Paige Grager

Name: Paige Grager

Grade: 12

How has the pandemic affected your life?

Junior/Senior years (most memorable and exciting years of high school) were pretty much stripped away. We were in school for maybe half the time we’re supposed to be and got no warm welcome when brought back for the first time. No fun pep rallies, no class activities, no grouping with friends, and all smiles hid away. We didn’t get the regular senior experience, which totally sucks. My grades fell with online work, not due to being unorganized or lazy but because school work was everywhere in all sorts of places. Sports were ruined and there were no dog* pounds. The joy and excitement left the building when the virus entered.

What have you learned as a result of the pandemic?

Cherish every moment you get because when you wake up the next morning, it could all be taken away.

What worries are you experiencing now? How are you currently coping?

That this is the new normal. I hate masks and the thought of breathing in my own CO2 and bacteria. I miss seeing smiling faces. I also hope that all struggling small businesses can eventually thrive once again.

What are some positive things that have come out of the pandemic?

None.

What are your hopes for the future?

Gathering without fear, hanging out, and having fun. Walmart opens 24 hours and no more masks. Fewer politics more positivity. Lower unemployment. Be able to travel worry-free.