Throughout much of 2020, the world has watched the coronavirus pandemic change lives.
From students learning from home, to entire businesses shutting down, to universal mask wearing, many have seen the drastic impacts the pandemic can have.

Starting in the spring, students at all levels began at-home learning which continued into the fall. Finishing my junior year online was different, to say the least. Between being unable to take my SATs to having restricted access to the Future Planning Center, I was at a loss when initially applying to college.

However, after figuring out the college admissions process, getting accepted into my dream school, watching as the coronavirus vaccine was introduced, and ringing in the New Year 2021, I cannot help but look forward to the future.

In the fall of 2021, I will begin my freshman year of college and I have the possibility of some normalcy when attending school. I feel for the unfortunate freshman year the class of 2020 experienced, who didn’t have the same opportunity.

Although a normal school year is highly anticipated, it cannot come without some challenges. Many expect that a vaccine will be needed and masks will continue to be worn. Over the last few weeks, the CDC’s approval of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines allowed for both treatments to be rolled out to the public. In the next few weeks the elderly, frontline workers, teachers, and more will begin to receive their first and second doses of the vaccine.

All around there is much hope that college students will be able to attend their freshman year in-person. However, this does not come without some reservations from even my fellow seniors.
“I am hopeful that we will have a normal freshman year,” Aleena Ghanta said. “However, I think that we will continue to wear masks and large group gatherings will still be limited.”

Nevertheless, many hope to make the best of their first semester at college engaging with new peers and allowing themselves to mold into the new environment of their respective college campuses.

“If we are able to return to a completely normal school year, I am most excited for meeting new people and experiencing a new stage of life,” Ghanta said.

No matter what the 2021 school year throws our way, seniors are excited to attend colleges and face the lives ahead of them, albeit hopefully face to face.