My Perspective on COVID19 and School
As I begin school as a senior in the class of 2021, I feel the need to speak on behalf of students everywhere whose school life has been turned upside down by Covid19. A voice for those younger than me as well as my peers.
My hope is to provide answers to questions that students quite frankly haven’t even been asked.
A bit of insight…
What does it feel like being the first-ever group of students to enter a school year knowing absolutely nothing about
How things will go
Or how things will end
To be honest with you, it sucks. This whole situation, for lack of better words, sucks.
The Haves and the Have Nots
I won’t get to HAVE my last “first day of school.”
Kindergartners won’t get to HAVE their first “first day of school.”
Let’s not forget 2019-2020’s fifth-graders and eighth-graders.
Just imagine how it feels to not HAVE hugged your friends as you moved to your next academic milestone.
Starting middle school or high school “Virtually or in a limited in-person capacity”; Extremely Disappointing
Facing the next few month, of crucial academic transitioning; none of which we’ll ever forget.
Left wondering about those experiences that we’ll never get to HAVE.

My Misfortune
I didn’t get to say goodbye to the group of kids, I grew up with, but who just so happened to be one year older than me. I’ll probably never see most of the class of 2020 ever again cause my city is big and everyone moves on with their lives after high school.
On Friday, March 13th, 2020, I unknowingly missed the chance to hug those seniors and thank them for being the coolest group of “big kids” I’d known since the day I started Kindergarten.
Now, yearning about the experience that I missed and knowing I’ll never get a chance to HAVE that do-over.

Whats next for 2020-2021 school calendar
Currently, students in populous U.S. states are most likely looking at a semester’s worth of online schooling for the 2020-2021 school year.
For adults, 5 months doesn’t really seem like a big deal. But for us kids it’s a significant part of the social experience that we’re missing out on. Memories with our friends that we’ll never get to HAVE.
Always on my mind daily, are concerns; things that a teenager should not have to be worrying about.
We’re still trying to figure ourselves out, and now we have to figure out how to deal with the disruption of the one thing in our lives that’s always been consistent. School.

The Simple Fact
The motivation to succeed in an online school environment – “Simply Is Not There“.
What we students need this school year to succeed

Certainly, students everywhere are going to need some serious encouragement in this upcoming year. Including support from our parents, and counselors, and:
- big brothers
- big sisters
- older cousins
- aunts
- uncles
- grandmas
- grandpas
- and anyone else who cares about us to keep us in a motivated, positive headspace.
We don’t need to be alone with our thoughts any more than we already are.
The side effects from COVID that we’re not talking
Learning Acceptance
Staying at home is truly the best option for students and faculty nationwide. And we’re fortunate to have the privilege to learn from home– something 20th-century students and some modern-day global students are able to have.
So yes, since we’re able to be taught through virtual means, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Although, I wish the members of public school boards would be a bit more concrete in the information they share about the reopening of schools.
Because all the uncertain answers they’ve provided about when, how, and which schools will reopen for public entry have honestly only made me more anxious about the whole situation. Instead of making false assurances, the boards should continue remote education indefinitely.
And above all, the nation’s goal right now should be solely on reducing the number of COVID cases. If that means keeping schools closed until January 2021 or later– then so be it. Health comes first.
Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. If that’s the lesson we all must learn in the days of COVID19, then so be it.

Final Thoughts
Being nearly an adult myself, I’ve also taken to leading by example. Certainly, staying at home all the time makes this a bit of a challenging task, but Pingster has helped make it easier.
Instead of sulking over all the things I wasn’t able to do and all the places I wasn’t able to go, I’ve chosen to share with the world all the things I am able to do and all the places I am able to go.
And it’s been great to not only feel like a community member on Pingster but also a leader.
For instance, I know that with each post, I’m able to share an idea and some much-needed inspiration. Hopefully to some other student out there trying their hardest to keep their head up.
Moreover, my photos tell a story, each serving as a page of the teen life during a health crisis. Which is a crisis that, with any luck, will never ever occur again in any of our lifetimes.
Someone someday could even envy the simple fun social distancing has allowed me to discover. High hopes? Maybe. But I think we could all use a little optimism in our lives right now.
Check out my posts here.
Pingster Username: cierrasmith
Pingster Display Name: Cultured Simplicity

