Back At Newfield

Erin Margaret Looney

I started my junior year of high school with the small spark of hope that Newfield would regain some of its normality in terms of the way classes were going to be taught, the events that were going to be held, and the distance between me and someone else. That small spark grew into a large burst of satisfaction when I realized that all of these concepts were going to be spoken about and potentially happen and change for the better. We had homecoming, Theatre Arts is currently working hard every day for the fall drama production, and many more events to come. Although it is not the same by any means in contrast to the beginning of my freshman year of high school, (which feels like ages ago, as well as like it was just yesterday,) it is the best for given circumstances. I am grateful for all that has been done to make these events possible.

There are many policies at Newfield that maintain order and allow for us to have such fun events take place. The policies set are not as strict as they were last year due to the decrease in people becoming sick with the virus and our common sense of knowing what is expected of us in staying safe. After spending almost two years since the first shutdown occurred, we have adapted enough and are more knowledgeable about how to handle situations regarding COVID. According to the CDC, “The current 7-day moving average of daily new cases (95,448) decreased 11.6% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (107,953). A total of 43,997,504 COVID-19 cases have been reported as of October 6, 2021.” The small spark of hope I had exists for both Newfield and the world as a whole in regaining normality, or at least a more refined one that we have all made. Having everyone back at school has had a huge impact on me--it has opened more doors than before. This year, I have joined various new clubs since my sophomore year. I engage with more students and do more things for my school. This has certainly had a positive impact on me as I can see more of what Newfield has to offer, and what I can offer Newfield. We all learn in a more visual and direct experience rather than from a Chromebook all of the time, as well. Using the device surely has its benefits, but the combination of normal, first-hand learning with it has been very beneficial for me and hopefully other students as well. In incorporating both, students can learn how to find answers to their questions as well as broaden their knowledge on certain topics even a bit more than what is taught in the class. Students can use various websites to study, and even learn about new topics that they are interested in outside of school. It is a step in the right direction for college, especially for those like myself who are close to graduating and have experienced high school a bit differently than those just entering high school. Not only is it unfortunate that the incoming freshman last year, as well as this year, have to experience it in such ways, but they have more time to have normality again. My normality will be different than theirs, and although sometimes I wish that I had the chance to change the time at which COVID affected my class year, I wouldn’t because I’m sure something greater will come out of our experience. We can’t change the past, but we can take it and alter our future in some ways. The younger audiences deserve more time to enjoy high school for what it is; I feel that as juniors, we have had to grow up far faster than we thought. Although that is scary, it has made us stronger individuals. As we approach senior year, we will only be even stronger and ready for whatever choices we make after we leave. And if we aren’t, we still have time. There is no rush on growth. There should not be a demand to be completely ready. Everyone has different lives and your starting point does not have to compare to those around you. I hope that life around Newfield only gets better from here; we can make that happen. Let’s not waste the moments we have left worrying about what could have been and focus on what we will do today to make every day going forward, count.