Camryn Church, Junior

We are more than a week into the four-week break from school, and so far I have been keeping somewhat busy. I know some of my friend’s parents won’t let them out of the house, and I’m really grateful that mine aren’t locking me up like Princess Fiona in “Shrek.” I trust my mom’s judgment–she’s an RN–and while I’m not usually able to go to the store or anything else of that sort, I am able to have friends over, or go to other friends’ houses. Of course, we’re keeping the number of people in our house below ten. 

It’s really easy for me to get cabin fever, and I’ve experienced some this week, but I try to find something to do outside, like go see our dog, or hang laundry. Tuesday was probably the most “stir crazy” day, and I ended up deep-cleaning my room, which was relieving to say the least. I don’t usually have a problem with finding something to do during the day. The nighttime is a different beast. I have found that in the hours between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. is when I tend to eat the most, finding nothing else worth my time besides TikTok. The most exciting thing when waking up is the emails that Mrs. McKay sends out almost every day, giving us an update and words of encouragement. I really appreciated the rendition of “Lean on Me.”

It sucks that we don’t have school, and for some, it’s nice not having school, but I can’t think of anything else to do besides learn. This break has made me realize how much I enjoy my classes, even if I’m not the best in each subject. I miss Ms. Hayden’s “math magic” and I miss seeing my journalism peeps on the daily. I’m also missing the spring break Florida trip many band and choir members were hoping to attend. 

Knowing that we still have a long way to go until these four weeks are up, I have made a few plans to keep me from going off the deep end. I haven’t had curtains in my room since we repainted a few years ago, and I was planning on ordering some curtain rods on Amazon and putting those up, along with maybe touching up my room paint in certain areas. My brother Connor and I have also started playing the Wii together recently, and I hope to keep the family bonding going.

Molly McFadden, Junior

I have three younger brothers. While other high school students are complaining of boredom, I’m running after a bunch of crazy kids. Imagine being five years old and thrown out of your schedule completely. You suddenly have no school, no recess, and no time with your friends. You also are stuck at home with your sister who is really bad at playing the oboe, but constantly plays it anyways.

Now imagine being 16 and trying to process what is going on in the world. Sitting at home and watching your musical get cancelled, your trip to Florida–that you worked all summer for–gets postponed, and eventually school gets shut down as well. Trying to practice self-care and organize your thoughts is pretty difficult with five year olds running around the house screaming.

Through all of this chaos, I am using my time to work on myself. Each day I make time to read and journal. I have also been staying connected with others through social media and by sending letters. Although this time is stressful and everything can seem dull, I have hope in God’s plan and I know we will get through this. I am thankful for the opportunity to take a step back from my busy schedule and appreciate everything that I am gifted with.

The adults in our community have been going out of their way to make sure the children in Atlantic don’t lose their marbles. Like Camryn said, Mrs. McKay’s daily emails and our teachers’ constant support is really motivating. Their leadership inspires the high schoolers to do good as well and that is an incredible gift. Atlantic has a great community and really shows in these times of difficulty.

Words of Wisdom

Our state, country, and planet is going through something that a lot of us have never experienced and it can be stressful. Even in hard times, it is important for you to take care of yourself. AHS has an amazing team of counselors, teachers, and administrators who are always there for you, even in a pandemic. On top of this, remember that you are not alone. Your peers are going through the same thing right now. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to a friend or teacher. We have confidence that we will get through this together.