Seniors face many challenges that can be difficult to control. There is one challenge that Seniors are facing this year, and that challenge is a pandemic. 

Students

Logan Lively- “Go with the flow”

“So much change has happened in her school life, and this is because there are not as many  “extras” going on. She has learned that life can change in an instant, and that has changed her view on life. She misses her old routine, and she misses the fact that she could plan everything out without worrying about it being changed drastically. Mrs. Doughtery has helped her the most. “Mrs. D has kept my hopes up and has made learning fun and interesting,” said Logan. If she could tell her pre-pandemic self one thing it would be to go with the flow. Logan is planning on going to the University of North Georgia for college, and she sees herself being successful in life. Logan wants people to remember her as someone who isn’t afraid to try new things, and someone who wants to be very successful in life.

Emily Bradshaw- “Trust in God’s plan”

Emily tries to stay positive during a difficult time like this, and she feels that she has grown personally, especially during the quarantine period. She says that the most drastic change in her life has been that she is taking better care of herself, and she has been able to take up exercising and physical therapy. Emily has adjusted to online learning, and she believes that it has helped her to stop relying so much on teachers and friends for help. For Emily; this experience has taught her to be selfless, and she says this because masks are uncomfortable, but they are needed to care for others. She says that she misses the world being more joined together and not divided. She feels that the pandemic has put everyone under a microscope, because everything you do is judged by others. On a positive note, Emily has realized that teachers truly care about their students and will help them with anything that they need. Emily says that she would advise her “pre-pandemic” self to try to be more optimistic because she feels that 2020 has made everyone into pessimists, and she hopes that that trend will be broken. After graduation, Emily is planning on going to a college to get a psychology degree, so that she can become an Animal Behavioral Therapist. Emily is planning to reach her career goal in four years, so that she can help abused animals as fast as possible. She wants everyone to trust in God during their tough times, and she wants to be known as someone who didn’t let chronic illness take over her life.

Teachers

Mrs. Byrnes- “Make the world a better place!”

Mrs. Byrnes, English teacher, has helped Seniors by teaching them to be more organized and to always be on top of things. Even though she feels that Covid-19 has upset her Senior classes, she thinks that allowing the students to socialize more will help them to cope with this pandemic. Mrs. Byrnes tries to be more lenient on deadlines, and she tries to be more flexible because she understands that students are going through tough times. She enjoys being around the Seniors because it gives her the feeling of normality in this time of change, and she believes that Seniors need to use this experience to learn better time management and to be independent thinkers. “Seniors should find joy in the little things, and they should always try to make the world a better place,” said Byrnes. Mrs. Byrnes’ most important part of the day is getting to school early to relieve stress and to relax, so that she will be able to take one day at a time. Seniors have shown Mrs. Byrnes that they have great potential, and that helps her to be confident in her students.