colors I wanted to use. From a deep navy hue to one of bright green-turquoise shade, to even a light robin’s egg, they decorated my wall perfectly. But I also chose one outstanding color from the rest－grey.

In the midst of the colorful and outgoing shades of blue, there was a splash of grey that separated these colors from each other. It was as though my white wall was trying to fight back from being painted away by seeping through and threatened to swallow the rest of the beautiful colors. A misfit color among the rest.

A few weeks later, we got the news that our isolation order was to continue for the rest of the school year. A wave of sadness washed over me. Quickly, I retreated to my room.

Though I was deep in sadness, as I looked over my closet wall, I tried to smile. Blue usually represents grief and despair, but as I looked over my closet wall, it brought a small flicker of joy to my life, as these were my favorite colors. However, I noticed the grey still amongst the blue.

Suddenly, the grey spots on my wall burst to life, jumping from my wall. Their bland color grew legs and arms, and their faces turned down in a frown so dark it looked as if it sunk in their own cheeks.

“How dare you smile in our presence!” The grey spots cried.

Startled, my smile faded quickly, and it seemed as though I’d never smile again. But just then, another spot began to abandon my closet wall, then another, and another. Each color seemed to have it’s own face, navy blue had a chin who refused to fall, green-turquoise was grinning from what looked like ear-to-ear, and robin’s egg had a kind smirk upon its lips. Instantly they were between me and the frowning grey.

“You can’t defeat me! I am too powerful!!” the grey spots roared, somehow the frown becoming even darker.

“There are more of us than there are of you, you’re a fool to think we cannot defeat you,” the navy blue spots replied. Before my eyes, a mighty battle began between the blue and grey spots. It was only mere moments before the grey spots, who seemed invincible before, were brought down by the blues. With a strong lift from robin’s egg, they threw the grey back onto my wall, before disappearing into it themselves. Green-turquoise followed soon after. Navy blue turned to me before they crawled back into my room.

“The grey will be present, but can be defeated. Keep your chin up, girl, for your bright blue is just behind to fight your grey.”

With that, navy blue disappeared into my closet wall again, keeping close to the grey spots that once threatened me. As I stared in awe, I grinned again. Grey would not be forever. My blue would protect my smile.

#Redesign #Redecorating #futurefocused

K. W. MSHS Class of 2020

“There's something moving underneath my feet, but it only just has started”.

This quote in particular, from the song Cosmos by Yabadum, speaks most to how I’ve felt during this period of my life. I’ve been looking forward to college for essentially as long as I’ve known college was a thing. I see it as the actual tipping point into responsibility, and with that, freedom. The freedom to actually decide what I want with my life, or in some cases, what I don’t want. It’s only been in recent years that I’ve actually felt this push into the future though. This time in quarantine has been awful though and it’s felt like a complete halt in my growing anticipation for the future. For the most part it’s felt like the end of school. I’m at home basically 24/7. Essentially, in feeling, it’s summer in my mind. Yet, there’s a steady stream of homework coming from every class I had during school. So there's that constant end of summer dread at the end of each week because I know there will be even more piled on top of what I’ve just completed. When school was still in person, I would work hard each day during school to get my work completed so that I don’t have to bring it home. I hate combining home with school because I can’t find any motivation to do things that are forced on me when surrounded by the options to do things that I actually enjoy. This quarantine has forced me too though and it has just killed any motivation I had. The only real investment I still felt this month was because of the upcoming AP tests. With those done now it feels like an incredible waste to still keep up on the unceasing work. I’m not sure how anybody should be expected to keep up their motivation or spirit when the point of the work is simply just not to fail. Quarantine and specifically school during quarantine has killed any momentum I felt for that change I wanted so much. College seems farther away now than it has in a good while. There’s also the ever present horror that my classes might be online in the fall too. It seems like everything will be cleared up by then though, at least in terms of my college opening up. Also on the bright side is the fact that there’s only roughly a week of school left. So to answer the question, I feel incredibly affirmed in my choice of what I want in my future because of how much I hate the present feeling of stagnant life in quarantine, even if it does feel like the process only just has started again.

#WhatsNext #Quarantine #futurefocused

C.B. MSHS Class of 2020

Gather round, huddle by the fire, and crack open an ice cold can of Doctor Pepper. Through this perilous time which we find ourselves in, we form new bonds. Comradery, friendship, a shared experience through the cosmos starring you, starring me, staring all that you know and will ever see. When we embarked on this corona cruise, we knew that it would not be easy, that we would see those we love go, see generations of progress damaged or destroyed, and we knew we may never see eachother again. See how our faith has been rewarded, and while we are out of the frying pan, having been on the tail end of the curve for a while now, the fryer of our future is bleak for some. It is a risis that will scar a generation, but it is a crisis we will survive. We always do, but through these last 12 weeks, we see a shift, a change from course in all of our lives, how we see each other, how we operate as humans. I am no exception to this, my pact, my creed, my band of brothers stand in the face of adversity, and stand triumphant, for we survived, we persevered and made this work, forged our futures in the crucible of hardship, a ship rigged against its passengers and yet we stand, our values in tact, and our bond never broken. Though our families crumble under the strain, boiling in divorce or in passive rage, we stay together, manning the fox holes and keeping our strength for challenges to come. We walk away from our 13 years in school to a new world, some will go to college, some to careers, or travel the world, living their best life. We walk away from the last 13 years with a newfound sense of scale, seeing just what the new world can be, its violent uproars, its somber nights, but we form friendships in these times that can never be broken. I remember sitting next to a campfire a few weeks back, joined by some damn good human beings, away from the world. An hour north on dirt roads away from the nearest hamlet, no one around for miles, no cell service, just the reality of our world. We were men, strong men, angry men, men with a sense of values untouchable by the grips of the new normal. Out there, we came without the baggage we left back in the city. Out there there was no pandemic, there was no crisis, and there was no worry about our future, there was only us, around a campfire talking about nothing and everything, learning the light and the heavy of each other, what we have done and what we will do, but it didn’t matter out there, because none of that was with us, no shame and no fear. As our time away ended, we came back into the known regions with a newfound look, a way of operation and togetherness that will outlast any new normal, one that will live beyond death, and be a legacy to be passed onto generations to come.

#Legacy #BandOfBrothers #futurefocused

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

When the announcement first went out it was strange, but there was no moment of disbelief or thought of ‘this cannot be happening’. It just was. I knew it would be strange, to be at home for a few weeks, but I thought it would feel like an extended break. I was not wrong. I was at home, doing school work, sleeping in. It felt just like summer break. However, I would still get a reality call every once in a while. We would get groceries and before putting them away we would clean the packages. My mom would talk about news she heard on the radio about how some of the state was entering the next stage in the quarantine. We would order takeout, and make sure that we put the food in new containers before eating it.

I continued to live normally. As time went on, there still was no feeling of shock or denial. I just went on with my life. If anything, that’s what made it weird. It’s strange, continuing to live normally in a situation that is anything but normal. When I think about being locked up in my house, I think of the Holocaust, of Anne Frank and how it felt like for her. For me though, it is not like that. There is no fear, except about how I will do on my AP exams. There is no uncertainty of the future, except whether or not I would start university online next fall. I just continued to live normally.

When I thought about possibly being a part of history, I thought maybe I might do something groundbreaking, or that a war might start between the U.S. and one of its many enemies. I did not think that I would be staying at home because of a pandemic. Even knowing that this will be a part of history, it does not feel like it. I continue to live my life, most of the time never even thinking about the virus. Nevertheless, I wonder if maybe this is how Anne Frank felt after all. Just a kid, trying to keep living normally while knowing that something strange and scary is going on outside.

When this first started, my mom suggested I keep a journal, to document what it was like so that I would not forget in the future. I thought, ‘there is no way I would forget this’ and ‘what is there to document?’. I guess I did not know that these thoughts were worthy enough to document in and of themselves. While it is true that some people are living in fear and grief over the pandemic, many are not. Many are simply trying to live their lives normally in the middle of an unusual situation. Maybe that itself is most important to record for the future generations. That life continues, even when you feel it might not.

#Introspection #futurefocused

A.W. MSHS Class of 2020

“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.”

-Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Thwack!

A deep breath and the strain of the pull. The steady hold and alignment. The final release.

Thwack!

My arrow drives into the target, taunting my ability as it rests in the third ring from the center. My fingers throb from the bruises forming on my string fingers and my arm is beginning to tire from holding my drawn bow. As with every time I shoot, I begin wondering if getting a traditional recurve rather than a compound bow was the best decision.

As I walk to collect my arrows, pulling them from the target and checking the tips, the boredom begins to set in. Not even two rounds into archery practice and I begin racking my mind for something else to do, anything to allow me to avoid my school work.

Each day is the same, as time bleeds together with nothing except for the rising and setting of the sun to tell the days apart. Each day is the same, as time is spent trying to find new activities to keep the boredom at bay. Each day is the same, as I try to find anyway to procrastinate further in order to not have to do online schooling.

One constant problem arises each and every time I try to find something to do: nothing brings satisfaction.

Archery, dirt biking, building projects, TV shows, video games, tree climbing, hot tubbing, trampoline jumping, ping pong, guitar, annoying my sister, all things that at first occupied my time and brought me some joy, now only bring dissatisfaction and an awareness that there is something more that I want.

There is a hole; one that can only be filled with human interaction with people outside of my family. I miss playing spikeball after school each day and going to baseball practice and going bowling and driving through town and late night ripstik adventures and swing dancing. Never before had I realized how important my friendships were. Never before had I wanted to go to school so much. Never before had I recognized the wonderful life I had before the lockdown.

My dissatisfaction with my current state in life and the constant boredom and desire for me has made me appreciate my future. The prospect of life on a college campus and the endless possibilities that are included makes me wish for the ability to time travel to the fall. My anticipation grows with each day and so does the desire to move on to something new. Quarantine has helped me appreciate my childhood and high school career and the memories it has provided while also making me anxious for what is to come and hopeful for my future.

#Bored #Revelation #futurefocused

G. S. MSHS Class of 2020

Upside Down - Set it off

Well I could,

Focus on the pain,

Relive yesterday,

And block out all the sunshine.

Or I could,

Focus on my lane,

Just live for today,

Sights set on the bright side.

In the past 10 weeks, we have been through a rollercoaster of events. While I didn’t want to admit it, it had taken a toll on my mental health as I am sure it has for others. My parents finalized a divorce around January and it has been difficult to keep in contact as my dad has moved to an apartment and travels the world. Since the beginning of self-quarantine, he has been adamant about seeing my siblings and me despite him travelling to places across the world that had more cases than the US at the time, i.e. China and Germany. He made enough comments that had detracted from my understanding of myself and my morals that I began to wonder what I was really doing trying to keep him away. Clearly that wasn’t good for me. We have never been particularly close since he had been gone working for various companies as a pilot in my childhood. His needling now seemed to be a catalyst. Someone wanted to spend time with me so bad when everything else had been blocked off. It was refreshing, but also seemed to darken my other relationships in comparison. One of my friends recommended this song to me around then. It has helped me realize again that I don’t need to please everyone, I don’t need to focus on one thing or person, and I can live through this without losing anything. Just need to find the bright side, work around the coronavirus, and when we do, we’ll be able to continue on. There are so many people wanting to “return to normal.” This falsehood has echoed throughout humanity, so much that it could become a theme. I’m sure that people wanted normalcy during the Black Death. I’m sure during the World Wars, too. I’m sure with all the abolition, revolution, uprisings, terrorism, and social changes that have wrought our world to what it is today that someone out in the world has always wished for normalcy. Despite that, the fact remains that it doesn’t. It never does. There will never be a way to go back to how things were before. It’s just not possible. Something will always stick with us, to prevent or limit or remove what threw the world into chaos. 9-11 created the TSA and better security for aviation. Slavery created the Jim Crow laws, the Civil War, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution. The Black Death created better health practices that made the foundations for basic self-care today. Just like all the Armegedons before this, humanity will create a new world but will never forget the old. But for now we just live for today, with sights set on the bright side.

#ChangeIsGood #LiveYourBestLife #futurefocused

Anonymous MSHS CLass of 2020

“ Dedication, hard work plus patience The sum of all my sacrifices, I’m done waitin’ I’m done waitin’, told you that I wasn’t playin”( Nipsey Hussle: Dedication). This time has changed me and my family as it shows that we need to be more dedicated towards each other. Having the ability to trust each other more as we are quarantined in our homes. This also teaches me to be more dedicated towards working out so I can prepare for college football. I could have made the choice of being lazy or unmotivated, but I chose to have a better start and more preparation for college football.

While being quarantined during this world-wide pandemic, I have I had the chance to be with my family more. I was always gone hanging out with my friends, but now I have more time to connects not only with my intermediate family and my cousins. My family and I have spent more time together whether its board games at night or just hanging outside. I have also had the chance to make new friends with some Whitworth football players. I have had the chance to ask them how college is and how the game of football is played in college. They have given tips and advice on what to do in college. While is states in the song lyric,” Hard work plus patience”. This is an example of how patience can be key to being with your family in quarantine. Due to the fact that we have been stuck inside are house for almost the past three months, sometimes we can be impatient with each other. We just learn to not always be frustrated with each other and everything out on each other. When he quote uses hard work, I just think about finishing my high school senior academics online. I always not to procrastinate on my daily homework and turn my things in. I have also used hard work as way for me to push for more goals and achievements that I want to accomplish in the near future. At the end of the lyric it says,” I’m done waitin”. I find that funny as also myself is ready for the quarantined to end. Being inside my house for an extended period of time is very stressful and mentally is boring. Other ways I think this whole world pandemic has changed for me is knowing that having an essential job in the future may be very important. This can occur again, but it would always be good to have a job security. Having the knowledge of saving items or money and not over using them or throwing those things away. Being able to use things resourcefully during rough times. What I have found essential in a word or two that would help my classify my writing on my website would be Patience and Safety. Patience meaning we will get through this pandemic. Safety meaning to be safe and try not to catch the disease.

#Safety #futurefocused

I.K. MSHS Class of 2020

I think one of the hardest things to grasp about life is that we don’t know what comes next. Everyone has these different beliefs and ideas of what happens after your life ends, but no one really knows. To be completely honest, we never know what’s going to happen and absolutely nothing is promised or guaranteed. You can not foresee every part of your future, so as Wayne Dyer says, “stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.” If someone would have told me that my senior year was going to be cut short by ten weeks, I would’ve told them they were crazy. There’s no way that would happen to me, but it did. The class of 2020 is missing out, and I don’t think anything will really make up for what we’re losing. I took my senior year for granted and I don’t think I lived this year to its full potential, even before the virus shut everything down. It seems unfair that we’re missing out on such big milestones, but the past is the past and I don’t plan on missing out anymore. With that said, I’m going to take Dyer’s advice and live every day like it’s my last because life is unpredictable. During these past ten weeks I have officially decided to attend Washington State University in the fall, where I plan to spend every minute making memories that will last forever. Washington State was not

my first choice, I’ve wanted to attend the University of Oregon since I was 9, but unfortunately out of state tuition was not an option. While I was devastated that I couldn’t attend my top school, I’ve come to see all the good things that go along with attending WSU. For instance, it’s six hours closer to home so I can visit my mom and my dog whenever I want and I’m going to the same school as some of my closest friends. I’m even rooming with one of my best friends, Ally. Ally and I have even taken this time to start buying things for our

dorm and talking about everything we want to do the moment we move to campus. As for the education portion of this decision, I haven’t officially decided what I want to study, but over the past ten weeks I’ve narrowed it down to criminal justice, international business, or sports management, and I plan on talking to an advisor in order to make my final decision. Missing out of these last ten weeks has made me so excited for my freshman year of college. I want to study something I’m passionate about, go to parties with my friends, pull all-nighters in the library, never miss a game, and make my college experience as absolutely stereotypical as possible. I want to live the rest of my life as memorable as possible because the past is the past, and there is only the future.

#makeitcount #futurefocused

N.M. Class of 2020

“Told ‘em I was gonna be somethin’ That broke sh** made me sick, big appetite with a weak stomach” During this quarantine I have been trying to figure out what I want to do in life as I have been struggling to figure that out in highschool. I still have no idea what I am going to do but I know i'm going to be something one day. It might take me a few more years to figure that out, but I have promised myself to give 100% on everything and everyone. My Grandparents want me to go to college, my dad wants me to go into trades, but I do not want to do either of those. I would enjoy the college experience, but you do not have to go to college to be an Entrepreneur. So i'm struggling with the idea of college and if I need it, I could stay and do community college or just take a gap year and try some things out and see how they pan out. The pandemic saved my grades. I probably would have made it with some C’s in the grade book because that is all you need to pass. I knew GPA is looked at by colleges so I maintained all A’s and a few B letter grades first semester, and I was burnt out and did not care about school. I started working out more instead, I stopped doing homework second semester and started going to the gym everyday after school. I was lifting in the morning and going to the YMCA or Fitness Center right after school to workout before I had to go to work. I saw Benny quite frequently at the Y and in school and he was an inspiration to me. I saw how hard he worked and I wanted to work harder than him, I used the information he gave me and for 3 weeks I went to the gym everyday once if not twice a day and I was seeing the results, and the improvement I made. I ditched one of my weight partners because he wasn't improving and couldn't hang. Then Boom!

This pandemic hits and closes everything. Life is changed pretty significantly for the better I think. School put me to sleep and I do not remember learning or at least retaining anything from this year. So I am grateful for this and the situation I was put into. People who really were not your friends are now out of my life. With all the extra free time we have it was very apparent who was going to stick around and who was not. I was able to work more and save up more money. “Plottin on the come-up, we was scheamin’ now I hit the stage and they screamin’ I was tryna cope through them hard times” I know it takes money to make money so until summer, it is my goal to work as much as I can, save up as much as I can, and spend summer time figuring out how I am going to set myself up for success and figure out what that looks like. It took a pandemic to help me figure out what I want to do in life, so the real question is what did school do for me?

#School #futurefocused

T.B. MSHS Class of 2020

“Weathering the storm

Some Days

you can’t control

the waves

you can only try

and keep your head

above water.” - Chris mc geown

This quote has always meant a lot to me, but it really helps describe the times we’re in. I have lost so much, I was supposed to go to state for dance, for the first time, I was supposed to experience prom and a fun graduation walking across that stage knowing people were proud and our seniors all nighter. All the amazing memories we were supposed to be able to make we didn’t. As everything kept getting canceled I felt more down and that's where I had to try and keep my head above that water, try to find the good things. Not everyday you’re going to know what will happen or if you will even have that other day, no day is promised. Through these times it does get hard as we’re just couped up in the house all the time but we should try and keep our head up and look for the best in things. This time has definitely made it where my mom and I see each other a lot more than we used to. My day to day routine was she went to work before I got up, I got up, went to school then had dance, came home, ate dinner and did what I needed to do, slept and then started the next day, the same. But now I sadly don’t have dance or get to go to school and she is stuck home with me so we see each other most of the day now. We go on walks with the dogs together and play cards like skip bo. Our conversations haven’t really changed much. This has made us become closer but some days we need our space. Sometimes we can bicker here and there just about the little things that don’t even matter like what should we eat or watch, etc. but it just happens because we’re stuck with each other. During this time I was supposed to go visit Northwest Nazarene University because that's where I decided I wanted to go. The visit was so I can meet people and meet the teachers that I will have. Look around the campus and look at where I would be staying in the dorms. We decided to all have an online zoom call so we could still have a little bit of time to meet each other. After that it really did affirm that I still will be going to college and follow my passion for being a nurse. I’ve wanted to be a nurse for quite awhile now. I wanted to work in the NICU or PICU. There has always been a need for more nurses exceptionally during this time so knowing that one day I will be able to go in and help a lot of people through hard times makes me want the job even more. This pandemic is not going to change my mind of still going to school in fall 2020. This also doesn’t change my family’s mind of me leaving. They’re enjoying my company still while I am here. I have learned during times like this you should really check in on your friends and family, make sure they’re doing alright. I have had some friends that have had some family issues or they’re just down because you get stuck with your thoughts so I check up on everyone making sure that they’re okay and see if I can help them with anything. Make sure they’re happy. I like to be able to facetime my friends or send them funny things to make them have a good laugh. We need to remember mental health is just as important as physical health. Some days either your own waves or their waves get too much to control that you need help pulling your head above water and that's okay, we could really use each other at this time and come to connect more. We have lost many things we were supposed to do and get to experience but we shall try and do our best to keep our heads above water. Cherish those little moments, and “just keep swimming” trying to stick your head above that water.

#just keep swimming #abovewater #family #futurefocused #athletics

S.B. MSHS Class of 2020

I first thought about how in a few short months I would be living in Boise, meeting new people, and living a life of independence. But, at this point I don't even know if I will be able to attend my first semester of college in person. I don't know if my family and friends will stay safe and healthy. We are living in uncertainty. So when asked how this time has changed my plans for the future, I believe it’s only right to discuss my plans within. I don't want to talk about just going to college, I want to talk about how this time has changed my perspective.

I guess I never really noticed how important social interaction is to me. So, when a friend has reached out and asked me how I am doing or what I have been up to, it has hit differently. For someone to go out of their way to check up on me and my family is beyond special. It makes me feel cared for and cherished. From this, I have learned how important the little things are. A simple check in with a friend can mean so much.

Another thing that has stood out to me is the importance of living in the moment. I tend to find myself worrying about things that won't affect me in a year or even in two weeks. Because I have less commitments due to being quarantined, my schedule has been pretty open. For me this has meant way less stress. With this time I have been able to look back on the past few months and I have come to think about how much time I have wasted worrying about the future. I don’t want to think that way anymore. Life is so short and I want to cherish every day

Although my senior year has not been ideal by any means, it has taught me that my future is up to me. I have been able to step back and realize that I am my own person and my confidence, humor, and passion are the things that make me, me. I want to brighten people’s days along with challenging myself and others to learn and grow. I want to make a difference. Soon I will be off on my own and it will be up to me to hold myself accountable for the path I take.

Despite the dark time we are living in, I have been able to make changes in myself for the better. I've found how important small gestures can be, how important each and every day is, and most importantly that I define my future. So, maybe I haven’t exactly changed my plans for the future, but I’ve changed my perspective on the future and each day that leads up to it.

#myfuture #makeachange #perspective #littlethings #fyp #futurefocused

K. R. MSHS Class of 2020

“I watch the ripples change their size

But never leave the stream

Of warm impermanence

And so the days float through my eyes

But still the days seem the same

And these children that you spit on

As they try to change their worlds

Are immune to your consultations

They’re quite aware of what they’re goin’ through.”

Changes by David Bowie

This time has changed the future because it has put a hold on recruiting stations for the military. I had planned to get a job as a stryker mechanic and had already worked on gaining the weight to enlist alongside learning about the strykers. Now I am going to be moving to Seattle and living with my sister and her boyfriend. I have always gotten along with my sister and her boyfriend. They are super excited to take me in and help mee. This year was a bit rough because I was in a tough position of breaking up with someone who was very special to me and thought he cared for me throughout the relationship. I will be getting a job over there to save up money before enlisting in the Army. I am hoping to get a job with T-Mobile because I know a lot about phones and think it would be a fun experience. If I can’t get a job at T-Mobile, my sister is going to help me get a job through Starbucks. My sister and her boyfriend have agreed to help me become an independent adult by making my own money and working for things with minimal help rather than maximum help. It will be nice to go out into the real world and experience what it’s like living in a new community. I am hoping to be able to say I did it on my own and work for what I wanted. Due to this hold on my future I will be enlisting in the Army next year and learning a new perspective on life.

#ArmyStrong #PlanningForTheFuture #futurefocused #military

G.F. MSHS Class of 2020

“We’ve been having fun all summer long” sings The Beach Boys in “All Summer Long.”

When thinking of The Beach Boys, the absolute first thing that pops into my mind is fun. The group perfectly encapsulates the lighthearted, gratifying nature of summer. There is a reason why this song in particular has been especially meaningful to me over these past 10 weeks, and that reason is because it provides an escape from the quarantine lifestyle, for two minutes and nine seconds that is. It brings me back to the joyous times basking in the sun with my friends, where we didn’t have to think twice about giving a high five or exchanging a handshake or a hug.

Speaking of, living in quarantine has definitely been a little bit of a struggle. It is certainly not “fun all summer long” as The Beach Boys sing; instead, it is quite the opposite. For me, being stuck at home while school is shut down has been most disheartening. My motivation went down the drain as I noticed both my running and my schoolwork took a plunge in quality. I started wasting copious amounts of time browsing my phone and computer. Preparation for AP exams was really the only thing that kept me going. Despite this, however, this time away from school has ultimately affirmed my decisions that I put in place for next year. Having so much free time, I really got to dive deep and explore my area of interest that I am pursuing next year at Washington State University. I got the opportunity to discover on my own the different subfields of computer engineering and what interests me the most. Any hesitation about pursuing this major soon fled my mind. In much the same way, any doubts or concerns I had about continuing my education at WSU vanished as well, as I got to know the campus and Pullman area better, virtually of course. Although my future is still hazy beyond college, this time away from school has bestowed upon me a newfound confidence in my decisions for my immediate future.

Other than that, this time has also allowed me to re-pick up some old hobbies, and find some new ones. For instance, one day I was bored so I decided to browse my garage for something to do. I found my old skateboard and immediately began attempting tricks that have long since been forgotten. In a like manner, I’ve picked up new things, such as coding, to help pass the time.

Ultimately, these last 10 weeks have been bittersweet. Although it was nice to get time alone to pick up new hobbies and plan out my future, it was also a devastating end to my senior year that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. These 10 weeks have taught me that I should never take anything for granted because they can be ripped away in an instant. But, as things start to open up and relax a bit, I am as excited as ever for having “fun all summer long.” #TheBeachBoys #future #summer #futurefocused

J. L. MSHS Class of 2020

“Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you're gonna get”-Forrest Gump.

This quote relates to what is currently happening because, at the beginning of the second semester, it didn’t seem possible for us to miss the last few months of school. This time at home has really brought something to my attention, and that is just how important time really is. Before this whole fiasco started I didn’t really realize how long I have before I start my life. Graduation is only a few weeks away and after that is unknown what will happen. One way that this time has changed my family is by being around each other a lot more frequently there is more bickering. Not full blown arguments which end in someone upset, but just little passive aggressive comments here and there. My parents have been married since they were both around 20 and my mom being the older one is now 42 and it made me realize that my parents have made it a long time without getting a divorce. I aspire to be like them one day, in the past I didn’t really realize how long they actually are making it. My friends and I are ready to kill each other after spending a week together. I couldn't imagine 20 years with just one person. This time has really made me respect my parents even more for continuing to work at their marriage this long.

However, this time hasn’t just changed my view on time and commitment, it has allowed me to find a possible career path that I enjoy doing. Over this break, if you can call it that, I have learned how to weld. My brother taught me how to weld and my first project was to repair a crack on the set of trailers we were working on. I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. If we never had the stay at home order I probably would have never had the time to try welding. Since I was able to try welding I am considering taking the program at SCC for welding and becoming a certified welder.

This time has also allowed me to consider the choices that I have to make within the next year like if I want to follow the welding path, continue with my original plan of becoming an electrician, or search for other options that I would enjoy. Looking back a year ago, my plan was to go to the falls for two years and transfer to a university and get a bachelors in geology. I never really considered that college is not the only option until Mr. Cowart told me that a trade is a viable option. Throughout school most of my teachers would preach how to get a good job college was required. I am grateful that Mr. Cowart showed me that it is not the only path. One thing I know for sure in the next year is that I don’t want to go to college. After 13 years of formal schooling I am ready to be done. Whatever career path I end up taking, I want it to be a hands-on trade. Thinking back, I believe that this whole ordeal is bittersweet in the sense that I was able to try new things and reflect, but at the same time missed out on the ending of my senior year. #futurefocused #self-improvement

C.S. MSHS Class of 2020

I haven’t exactly come to any sort of epiphany or sudden realization during this time, nor has there really been much affirmed for me. All this has really been for me is a final roadblock between me and being finally in relative control of my life. That might seem a little melodramatic, but it’s admittedly a bit difficult to maintain habits during this time, let alone to get established with a steady job, car, driver’s license, etc. Granted that’s basically my own fault for having waited so long to get established, but it’s not like I’ve had a lot of down time in my life to do so, or maybe that’s just another excuse. It has been downright disappointing to see how this has affected my mother, she wants to feel like she understands the world and she’s turning to wild conspiracy and pseudo-science. My dog is like hella stoked though, he's been able to just lay around and get attention all day, and since both of us are stuck at home, he’s never lonely. I’m still just as arrogant and confident in my life plan as I always have been. I’m nothing short of certain that it doesn’t matter what my situation is and conditions are, I will be alright. I think times like these can be very important for people to reflect on their own experience, perspective and the world around them. However I have seen firsthand with my mother that it's dangerous to believe too quickly that you’ve found the right answer, and that it’s not only safe and humbling, but incredibly helpful, to remind yourself that while sure you can have some cool ideas now and then, you’re still flawed, chances are you’re not unquestionably brilliant 100% of the time, and that its okay to call yourself an idiot now and then, but to understand that you are capable of having your ups and downs. Just because one of your ideas was amazing, it doesn’t mean all of the following ideas are going to be of equal quality, and that’s absolutely okay. And I’m not trying to say you should put yourself down all the time, just that it’s completely healthy to recognize that you don’t understand something, and that while your thought may have been flat earth levels of nonsense, that doesn’t mean you’re an awful person, nor does that mean you’re cursed to believe only conspiracy and nonsense. Everybody can have lapses of judgement, even in our thoughts.

#Openmind #futurefocused

G.B. MSHS Class of 2020

“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never,ever,be dimmed.”-Doe Zantamata.

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, our lives have been put aside as we are forced in our darkest hours. Although school got canceled, and our worlds have been put on hold I have found a new light. As a student I work weekly as well as do school work for six different classes. This impacts my life by creating a barrier of stress daily, but with this barrier comes realization of what is going on in our society, relief to know it is not just me that is going through this, but that everyone is going through this including my family. I have seen them go from an average day to the best selves they could be. They are working harder, getting out into the world more. Being isolated may have stopped our relationships with outsiders, but now we are being grasped by the sensation of independence, the realization that we do not need to depend on other human-beings to go anywhere in our lives, but that we need ourselves to move up through the world.

#Working #School

M.G MSHS Class of 2020

“Life can be a B(I’m leaving it just like that) sometimes”.

So before I go into what this quote means to me lets dive into this quarantine story. We have been sent back to our homes, at first it seemed great. I mean, 6 weeks of no school? That sounded awesome at first. I like many others didn’t believe the virus was that major and thought we’d be back in school in 4 weeks more likely and the 6 weeks was a over estimate. The first few weeks were fun and easy. No real school work, and i had never been one to need to see people so being able to hang out at home, finish my book and play a few games was fun. I even had an excuse to still leave the house sense my dad got me a job at the clinic they work at, just a nice siple job as a janitor. But things didn't stay that simple and easy for long. As the quarantine grew and grew, like many others my age the realizations of what this means started flooding my mind. I will be moving to WWU over the summer. There are so many people that I will just never see again. So many memories I will never be able to make. My last Track season, Prom, last day of school, the Spring play, Graduation. All of those I will miss out on. At this point all the joy that had come with the long break from school fell and I started to fall too. Realizing how many memories this is taking from me, so many things that I could never make back. But this is when that quote comes in, and I promise it isn't as emo as it sounds. Sometimes life just throws something you could never have planned for at you. And there is nothing you can do about it. No amount of whining on social media would change anything. So I came to realize I needed to enjoy the now and not be stuck in the past or the “could be” because that wouldn't fix anything. So I started focusing on what I was doing, started to work harder on the school work i had fallen behind in. Starting focusing more at work sense at this time i had started working at my parents clinic. And started to try to reach out to friends while I still could to enjoy them while I still have them. This was a huge curveball life threw at all of us. No one is not impacted by this. But when life throws a curveball at you, from where I stand you have two choices. You can fight it, tooth and nail, resist the change and try to get things back to how they were. Or you go with the flow, accept the change and get up.

#GetUp #GoWithTheFlow #working

N.M. MSHS Class of 2020

Songs: “I’m still standing” (By: Elton John) and “Break my stride”(By Mathew Wilder) they are songs that i have been constantly listening to in my head because I have been working Monday through Friday and it is my alarm goes off at three in the morning and its “Im still standing”. During the whole ten weeks outside of school, Quarantine has had me confirm in my mind about how I want to keep my future and how much I want to change about it, like I wanted to be an owner of a restaurant and make it a world wide food restaurant network but I would like to start it in a different country. Moving into next year I see myself being in college for six to eight years along with wanting to be a chef so that in the future I can be my own chef at my own restaurant, and while working I am learning and learning about food and I would like to learn about making drinks, but I do make mistakes and with those mistakes I do learn about what I will have to do to fix them. About my second song that I had chosen, the lyrics “Ain’t nothing going to break my stride”. Goes through my mind Because I will not have my mistakes have me breaking my stride or holding me back. And well it's not like I haven't been playing video games either. Whenever I play video games is the only time I really get to spend time with the boys now and while I'm playing my games I like to listen to music by G-Eazy, Logic, Eminem or any kind of rap music because listening to rap music it boosts people's moral, when playing a game and having low moral it makes the player do really bad. But when I'm cooking it's a different story I tend to like to listen to jazz or some pop songs while cooking, there is one song in particular that I like to listen to when cooking. It's called "Tired Boy" (by concept) it's nice, smooth and calm while I'm cooking. Well to be honest my whole time outside of school has just been a playlist. So while some people may say that it's boring being outside of school and not being able to see or hang out with your friends, all I can just say is that I'm learning a lot about life and how to be an adult.

#Future #Chef #working

E.P. MSHS Class of 2020

Well, my hair has gotten longer, my skin has gotten clearer, and my sleep schedule has been drastically ruined. These are some of the ways I’ve changed during quarantine.

A longer list would be the realization I’ve had about the things I miss and the things I won’t miss if this ever ends.

Personally, I’ve always loved going to school. I miss the days of pulling into my parking spot while listening to 96.9, hanging with my friends before first period, wondering if any arguments will occur during a socratic seminar, having the opportunity to learn, and so many other things that would take too long to list. The absence of creating more of these moments, along with missed opportunities, have made me realize how much I have enjoyed my senior year. One of the worst things about not going back to school was the withdrawals from throwing on the wheel and Ms. Semb’s jokes.

I know it is naive to think things will ever truly go back to normal, but everyday I always hope people will go back to their regular meanness and not this cruel bitterness that has infected the public. Something about covid-19 has let people believe that it is acceptable to be rude and ignore minimum wage workers like myself when all we are trying to do is help them and support ourselves by working. I already know how excited I will be when I won’t have to wear another face mask again and can actually breathe normally without feeling like I’m going to pass out.

Despite not being a hugger, I’m already thinking about the days when I can have the opportunity to hug my friends again.

All these things that I can’t do like be with friends, work normally without having breathing problems due to a mask, and enjoy my life have made me realize how good things were before the coronavirus. Now of course there were still varying problems and issues before, but it is a time I deeply miss.

You ask us how this time has changed us but there’s only one significant answer I have for you. Despite feeling this bitterness for this crazy, restrictive world, I have gained a deeper relationship with the Lord. During these tough times of missing out on opportunities, seeing my dad struggle greatly in his work and gaining an increase of fear for his well-being, hearing the disappointment behind my mom’s voice when many things have been taken from her, and along with many other things, I have realized what is truly important in life. Don’t get me wrong, family, friends, along with a career in mathematics that comes with a comfortable paycheck are important to me but it is God that is my everything. During this time, my faith and my relationship with our savior has grown stronger during this time of need and it is something I am thankful for.

#WhatMatters #Savor #working

K. R. MSHS Class of 2020

“ At first i was afraid, I was petrified, kept thinking i could never live without you by my side, but then i spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong, and i grew strong and i learned how to get along”

During this time, it has changed me and my dad in more ways than expected. First off, I would like to start off with talking about these lyrics from the song that I chose for this essay. These lyrics have meaning to me because they represent pretty much how my quarantine has been going for the most part, and how over the course of this time I’ve come to find out that it’s been pretty tough, and it can change you in ways you don't necessarily expect. When you think about it you never really notice how much we take advantage of things and how easy we have it for the most part. It’s pretty scary to think that all this stuff is actually happening, I thought this kind of thing was just supposed to be in the movies!, but it’s real life and it was very much unexpected. Don't get me wrong it is nice to be at home or be having a break, but I hoped for better circumstances. It’s not necessarily a good thing either to be stuck at home for a long amount of time either, for me it was definitely hard only because I obviously would like to see and hang out with my friends but I know that it's for the better.

Quarantine has had its ups and downs for me and my family, because as every family knows they can drive eachother crazy from time to time, and so it’s hard to avoid them if we are having any problem, it’s not like i can leave and go hangout with my friends, and so it also helps me overcome those type of obstacles. It’s also hard when the whole world is literally on pause and everyone is freaking out and taking all the food and accessories from the store so you are very limited and have to choose wisely. My dad and I are also not working as much and that makes it pretty hard sense the only way we get paid is by working and everything costs money and so our lives have really switched and been twisted up and it’s a new rhythm that we have to get into. The benefits of being home for a while, is that you get to learn new things that you haven't really had time to and you can get alot done around the house. For example I learned how to whittle better and learn a certain way on how to do it. And I have planted a lot of plants around my house because for some reason I have been feeling very natury lately. And whenever I wake up I water them.

So how has this time changed me and my family, I think it changed us in a way we didn't expect, not good but not bad either. The quote meant exactly what i said, first i was afraid, because of knowing that this virus is real and is close. And i kept thinking i could stay at my house for this long, and then i spent some nights thinking how i could get through this, and I made a plan and i learned how to get through all of this nonsense.

#overcome #family #working

J.C. MSHS Class of 2020

“Though the mountains may be moved into the sea,

though the ground beneath might crumble and give way,

I can hear my Father singing over me 'It's gonna be okay'.”

-Tasha Layton, “Into the Sea (It's Gonna Be Ok)”

My mother belts this song out almost as well as Tasha Layton, herself, and she does it often. Admittedly, this isn't the sort of music I usually listen to but, through the fog of ever-increasing fear and uncertainty, these lyrics began to hit home for me.

When I first heard about the Coronavirus, it was mostly a joke. People were posting memes involving Corona beer and beaches. My family and I played a board game called Pandemic and we laughed with our friends as we named one of our fake viruses 'Corona' and surmised that it would be contracted by drinking lots of beer. It was funny- until it wasn't. A week or two later, Covid-19 hit Washington State. I watched my mother slowly begin to turn fearful, same with members of my synagogue. I watched as everyone suddenly became obsessed with this new form of the Corona family, going as far as not leaving their homes. I became fearful for my mom, as she is considered high risk.. I truly wasn’t sure if this all was real, it truly felt like we were in a Brad Pitt movie and I kept waking up hoping this was all just a dream.

As the following days when Gov. Jay Inslee started implementing the statewide shutdowns, I finally realized it wasn’t a dream, I was genuinely fearful. Over the following days and months, I finally began to realize it wasn’t so bad, I was finally able to get a job at Home depot. I work roughly 30-40 hours every week from 7 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon.I love the job so far. I am beginning to learn how to handle my little brother a little better. We used to not get along at all, almost always fighting. But by being able to hangout with him more, I’m figuring out what he likes and what we have in common. I obtained a 1977 GMC Sierra Classic C&K 2500, I bought the truck from my mother who doesn’t have the money to tinker on it. I know this isn’t the most happy thing happening in everyone's lives at the moment, but at least, I’ve discovered that not only is my family one of the most essential things to have during a time like this. We used to not be close, we’d maybe get together around once a week before disappearing into our rooms, this quarantine has made us all realize how much we love hanging out and doinf=g stuff like bored games and what not together. but also God, he will help us through this. “I can hear my Father singing over me, It’s gonna be okay, it’s gonna be okay!”, everytime I hear this portion of the song, I look up and smile, it reminds me that, even though not everyone believes, God will get us all through this, and honestly, that is the greatest comfort anyone can give me. Even though not everyone believes, we just need to attempt to come back to him. Everything in the end will most definitely be okay, but for now, let’s all stay together and become stronger as a family.

#working #family #perseverance

M.H. MSHS Class of 2020

I chose the song lyric “Don’t Worry Be Happy” because many people have been in a panic since all of this happened and in my opinion they should not be. During this time nothing has really changed for me except the fact everything fun is shut down. Three of the four people in my family work in the same place so we have all been working almost everyday and have been busier than before all this happened. At work, I have the privilege of still being able to see people and make coffee for customers. The only one out of work now is my mom but she actually enjoys it since she gets to spend more time with us when we are not working and more time on projects around the house she has been wanting to get done. We have been doing more things outdoors since we have some time to do it now like going on hikes.

I would like to say I am less stressed since school is closed but that is only partially true, I act like I have no work to do but then I forget I actually have to do school work and I get stressed since I’m behind. I am most worried about how the end of this school year will be, what we will miss out on being seniors, what we will get to experience but how it will be different, will we have a normal graduation? I am more upset that this whole thing ruined our senior year, I had to say goodbye to highschool too soon not knowing it was the last time being there. If school opened back up for even just a week I would be more than happy to come and be able to finish out the year right. School work is harder to do for some classes without being able to get direct help from a teacher and then I get behind or just don’t know what I am doing so I am not learning at all. I feel like the way we are doing school right now is not a good way to reflect our abilities and correctly show what we are capable of academically. Personally I have been slacking a lot more since I have to find time to do school work instead of having set aside time to do work at school.

Nevertheless we are all going through the same thing and we will get through it together as a class and as a nation. My only hope is that during this time people see what really matters in life and that they are grateful for what they have whether it is family, work, or friends. Personally, spending more time with the people I care about has brought us closer together and given us more opportunities for making memories. I believe this time has affirmed how I see my family by showing me we’re all very close and enjoy time that’s spent together.

#Baristasareessential #Classof2020 #graduation #working

S.H. MSHS Class of 2020

The song lyric I had chosen is a lyric that has represented me “I told ‘em, I'm out here grindin’.” These song lyrics were sung by NF which is a popular music artist. The reason I chose these lyrics is because, for the past 10 weeks I have been working on myself a lot and getting myself prepared for the future. What I mean by that is I have been preparing myself physically and mental for my physical test and interview for the Moscow fire department. The reason I'm applying in Moscow is because I will be attending the University of Idaho in the fall, and I am applying for the residence program. The residence program is through the Moscow fire department and if accepted into the program, I will live in the fire station and every 5th day work for the Moscow fire department as a structure fire department and EMT. At the same time I will be attending class at the college and get my bachelors in fire ecology. I have been working out for a few hours and running each day to get myself ready for the physical test and as well as doing multiple mock interviews with my mother and my fire instructors to get ready for my interview.

Meanwhile, I have also been working quite a bit and learning a lot about money. Sitting down with my parents and talking about money. Learning a lot about money has put a different mind set on me and it gave me a drive I thought I didn’t have. In my mind people have always been super against having to do hard labor work as it’s tiring and is time consuming but I’ve been having a lot of time on my hands as getting my school work done Mondays and Tuesdays and working the rest of the week has been a very fun and exciting experience. Yes, I’ve been super tired lately with all of the school work, working, and getting myself ready for the residency program. Yes, it has been very tiring but it’s been a very fun and productive time in my life, as I’ve been making time for friends and doing fun activities with my friends such as fishing, dirt biking, and going up to the lake.

The first few weeks of the quarantine had been super slow moving because nothing was said about school or the states being shut down. I didn’t do much throughout those few weeks as I was waiting to hear about the states being shut down and school so it was slow moving but I had found things to do that were making me feel productive. It was mainly the small things like cleaning around the house a lot and working at my parents shop sweeping the body shop and paint bays.

In conclusion, I am in a way thankful for this because it has made me spend a lot of time working on myself and bettering myself for the future as far as where I am going in the fall and the plans for what I want to study in college.

#Hardwork #Firefighter #self-improvement #working

B.K. Class of 2020

HARDY says in his song Nothin’ Out Here, “All you're gonna find windin' through the country is some middle-of-nowhere folks makin' somethin' outta nothin' out here.” My time in quarantine these past 10 weeks doesn't exist because I didn't live in quarantine these past 10 weeks. It seems as though my life hasn't changed outside of the fact that I don’t have to spend 6 hours a day at school. I still work every day of the week, and I am in contact with the people in my life. I have found that listening to the media and the government will just make your life a waste of time, and if you want to live free the first step is to stop listening to the people trying to control you. Ever since the stay at home order has been issued I have actually spent more of my time away from home than at home. I have been bear hunting every weekend, and even some of the days, each week of quarantine, and I managed to shoot my second bear ever. It is the most peaceful thing when you can’t hear any sounds created by another person and all you see is untouched land for endless miles. I wouldn’t be able to stand sitting in my house counting all the dust particles for 10 weeks straight driving myself crazy. It was the easiest choice to not listen to people who think they matter and listen to what is going to make my life meaningful and worthwhile. I won't go more than 3 days without seeing one of my friends because believe it or not they actually are more fun to see than the walls in my house. I’ve attended at least five bonfires since I left school and haven't gotten as much as a sore throat. I could bet anyone that I will not get coronavirus because it is actually such a small deal that I don't know a single person that has it. I have put myself at a lower risk of getting infected than most staying outside of my house because the data has shown that the people trying to stay inside are the ones who catch the disease most often. I have never taken protecting myself from the disease seriously because the amount of people my age that die from coronavirus is so small, and I don’t have an outstanding health condition like most of the people who have died. My opinion on this stance has only gotten stronger throughout the past 10 weeks. I never have believed in staying at home or that I am in any danger. I pray that people come to realize that this pandemic isn’t something to try and destroy a country and an economy over. I fear for future generations that will think that it is okay for our government to try and take our rights. People deserve the choice to quarantine themselves and shut down their business because this is a free country. I don't own a mask and the government doesn't own me.

#liveyourlife #screwoffgov #friends #working

T. G. MSHS Class of 2020

The nationwide pandemic shutdown has changed millions of lives. Pulling students out of school, causing unemployment rates to spike and causing now, 100,000+ deaths across the nation. While the pandemic has caused troubles for many Americans, it has caused me very little troubles. Before the stay at home order, I was working minimum wage in retail. Due to my hours being cut, I decided to leave for a full-time landscaping job that offered a 20% increase in pay. I empathise with the people affected by COVID-19, especially my fellow classmates because of the environmental change in academics. For instance, with my new job it was hard to adjust with the change from a traditional physical school setting to a weekly cyber course work. It was a difficult change for me but luckily I was able to push through it and make it out the other side. Quarantine actually has been very beneficial to me. While others are struggling with lack of motivation and depression, it has had quite the opposite effect on me, causing me to be more productive for my future. The stay at home order has also helped me connect with my siblings more. It has taught me a lesson about connecting with my loved ones more because you will never know when the next time you will speak to them. Over 100,000 people have passed away due to the virus and it has shown me to appreciate everyone around me. It has also opened my eyes up to how all life is precious and we should not take advantage of that.

This quote by Rob Siltanen has helped me solidify who I am today. It connects with people who struggle with individuality. “Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” During my high school career i've always been shy, this quote helps me understand that its okay to have flaws and be different. I've learned to embrace those ‘flaws’ and to shape them into who I am and who I strive to be. It has made me realize that every person is uniquely special in their own way. Diversity makes the world a more special place. This quote has helped me figure out who I am as a person. It has helped me realize what I want to do later in life. I’ll be going to Spokane Community College to try to pursue my dream of becoming a firefighter

#BeYourself #embracewhoyouare #individuality #working

N.D. MSHS Class of 2020

“I know I can be dramatic, But everybody said we had it. I’m coming to terms with a broken heart. I guess that sometimes good things fall apart” (Illenium & Jon Bellion).

Through these tough, tough times, everyone knows that the class of 2020 has been through a lot. We have lost our senior prom, our senior all nighter, our senior sunset barbecue, and possibly even our graduation. There are some athletes that will never be able to play their sport that they have committed to for 10 plus years without even knowing it has all come to an end. I was one of 7 seniors this year on the softball team. We were supposed to go further in the state tournament than ever before. We came off of a winning fall season, literally winning state. We never played a game this season, and were still ranked 6th in the state. This was our season. Everyone talked about how we were “going to go far” and possibly “win it all”. But unfortunately, “sometimes good things fall apart”.

And that’s where it ends right? That is where all the bad things stop. From here on out, our time will be great. We’re on to college, on to bigger and better things, right? No. Of the 7 seniors, 3 will be moving on to play college softball. However, that may not happen either. This time has changed where I see myself next year and in the future. I was supposed to attend a junior college and play softball for 2 more years. As of last week, my college will be continuing online classes through at least the fall of next year. Therefore, it is very likely for me to be staying home my freshman year of college and not be able to play for that year. Now “I know I can be dramatic”, but through this time I and many others have lost many things; our senior year, memories, jobs, loved ones.

The Mt. Spokane softball team had a huge amount of fans and supporters rooting us on this season, including alums, parents of alums, community supporters, just all around fans of the sport in general. They all have seen us grow up playing together since before middle school and now they have been huge supporters for us through this rough time. Our loved ones, friends and families have all been there for us throughout this journey. There have been moments in time where the seniors have come together to connect to the best of our abilities. On what was supposed to be our senior night, we went around to all of the coaches houses’ and gave them our gifts for what would have been a great season. We painted our car windows and caravan all the way from north Spokane, to downtown, and to Millwood all to see our coaches once again. Hardships have never been more difficult to get past and we are all struggling alongside one another. #lovedones #family #athletics #gocats

E.J. MSHS Class of 2020

“You're not alone, together we stand, I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand.” This quote is by a singer named Avril Lavine, written in 2006. The entire song is about Lavine telling someone that even in tough times, even in tough situations, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and you will reach it. In the beginning of all of this, I didn't know how exactly I was supposed to feel. Was I supposed to be sad? No, that would be selfish considering there are people dying every day from this virus. What about angry, was that okay? No, who was I supposed to be mad at. I was so conflicted with my feelings, and was constantly feeling selfish about them. I so badly wanted to be able to walk across the stage, look my parents in the eye and say “I did it mom.” That was a moment I have waited and looked forward to since I could remember. I could so clearly remember my grandma's scratchy voice telling me “ I gotta stop smoking these cigarettes so I can see my baby graduate.” That is a moment I will never get. Yes, the position that the class of 2020 was put into wasn't ideal . We were supposed to live life as seniors. This song has reminded me that what we are going through is hard right now. Not only in our own lives, but in the world. It's such a terrifying place to be in right now, but it will be okay, and this won't last forever. It reminded me that all chapters close at some point, and even though mine was cut short, I have so much to be grateful for, and I have so much more to look forward to. I know that I will be okay. I know that the class of 2020 will be okay. This time has shown me just how close Mount Spokane is as a whole. There is another lyric in the song that says “With you by my side, I will fight and defend.” This lyric made me think of the bond that us seniors really have. We are all living proof that no matter what goes on in the world, we will come together as one. We are the Wildcats. We have all fought so desperately to understand what is going on in the world, we have shown each other never ending support and love. As the class of 2020, we have proven that even when things dont go as we planned, even when the world around us is crashing down, we will stand together with open hands and with fighting hands. It's really hard to fully wrap my brain around this whole thing. Senior year is a year that every kid looks forward to, every highschool senior is just waiting for the day they walk across the stage in a cap and gown, but at the end of the day, the life that we are living is a life nobody will get to live, and im honestly so grateful for that. We as seniors are so lucky to have the people we have supporting us, we are so lucky to be in the class that has the world on its side. This song has shown me what I have, and how lucky I am. I'm so lucky to have the teachers that I do, supporting me through thick and thick. I'm lucky to know that everything will be okay, because at the end of the day, I will be. This song has taught me to keep my head high, and I hope you can too.

#Headheldhigh #graduation

C.F. MSHS Class of 2020

If you were to ask anyone that has ever taught or been in a class with me during my time at Mt. Spokane to describe me, they would likely describe me as the class clown. Well, they would all be right, and I always felt that being the class clown was fun. I have always fallen back on a few mottos which have fueled my class clown personality, one being to always go with your gut, and the other being to always exude confidence, even if it’s completely fake. I know right, very original mottos. I think that most people would agree that these aren't bad mottos in and of themselves. However in the hands of my extremely literal self these mottos morphed into something else. Most people know that I have had relatively terrible grades in school most of my life. If you are a teacher i've had over the years or someone relatively close to me then you’d know that this has been a deeply rooted issue for me ever since the first grade, I've always had issues with authority, getting me into more than my fair share of trouble, and I had always gotten bad grades as a result of regarding school as a giant hoop to jump through. Unfortunately for me I kept up these acts of rebellion, and general disregard for my own future until my senior year. I even went to summer school two years in a row at Mt. Spokane, and my average GPA for my first three years of highschool was a 2.4. Not your typical AP student. But my senior year I came to understand that I had to undo 11 years of bad habits regarding school. Thats right, no more cracking joes in class during work time, or doing stupid stuff on school sanctioned trips for fear of getting in trouble (something new for me). Guess what, I did it, for the first time in my life I got good grades in all of my classes, and maintained them for longer than the first month of school. I was jumping through the hoops. At first this was pretty cool, because I got to see that I could do just as good in school as anyone else, something I had lied to myself about for years. But I knew deep down I couldn’t keep it up. Then the second semester rolled around, and I had ended first semester with a 3.87 GPA. I wanted more, but I also didn’t at all. Part of me wanted nothing but for me to stop trying. The grades were showing through but so were the changes in me. My entire personality changed, and I was completely spent from focusing on nothing but school. I didn’t like anything about the new me other than the grades I got. I often thought about reverting to my mottos, but I knew if I did I may not graduate. So I decided that I could just suffer for another semester and then be the class clown again. I was successful, I continued to get good grades, but it wasn't worth it. The only way that I'd ever attempt 4.0’s for my entire highschool career is if I was either an actual genius and it was just easy for me, or if I wanted to get into an ivy league school. The truth is good grades are nice and it's definitely beneficial to get good grades. However, contrary to what many will tell you, grades are not everything. These weeks off from school have given me ample time to postulate and i’ve come to the conclusion that If you are changing who you are for a stupid number, and being constantly stressed out and controlled by that little numbers minor fluctuations, you are doing things wrong. Don’t throw anything away, but don’t wear yourself out completely either. Whatever you do, never change who you are for that stupid number. You are more than your grades. Don’t let them define you.

#Perspective #GPA #senioryear

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

It’s crazy how on June 13, 2019, we were still juniors when the day started, but by the end of the day, we became seniors. It’s crazy how on September 3, 2019, some of us had our last first day of school. It’s crazy how on October 3, 2019, it was our last time dancing to mediocre music in the commons. It’s crazy how on March 16, 2020, it was our last day of school, and we didn’t even know it at the time. It’s crazy how on May 5, 2020, we picked up our caps and gowns for a graduation that we might not even have. It’s crazy how on June 1, 2020, instead of celebrating our final days of school, we will be in our childhood bedrooms reading our fellow classmates’ personal narratives.

When it was announced that schools will be closed for the rest of the school year, I was sad, confused, angry, all of the emotions that followed along with “my life is over.” I was truly unmotivated to do anything. I was stressed about college, my parents were home and that drove me crazy, and I had watched an unhealthy amount of the High School Musical series and I might have cried watching the third movie. Being stuck at home while watching a movie about teenagers enjoying their senior year has made me realize that I have spent so much of my high school experience stressing over the littlest things. All those times where I had mental breakdowns over socratic seminars, when I was so hard on myself for not understanding math, or when I cried myself to sleep for a week because I got waitlisted by UW. Those moments don’t matter anymore because your senior year of high school is so much more than that. It is a time where one can cheer on their football team for the last time. It is a time where one can compete for their school for the last time. It is a time where one can have fun at their last homecoming. It is also the time where one can say their final goodbyes to the people who they have known since middle school.

On June 5, 2020, we will have a virtual graduation where all of our faces will be broadcasted on our TVs. After that day some will go straight into the workforce, some will head off to join the military, and some will start school at a university this upcoming fall. On September 6, 2016, we started this crazy journey that is high school, and we are going to end it together.

#School #Self #senioryear

Anonymous MSHS Class of 2020

Satin falling down from my chest, skimming the floor with its innocence--mascara beginning to pool at the outer corners of my eyes, trickling down--staining the once clean satin gown with the tears of my own fragility and discontempt with the dress that hugs me at my waist. “C’est pas compliqué d'être heureux”--It isn’t complicated to be happy.

The dress that transformed me into a princess, radiating confidence as I spoke and strutted around my room--yet only to be folded up and laid over my chair once again, never to be danced in besides in my own room. Lyrics of false happiness and superficiality pouring out of my radio. “Le spleen n’est plus à la mode, c’est pas compliqué d'être heureux”... over and over again in my ears, decorated with gold and pearls that will never see the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. It’s not that complicated to be happy… I sat there in my dress and ruined makeup--invalidating my emotions with the ideas of superficial happiness that I’m forced to show. Why should I have any right to be hurting during this time, crying over a satin dress? “C’est pas compliqué d'être heureux”--It isn’t complicated to be happy.. Just don’t feel it. It’s that easy. Just forget about it. You're fine. Yet, gazing at the crumbled up satin that betrayed me on my floor brought a feeling of unhappiness in me.

If it’s so easy to be happy, why aren’t I? I feel heartbroken over a dress that I’ll never wear to the dance I didn’t even want to attend. My pearls cut my neck, bringing physical pain to the emotional one that I tried to ignore. The satin, crumpled into a heap of ugliness on my floor that only reminded me of my lack of control. The dress was the only thing that kept me feeling human at that point. Dolling myself in blusher and pearls, pretending to dance with my dog at midnight with earbuds in--to be sure not to wake the rest of the sleeping house. “C’est pas compliqué d'être heureux” I sang under my breath as my satin brushed the floor. Be happy, lovely. The beauty of the French dialect only reminded me of how unbeautiful I felt at that very moment. Mascara stains in the creases of the delicate fabric, abrasions on my neck from the pearls, suffocating hug of the satin on my waist. All that was once beautiful felt anything but that as it hung from my body. “You’re fine. You’re being too dramatic. Grow up. C’est pas compliqué d'être heureux,” I thought as my mind was in endless circles of guilt and sorrow. Guilt for feeling unhappy when I am so incredibly lucky to be safe and healthy. Guilt for crying over a piece of expensive fabric. Guilt for not being happy.

The satin continued to hug me, both tightly yet lovingly. Angry at myself for my unhappiness, disapproving of my greed for wanting to wear that dress, I gave up trying to fight my sadness, because right now, c’est bon de ne pas être heureux--It is okay to not be happy.

#Contentment #Prom #senioryear

I.C. MSHS Class of 2020

I hit the gym everyday after school for the entire winter. I worked hard to be the type of softball player Mt. Spokane high school needed. The first day of practice finally came, and I was so ready to step on the dirt again. It was the perfect year with no snow or rain. A week into practice, spring sports were suspended, and an hour after that, school was called. This was tough to understand but I knew it was for the best. They said we would be back April 16th, and we could continue our softball season. I knew if I kept my eye on that prize I would be okay. April was challenging to get through. Something I cared about and focused on so hard was ripped away from me and I couldn’t do anything about it. School was over too and I couldn’t do anything about that either. I made the best of friends through softball. Getting to see them everyday was my highlight. They always kept me smiling, nevertheless within hours that paradise was gone. No more jokes at practice, no more team bonding, and not even a high five. My happy place was gone. I tried to focus on graduation. As long as I made it to graduation and the senior all nighter I would be fine. I would be able to see my classmates once more before we all split directions. As the weeks went on I did my best to stay busy. I tried picking up a new hobby and watching a new Netflix series, but nothing could keep my mind off graduation. Walking across that stage, hoping I don’t trip, and giving Mr. Nelson a big hug at the end. I always dreamt of throwing my cap up because I did it, I graduated. But that wasn’t the truth, I haven't graduated yet, and I didn’t get my last semester of high school. This spring was supposed to be filled with the “best” of high school. It was supposed to be the end of a very long journey. It was supposed to be celebrated. I never believed COVID-19 would take away my high school experience. But the fact is, it did and I needed to realize that. I kept pushing off the thought hoping it wasn’t real. But the day finally came when it all sunk in. It hurt, let me tell you. I worked so hard for this and it was taken straight from my hands. I did nothing wrong and yet it was still gone. Many tears were shed and long sleepless nights were obtained. Everyone would say, “Don’t worry every senior is going through the same thing as you” yet I didn’t care about everyone else. I couldn’t get over the fact that I lost my chance. That right there was the hardest part- moving on. Understanding that I would be fine and that everything would work out, and the truth is I still haven't moved on. I lost a big part of growing up and that takes time to get over. But I do know that this will make me a stronger person. I am a part of the 2020 class that lost their senior year to Corona.

#MtSpo #Corona #gocats #senioryear

K.M. MSHS Class of 2020

The last 10 weeks have been anything but ordinary. As a matter of fact, all of 2020 so far has been strange. Form threats of another world war, the death of public figures, the coronavirus, and now murder hornets. People around the world are having to find their new normal. A quote that has had an impact on me is “Social distancing means together apart”- Unknown. What this means to me is that in a time where we are required to stay home and keep physical distance from each other, it has never been more important to be surrounded by those you love.

Before the coronavirus, if I wanted to hang out with friends, it was pretty easy. I would go to school and see them on a regular basis. After school, I would go to football practice or some sort of workout and see them again. On weekends, I would go to lunch with a small group or simply just hang out at their houses. Now, I can’t do any of that. Schools are closed and sporting events are not taking place for the foreseeable future. Restaurants have been closed but are now finally beginning to slowly reopen. To stay connected with those I care about, I have been much more active on social media. It allows me to communicate with them and also see what’s going on in their lives. Group chats have also been a great way to socialize. The other thing that has been helpful, even though I haven’t been able to attend them as much as I'd like to, is the zoom meetings. Even though the majority of the time I am at work, I like to sit in on the ones that I can make it to.

I knew pretty early on what I wanted to do after high school. Next year, I will be attending Whitworth University. I will be studying pre-med and health science, as well as playing football. After Whitworth, I hope to get into medical school and become a Sports Physician. As somebody who grew up playing multiple sports, I’ve had my fair share of injuries, and I’ve had to see more doctors than I can count. Being able to give some of that back is something that is very important to me, and something that I look forward to being able to do. Living through the coronavirus has sort of reinforced that for me, because it is times like these that remind me how important it is to help others in need.

The biggest thing I have learned is not to take things for granted. Small things that were part of my daily routine became things I found myself wishing I could do again. I believe that having a new appreciation for the little things will help me be a better person in the future.

#Appreciation #Sports #gocats

T.D. MSHS Class of 2020

“As we go on, we remember, all the times we spent together.” This is a line in the song Graduation by Juice WRLD. It has been especially meaningful to me in this time because I haven’t been quite sure how to feel about me being almost out of school. I was excited to be out in the world, but at the same time I knew I would miss it as soon as I was out. I knew that I would miss all of my friends I’ve made at school that were going different directions than I was. The end of school for me came quicker than I expected with the closure of schools, and even though we continue learning through online classes, it definitely isn’t the same as being in a classroom surrounded by classmates. For me there is no closure for my school experience. I went through years of hard work, and not being able to have a traditional graduation or experience the last few weeks of school makes it feel like I haven’t accomplished anything. Missing out on things as simple as the senior all nighter and more important events like senior breakfast, prom, and most of all graduation leaves a feeling of emptiness. The time away from school has put a lot into perspective for me, especially where I saw myself going next year and in the future. At first, I wasn’t putting a lot of thought into it because I was just looking forward to graduating and starting a new chapter in my life. I saw myself possibly going to college, but most likely taking a year off to maybe figure it out and trade school was my backup plan. After having the time to really put thought into it and considering all my possibilities, I have been leaning towards working with my dad for a year to save up enough money for college. At first college was not a super big possibility in my eyes, but I really changed my perspective about what I want the rest of my life to look like and realized the actions I make now will have a big impact on how the rest of my life plays out. I've come to appreciate all of the time and hard work my teachers have put in to get me to where I am today, and I am thankful for the memories that Mt. Spokane has given me. Mt. Spokane has taught me a lot, especially the importance of being kind to everyone. Thankyou for helping me become the person I am today.

#Perspective #kindness #senioryear

D.S. MSHS Class of 2020

“Just a couple kids with a big dream, But look at us now, look at us now.” (Dylan Scott). Two months ago that was me alongside all of my classmates. We were all kids with big dreams. Most of us were in the career center with Mr. Cowart planning our futures and what was next in our lives. Some of us didn’t know what we wanted to do, we just enjoyed coming to school, and some of us may have only wanted to come to school to see our friends. Little did we know, on March 17th it would be the last time walking down the hallways seeing our friends and even the people we would never hang out with outside of school. Only to come and find out that one sickness would ruin our highschool experience and even impact our dreams. This time has been really hard for me because school sports have been cancelled, there has been a hold on everybody’s education and on top of that I had to turn in my firefighting gear and say goodbye to all my friends. With that being said I still looked on the bright side, I have been helping my family more around the house and I told myself that this pandemic will blow over and I will still be participating in Lineman school in the Fall. Only to realize I had spoken too soon, a few weeks after the stay at home order was extended I received an email from the director of SCC saying all courses were shut down until next fall. I was really bummed to hear this news but everything always happens for a reason and soon we will be back to normal as long as everyone follows the stay at home order and washes their hands. I think this is a good learning experience for all of us and shows us all that we are in this together as a society and need to be there for eachother during desperate times. This time has also impacted my dad because he works construction and his business got shut down for two weeks. Although all these bad things have been happening I am blessed to be able to still work a full time job and have as much hours as I want during this time we are out of school. I have realized that we need to stay calm in these times and realize everyone is in this together. I have realized how valuable supplies are to us and that at some points we could be limited in resources. One thing I have taken away from this experience is that you can always make money but you can’t always make memories. #Toiletpaperisessential #Memories #woking #senioryear

C.S. MSHS Class of 2020

today, i graduated.

I wish I could look you in the eyes and tell you that i’m excited.

Y’know, maybe if things had turned out normal then i might’ve

But instead 4 years has led to 4 months in my house.

I know i shouldn’t be upset

Because of course, people are dying, and that’s what we SHOULD be worried about.

But dammit, i want to be selfish right now

I wanted to walk across that stage and give a bow

I wanted to celebrate with my friends, the fact that we’d come to an end

Y’know we worked hard, cried hard, and studied hard for this day

Yet it’s ripped away like the same way my heartstrings are torn

What do you want me to say?

Do you want me to put on a smile and say, “we did it’?

Or can i just admit that i’m upset?

And i don’t want to repeat myself and sound oversaturated

But..

Hey

At least i graduated.

This poem I heard on tik tok that Ethan Jewell wrote really expresses how I’m feeling right now. So many opportunities and milestones were just stripped away from us. In a way I feel like no one truly cares. I’m sure people feel sad but some just think we are being selfish.

How would you feel if you never got to ACTUALLY walk across that stage and receive your diploma? What about the senior breakfast that I was looking forward to since I was in the fourth grade and we made time capsule videos to our future selves? Or what about the fact that these last 3 months that I got to spend with my peers in school is just gone and I will never get it back? What about all of the seniors who play spring sports that put hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears into their sport only to have that final season end before it even got started? The school tried to make us feel missed by giving us an impersonalized sign to stick in the front yard that no one will see because we are locked in our homes. They say we will get recognized at a virtual graduation on SWX, but I don’t think I even have that channel. None of this makes sense. Why did the class of 2020 have to go through this? Why we will never remember our senior year as a huge celebration, but rather just us going mad alone in our homes. The more time I spend isolated the more I overthink. I just wish this could be over and we could have things return to normal. This not only affects me but affects my family. Luckily both my parents are able to still work but what about all the small businesses that have spent countless hours starting and running a business just to not be allowed to make a living wage for 4 months. How will our economy look? I also feel that Jay Inslee is, yes protecting our state, but how much more is he expecting us to do? All he seems to do is continue to extend the deadline. I haven’t heard his sympathy for the high school and college seniors. I know people are dying and that is more important but would it kill him to at least acknowledge the seniors who are missing out on a huge milestone? Corona has ripped many many experiences from me that I will never get back. I hope this will end soon and then me and my fellow classmates of 2020 will receive the in person celebrations that we all so greatly deserve.

#senioryear #graduation

A. B. MSHS Class of 2020

“Give me a second ay, I need to get my story straight” This is a song quote from the song ‘We Are Young’ By Fun. This quote really shows how this time has changed me as a person, I chose this quote because this time is really going to be a story in the future, and I feel like the question of “What happened during Corona” is going to come up a lot in the near future. This quarantine is changing me, because it really shows how much the people in my life mean to me, being away from them is a very hard situation to be in, and it really brings out the loving person I am. I found out that my friends and family mean way more than I actually viewed them before quarantine.

The story of quarantine and corona will definitely take longer than a couple seconds to talk about. I have figured myself out during this quarantine. Many ups and downs during quarantine. I know how to deal with my heart well, because I had to deal with a break up during this quarantine, it really showed me how easy things can end. To cope with things like this I used my friends. My friends helped me, and I have been having a blast seeing my friends. Corona isn't a very big obstacle for my friends and I, Because the things that we love to do have not changed.

One big thing that hasn't only changed me, but also changed every senior in the country, is graduation. We are not able to experience the same graduation as every single other graduating class has experienced. All seniors have been affected by this, we don't get to walk down the stage, to acquire our diploma. We are not able to take a girl or boy to prom. We are not able to experience our senior all nighter, and win all these special prizes in person, instead of doing a senior all nighter, we are doing raffles online for various prizes. And for our graduation? Oh, we are also doing that online, through a new station, we are having all the names of 2020 graduates announced, People are not very happy with the way they are doing this. Graduation is one of the biggest days in a person's life, and the class of 2020 is getting the special time of walking down the stage to grab our diploma and shake our principles hand, taken away from us because of the coronavirus. My parents are also hurt by the Covid-19 Pandemic, because they can't watch their first born walk down the stage.

The future story of the Coronavirus is going to have a very bumpy and hard time to talk about, especially to us graduates. We are the first ever graduating class to experience something like this, and it is horrible. Me and all my friends were so excited for this senior year, because we were the top dogs in the school. We were super excited to plan out the senior prank. But I guess corona is a very long prank that won't end anytime soon.

#SeniorClassIsOverParty #Graduation

D.G. MSHS Class of 2020

“Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or walk around it.”- Michael Jordan

Everyone has their problems. This is not a secret and nobody is special, for we all deal with something in our life eventually. What really matters is how someone deals with an obstacle. Some may break under the pressure, and some may break through and accomplish. How one deals with an issue is really character defining for most people and shows what kind of thought process he or she might have. In my life I have faced many obstacles, and I am sure to face more later on. These obstacles were and will be mild or groundbreaking, but each one will and has done and will do its part in building me up and making me stronger. A hardship is never easy, and the ones I face always take much effort, but if I really go at it I can overcome it. In more recent times, we have the CoronaVirus. It’s a pandemic that is sweeping the world, and it has hit me hard as a member of the Class of 2020. I’m a senior, and this is my graduation year. When I stepped into school on the first day, I felt ready to try and live it up as much as possible before high school ended. I wanted to get every last ounce of enjoyment I could out of these last high school days. By the time March rolled around, I could see it was ending soon. I had already made a lot of my time worth the while and I was ready to make the most out of my final few months. Then, the pandemic hit. I knew it was out there ever since it was announced, but I didn’t really expect this. I had some teachers and classmates joking about it a few weeks before we shut down. It didn’t feel great to me losing months of school before the return in April, but I had to overcome and make the most out of it. A few months later and we never went back to school. COVID 19 got worse, and schools are now closed for the year and currently schooling online. This made the situation worse knowing that those experiences were going to be cut short. I feel terrible about it, but I know I can't let this stop me. I’m not finished yet, and if I let this all get to my head It’ll just feed the negative energy. I am pushing through and am getting ready for the rest of my year.

This time has helped me to strengthen a lot of relationships with my family, as I am around them more often now and have had to learn to deal with that lifestyle again after being in and out of the house for so long, and it has helped me to work on self improvement for myself, as I now have a very well regulated exercise routine and am now able to start moving on to the next step of life at a quicker pace. It will have an impact on my future, because I do not doubt that some plans I previously made for myself this year and later on will take some impact due to the virus unless things change. But nevertheless, the goals I have in place, my personal goals such as moving into the Spokane area and focusing on working during the summer and making money still remain. I plan to pursue my short term goals and work towards my long term goals.. Examples for me would be earning money, working on athletics/sports, and learning the spanish language. I am working towards my long term goals such as pursuing my interests in cinematography. I am hoping to make a name for myself this summer by putting myself out into the world more. COVID isn’t changing these any time soon, and I will accomplish these within the means of health and safety. I will always remember this time in my life for this unexpected event and the impact that I personally took from it, and I’ll remember the pandemic and the toll it took on the world. It will most definitely leave a mark on my memory. People will always remember the class of 2020 for the strength we had and for what we went through. We are a part of history.

#PushingThrough #HurdlingObstacles #perseverance #futurefocused #senioryear

J. N. MSHS Class of 2020

Last year, I sat next to the graduation stage listening to one of the speakers talking about how Mr. Morris taught them that darkness was just the absence of light and that Mr. Schuerman taught them that probability doesn't have memory. Which, don't get me wrong, was beautiful and clearly left an impression on me; although that is not at all what resonated with me from either of those classes. If nothing else, Morris taught me that on Thanksgiving when given any sort of food option, you always, and I mean always, pick both. Schuerm reminded me that he is not in fact God, just my math teacher, everytime I whispered, “oh my God” under my breath.

But that's the important stuff right? I'm sure that at some point in my future career I'll run into a situation where the quadratic formula or pythagorean theorem will save the day, but until then I will always consider the relationships I made in high school much more important than the curriculum. Because it wasn't “To Kill a Mockingbird” that inspired me to run for Vice President, just like it wasn't Mr. Nelson's love for breaking up grinding circles at dances that made him want to be a high school principal. It’s the love for the people around us. It's building relationships and wanting to make life for the ones around us just a little bit easier.

Almost three months ago we were told that we could no longer go to school, play sports, or basically do anything that involved being around other people. We quickly learned our education was deemed “essential.” Suddenly all that mattered was trying to keep in contact with your friends even though we couldn’t actually see them. And I'm not saying our teachers didn't do an amazing job trying to continue to teach us because they did, but honestly, did you join every Zoom to learn or to see your teachers and classmates for a few minutes?

Never underestimate the power of a relationship. Regardless of if you noticed it or not, we got through high school together. Through all the drama and stress and even the weird hormones, we did it leaning on the people who we felt “got” us. And, of course, we never thought it was all going to end like this. But guess what? We are pushing through that together too. We will forever mean much more to each other than a math equation or book ever will. #relationships #gocats

K. P. MSHS Class of 2020

It's wisdom that will put all the inevitable failures and rejections and disappointments and heartbreaks into perspective. So even in the hardest times it’s good to keep an open mind on the possibilities that will come from it. Even though it may seem miserable at the moment, it’s only going to be temporary. This is how I’ve approached the ending to my senior year, at first I was very disappointed but I’ve come to terms with it now. Of course I wish it could’ve been different because I’ve always been looking forward to the end of senior year and my last highschool season of track and field. I didn’t think of this ever happening when the news of coronavirus first aired, I just thought it would blow over. It wasn’t until I came to school the Thursday before everything got cancelled. I was at a track meeting and we had just got the news that our upcoming track meets were going to be postponed, which turned into being postponed indefinitely. Saying I was in shock would be an understatement. I’d been training and looking forward to my senior season for as long as I could remember, and I had a lot on the line. Once I learned that all was coming to an end I couldn’t get myself to even go to school for the last two days we had, I was in complete denial of what was happening around us. The only hope we could hold on to was the fact that we may still return to school, and that almost made it worse when we all had to find out it wasn’t going to happen. After hearing about the fact that we lost our prom, senior prank, senior sunset, in person graduation, and the lasting memories we were about to make, it was like a punch to the gut. Who would’ve known this was going to happen, especially during our senior year. It’s been something we’ve been waiting for, for as long as I can remember. So I think the main issue that I’ve had to eventually come to terms with is that I would have received a scholarship for track if I had the chance to compete. But instead of thinking of the negative side I realized I will have to work my hardest to walk on to a college team. Along with graduation and all the other fun events, I know that our school is working the best that they can to give us a memorable senior year and I love that they care so much about our class. And our class will be remembered for so long because of the hard times we had to face. So yes it does suck that we didn't get to finish out our year, but the amount of love and support we have received makes it so much better. We will get to see our friends again and make lasting memories again, and we will definitely cherish the little things in the future. Things will never be taken for granted after all of this. So if you stay thinking about the bad that's happening around you then you will never get a chance to experience the good. Think positive and go cats!

#gocats #staypositive #senioryear

J.L. MSHS Class of 2020

“A negative mind will never lead to a positive life“ during these past 10 weeks, this quote has really resonated with me. The past 10 weeks has been the time in my life where I’ve struggled the most, whether that be financially, physically, emotionally or more. Though even as I’m struggling through all these hardships, I’ve learned to lead a positive mindset through the people I've surrounded myself with. My true friends and my mom and sister have truly helped me escape from The true hardships that I’m facing in my day-to-day life.

Even though my family is being more and more broken every day, I can truly trust my mom and my sister, they have been supportive of my every decision And truly love me. My mom helped me realize that money is in everything and even though I’m struggling financially currently, it won’t last forever. My four-year-old sister has helped me realize that there’s more to life than I can understand, her innocence and true joy that she finds anything motivated throughout this pandemic. To her, she doesn’t seem like an empty paper towel roll, she sees a sword. She makes a bad situation fun and enjoyable. When seeing her innocence and light, you can’t help but to laugh and smile. She helps get rid of the gloom that plagues my life during this pandemic. I’m truly thankful to have these people in my life, because they help me realize that without a positive mindset, I’m not going anywhere.

This quote resonated with me when I think of my friends. A negative mind will never lead to a positive life. In life, it’s difficult to express emotions and true feelings. Though I am monumentally lucky to have friends that truly care for me. The people I surround myself with have allowed me to truly express my emotions and not keep them bottled up. This has helped me keep a positive mindset, instead of the negative in which I’ve lived for a long time. These people have truly helped me open my eyes to the world and realize that the struggles will not persist forever. This is done with deep conversations while playing dumb games, or phone calls at midnight when I can’t get sleep. I am truly lucky to have the people I have in my life, because without them these raw emotions of anger, dread, sadness would stay bottled up inside.

These past 10 weeks have helped me truly realize who I have surrounded myself with and why I truly love them. I’m thankful for my mom and my sister for always being there and lifting my moods. I am monumentally lucky to have my friends who allow me to express how I feel and show my true emotions to. Without the people that I surround myself with I wouldn’t truly be happy, I would shroud my life with negativity, because my mindset would be negative. I’m truly lucky that they have decided to stay in my life.

#Mindset #Positivity #staypositive

B.C. MSHS Class of 2020

Times of great trial have a tendency to leave us with a certain battle-hardened experience that shape our decisions and thought processes for the rest of our lives. The scars of the Great Depression led the “Greatest Generation” to tuck away wads of cash in socks and under the floorboards. Times of hardship leave us weary and aged beyond our years, casting a wary eye on the good things presented to us. On a song from his newly released album Let the Ground Rest, Chris Renzema sings, “We’ve grown older than our God.” The aching lament echoes the creaking of bones far too young and wrinkles on too-new skin worn down by the adversity presented to all of us by this life. Yet it also admonishes us against the aging of our hearts, decrying the loss of childlike hope, joy, and faith. Our hearts have grown too old to dance with our God, while He beckons us to join Him in His eternal youth.

As I listened to this song and reflected on its lyrics, I was struck by its paradoxical yet resonating message. I had felt the weight of aging myself as each night my dad came home with more bad news and discouragement about the world and the struggle of his business and I felt a weight heaped upon my shoulders. There was no joy in all this, God! Only heaviness. But when I heard this song, a realization dawned on me. A child makes joy where he goes. He doesn’t wait for joy to come to him, ushered by his circumstances. He takes what he’s given and makes joy out of it. I have been to some of the poorest parts of the world, among the mountain villages of Nepal and the slums of inland Guatemalan towns. I have been to places in the world that cannot be more different from each other. But among them all there is one constant: smiling children. Their beaming faces are a foreign language to us. How can they have joy in the squalor of their circumstance? Joy is an inseparable part of a child, but we seem to undergo a mitosis as we age that separates ourselves from it. All this floated through my mind in five minutes and seven seconds until the song ended.

I realized that joy need not be a thing that comes and goes with the tide. I can choose it. I may not be a child anymore, but I don’t need to be old. So I have strived and continue to strive to create brightness in a season of gloom. From making music to playing games with my family, there is always a way that I can choose to bring joy with me. I’ve found that it’s not often the easy thing to do, but joy is its own reward in any circumstance.

#Faith #ChooseJoy #staypositive

D.G. MSHS Class of 2020

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1) Faith. God or religion is associated with the word, and although that is true, faith is different to every person. In the recent weeks, I have been given the opportunity to rediscover what faith is to me, by taking time to myself while all of my friends are stuck in their homes.

Like most teenagers at this time, I have fallen ill to NBS. Netflix Binge-watching Syndrome. Symptoms include laziness, lack of motivation, and a severe attraction to time wasting movies on any streaming service from Disney plus to Netflix. After wrapping up a Star Wars marathon, I feel like I need to find something new to watch. So I reopen the Netflix app and browse the “newly added” section for the 3rd time this week. Although I am beginning to feel apathetic about finding anything different this time around, I scroll through anyway, just trying to pass the time. However, as I am scrolling through, one movie catches my eye: God’s not Dead. Normally, I’m a big fan of action/ fantasy movies, but for some reason, I am compelled to watch this movie about a college student, advocating for God’s existence to his secular college philosophy class. The entire movie resparked what it meant to me to have a relationship with God, but one line sticks out to me the most. “God is good all of the time, and all of the time God is good.” I took that line to heart, and I came to a realization; although the whole world is shut down, and my senior year is left in ruins, God will never stop being perfect, and His plan for our world will reveal itself in time. While many teenagers are struggling to find happiness in this time from a lack of social interaction, I found happiness within myself, and I felt compelled to share it. The way that I chose to share my newfound happiness was through posting a verse from the Bible everyday on social media. My hope is that my friends see what I have posted, and that they can discover who they truly are in the image of God too. I made this a daily habit, and kept myself accountable by reminding myself that sharing verses was not an act for myself, but for everyone who sees what I post. From staying stuck in my house over the past 10 weeks, I have discovered the meaning of faith for myself–loving God, by first loving myself. Upon further reflection, I realized that it was no coincidence that I stumbled across God’s not Dead on Netflix. God called to me while I was browsing, and thankfully, I listened. Most people may not have the luxury of a positive influence towards God in their lives, and with that epiphany, I now live by Jesus’s words in the Gospel according to Matthew 10:32, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”

#Faith #ChooseJoy #staypositive

K.F. MSHS Class of 2020

“We are, or will be, going through the most radical transformation the world has ever seen; people are justly terrified, excited, depressed, heartbroken and hopeful, all at once.”

― Heather Marsh, The Creation of Me, Them and Us

How has this time changed where you saw yourself going next year and in the future?

This whole pandemic has changed me, because I was going to possibly be going to college this year. I wanted to try and start college. I was excited to go. To be completely honest, covid-19 really screwed up my senior and year for me and as well as every other senior out there. We were going to graduate, go to prom, do all this fun senior stuff that every other senior has been able to do… now we can’t. We can’t go to prom and we can’t graduate properly because of covid-19. But I am staying strong, I am trying my absolute best to get through it. This whole pandemic has been depressing, I miss going to school, I miss my teachers, and I miss my friends. I found another quote that encapsulates for what is going on. Also, this quote hopefully would be true and that people would end up doing this kind of thing when the pandemic ends.

“We have a chance to do something extraordinary. As we head out of this pandemic we can change the world. Create a world of love. A world where we are kind to each other. A world where we are kind no matter what class, race, sexual orientation, what religion or lack of or what job we have. A world we don't judge those at the food bank because that may be us if things were just slightly different. Let love and kindness be our roadmap.”

― Johnny Corn

How has this time changed you and your family?

Me and my family are doing just fine. This whole panemic hasn’t really impacted us in any way. I still go back and forth to my Mother’s and back to my Father’s. I, to be honest, haven’t been doing the greatest. I’ll have these episodes where I'll hate everything and just be depressed; it doesn’t get too bad. One thing I just hate is the ignorant and selfish type of people. I really just wish people would listen and stay inside and stop trying to spread the virus to literally everyone because they want to be outside.

There will be a day when everyone around us will learn that this whole pandemic was a test for how we would treat each other. There are still some people out there who want to protest, just because they want to be outside. There are some places slowly opening back up, and some small places/businesses that will be shut down forever because the government won’t have enough money to give to everyone, and it sucks, it really sucks. But for everyone out there, be strong, stay healthy and be positive. And remember to wash your hands and social distance yourselves from others. Everything will be okay… I promise.

#Wildcat #BeStrong #StayPositive

P.T. MSHS Class of 2020

“A heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved” this quote comes from Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran a song that tells the story of losing his grandmother, but instead of feeling sad for himself he is happy with the idea that she is being welcomed back into heaven where she belongs.

His song has taught me not to focus so much on the negatives of losing or leaving behind someone, but rather focus on the positive time that I did get to have with those that I cherish. Whether it’s family, friends, or a relationship we will always experience horrible things that will make us want to quit or give up, but it’s important to remember that there are people that will always love us for who we are, some will stay with us forever and some will be left to live in our memories. I’ve learned that not everyone that I love will be there for me when I fall down, and before this quarantine had started I thought that I had everything all figured out, the only thing left to do was follow the steps that I had all laid out for myself. I had no reason to depend on someone if I did fall.But once we started the quarantine, I became aware of the fact that we can plan our futures and it could all go our way. But life isn’t always that fair to us. I've realized that I need to be able to adapt, and learn, I need to be able to handle whatever life has to throw at me for better or for worse. That means that even though I’m not with my friends and teachers during this quarantine I can still use the memories that I have made with them to help live a better life, and sure, I honestly have no idea where my future is heading, but I know where I want to go, and as long as I have people supporting me through that path, I know that I can get there.

Another quote that has inspired me not only in this quarantine but also throughout life is, “a strong man stands up for himself, a stronger man stands up for others.” This is a quote from my favorite childhood movie Barnyard, if you haven’t seen it I am sorry for the poor choices you have made. One of the characters believed strongly in the fact that those with strength should use it to protect those without. Growing up I could never truly say I embodied this ideology, but it was always something that I admired in others.

These past 10 weeks have been stressful for everyone around the world and really tested our patience, but I think we all need to be reminded that we need to keep fighting because no matter how small the deed it’s the thought behind it that counts. #positive #staypositive

D. B. MSHS Class of 2020