Gracie Rose, Sophomore, Features Editor

The devastation began to sink in once I had no plans left. My last day doing something fun outside the house was Tuesday, March 17 when I went to a friend’s house. The day after that was when I realized that I don’t know what I’m going to be doing for the next couple months. Over Spring Break, I was supposed to travel with the Fort Wayne Youth Symphony Orchestra to perform in Carnegie Hall which is a once in a life time experience, but that like everything else has been taken away. I miss seeing people. I miss it more than I could have ever imagined.

Walking around the neighborhood I get the sudden urge to talk to strangers as I pass by them.

I have a longing to interact with anyone I can.

And somehow even though I have so much free time, I feel less motivated to do my homework than ever. Perhaps it’s because there is no end goal in sight. I’m not working for spring break, and school doesn’t feel real anymore. Sitting in my rooms for hours, I just feel frozen in time and waiting for the world to resume again.

Maya Wilkins, Senior, News Editor

I didn’t wrap my head around this situation until the day school was cancelled. I was in denial that school would actually be closed for a month, and then inevitably more, so  I tried to pretend this wasn’t happening to me for as long as I could.

I didn’t want to think of a world where I don’t get to go to my senior prom, go on my senior spring break,  take AP exams one last time, have a last day of senior year celebration or walk at graduation. I still don’t want to think about that even though it’s staring me right in the face.

I’m still in denial. I feel like this is some weird dream that I will wake up from and everything will be fine, I’ll be back in school with my friends and classmates, counting down the days until graduation. I’m still holding on to hope, no matter how difficult it may be right now.

I’m still refusing to let go of my “normal” life.

Andrew Brown, Senior, Staff Reporter

The closest I get to leave the house is taking a walk outside the neighborhood. My parents only let me do it cause our dogs would get cranky cooped up inside. In my opinion, I’m lucky. I never went out much and I have friends that I can call on a regular basis.
I have a family who’s willing to hang out with me. My mental health is fine and I’m still getting some exercise. I know I will be fine. I don’t know about anyone else. My friend texted me today, saying he thinks we’re all going to die. I honestly don’t know if he’s joking or not.
I’m not sure if I want to know.
Truly I am scared of how others without good support groups are doing. How are those whose main caretakers are elders faring? Every day I appreciate the fact that even though I have different opinions from my family they were never abusive. I appreciate the sacrifices they’ve gone through to raise me. How they’ve helped me through E-learning. E-learning is a completely new experience. I have a harder time paying attention in class without someone being here.
I often call my ADHD my superpower however right now it’s more of a detriment. I need the assistance of others to help me keep up. This time is horrifying but yet I’m also grateful it happened. It reminded me of our individual blessings. We never know when we can lose our everyday lives.
Stability is fleeting after all.

Brayden Busz, Sophomore, Staff Reporter

In the first week of hearing about Covid-19, the first thoughts that came into my mind were when will we close? Is prom going to be cancelled? How long is this going to last and are spring sports going to be cancelled?

At first, I didn’t want to go to school and stay at home and do school work. Now with in the first week of remote learning I realize how much I want to be back in school. I miss hanging out with my friends. Not only that but spring sports had one more week till it began, and I was excited for baseball season but with this in effect there may not be a season.

My family was planning on taking a trip to California and see my uncle out there in the summer, but with California shutting down we don’t know if we are going.

Isabella Collins, Junior, Staff Reporter

I was excited to hear that school was canceled initially. I did not mind the fact that we had to do remote learning until after the first week of remote learning. After the first week, I realized how much work was given to me and I started to feel stressed. I had a speech to memorize, complete multiple assignments for one class due the same day they were assigned, and current projects on top of the assignments. I thought about this and realized that I have plenty of time after school to get my assignments done which alleviated the majority of my stress.

Aside from the load of assignments, I was upset to hear that prom and graduation was postponed. Luckily, I am a junior who has next year to experience what I missed this year. That doesn’t stop me from thinking about the seniors who were supposed to have their senior nights, get colleges look at them academically/athletically, buy their prom dress, and to walk across the stage to receive the diploma they have worked towards for 12 years.

Not being able to see my friends on the other hand fills my heart with sorrow. At first I thought I would be able to hang out with my good friends since school closed, but ever since we had to quarantine and stay at home, the only communication I have with them is through Facetime and text.

Ashlyn Rinhart, Sophomore, Staff Reporter

I started to wrap my head around this situation before we even canceled school. Thursday, March 12 was when I think things became more real for me. The whole school was talking about what we would do if we did cancel school, and the way everyone was speaking about it made it seem prominent. That Thursday I guess felt like the beginning of a horror movie. Where the main characters start to notice something was off, but life was still continuing as normal. I knew life would continue to move, but that day felt like the end of everything normal in my life.

The next day, Friday, I didn’t learn anything.

The only thing on my mind was the closure and what life was going to be like. Again, I had known the virus would come to Fort Wayne eventually, but it just felt too fast to handle until that Thursday and Friday. The day after – Saturday – was a blur. School had actually closed, and the coronavirus was a real threat to me.