Normalcy. A routine schedule that high schoolers follow and adapt to with time, allowing them to go through their daily life without much fear. Most of these teens spend time organizing how their day will go, what they need to get done, and how they’re going to do it. When, suddenly, the world shakes. Normalcy is broken with panic and restrictions.

All of a sudden, a routine that once seemed natural, must be changed or altered in order to adapt to the current events. Part-time jobs are lost and hard to come by. Funding and going to college is a much harder reality to achieve. With anxiety through the roof, students are not only impacted in their plans, but also in their mental state. 

“Teens and young adults are grieving the loss of special year-end activities and celebrations,” writes Chicago Health. The loss of important and special activities, particularly for seniors, is a focal point of negative emotion and anxiety. Chicago Health continues to write “teens are at a major transition period in their lives.” This transitional period on top of the current panic that the pandemic set off, can heavily impact a student’s mental health. Students are recommended to take a step back and relax while still maintaining safety procedures set in place by the district.

Freshman Dante Hedrington hasn’t been overly affected by the changes. Fresh from middle school, most of his attention is directed towards the smaller class sizes. “I like high school way more than middle school. Everything is closer and there are less people in class,” he said. This provides more direct learning to each individual in the class. Still, Hedrington has to face down a few of the changes. “I can’t always be right next to my friends. We have to space out more,” Hedrington said. “I think that they are trying their best but still making the students comfortable.”  If there was one thing he could change, it would be to limit the number of people going through the lunch line at once.

Not only are incoming students affected by this new reality, but upperclassmen also must contend with the new changes. Junior Kaitlyn Rothfusz finds masks and sanitation to be key factors in ensuring student safety.  “I think we’re doing the best we can under the circumstances we have,” said Rothfusz, “I would have required masks.” Even with these small changes, Rothfuz finds her daily schedule to be mostly the same as prior years, with the biggest change being the recommendation to leave during lunch and college class periods. “Think about other people’s health and safety,” she recommended. “COVID isn’t just if you’re brave you don’t have to deal with it.”  

Meanwhile, senior Keagan Garcia doesn’t find the changes to be too impactful schedule-wise either. “It still feels like high school,” Garcia said. Just “A lot more things to follow.” He finds the most change in small doses. Garcia is impressed with how the students are handling the pandemic, and finds it to be “a lot better then I expected at least” when it comes to students taking the situation seriously.  

According to Ohio State University, students are recommended to focus on the present. “Worrying will not change or help the situation,” they write, “try meditation or guided imagery. Positive thinking is also critical for keeping a healthy mindset. Forbes said that students should limit their intake, in order to ensure that they’re not surrounded by the COVID-19 news all the time. Positive energy is important, especially during these times of national crisis and uncertainty.