On March 12, 2020, the world changed forever.

It appeared as a normal school day, a regular Thursday afternoon. Rumors spread around that maybe, maybe, we would close for a cleaning day. Students pulled up statistics of this “weird flu” going around, and of schools around that had closed for “ deep cleaning.”

Within all of these rumors and speculations, nobody could have predicted what would happen.

At 2 p.m. in the afternoon, former 10-12 Center Principal Dr. Patrick Nugent came on the intercom and told us we would be closing for two weeks due to a mass shutdown of all Montgomery County Schools.

We were naive then. It was still a “weird flu.” Nothing like it has ever happened, so how would anyone know how it would change everyone’s lives forever?

All we thought back then was two weeks off school. A roar of applause came from students. We cheered and could not wait for our “extended spring break”
What was supposed to be just two weeks of impact on schooling has stretched now over a year.

March 12 was the last time our school was at 100% capacity, March 12 was the last time seeing everyone’s face without a mask, March 12 was the moment where life was last “normal.”

Within this year life has done a complete 180 turn. If not anything else, Coronavirus has shown the strength and resiliency of the Spring-Ford Community.
Teachers became technology experts in a matter of days, completely changing their curriculum and lesson plans to fit the circumstances. Students adapted to learning through a screen and how to cope with the loss of events they had looked forward to. Parents adapted to the circumstances in juggling work, parenthood, and homeschooling.

Sacrifices everyone has made does not go unrecognized.

Nobody could have ever expected this (get ready to roll your eyes) “unprecedented” times. What I have found is that it becomes hard to complain when so much horror is going on. The virus has killed 550,000 peoples in the United States alone, and about 25% of Americans have lost their jobs.

How could I, a healthy 18-year-old complain about losing the small stuff?

What is happening to us is nothing within the grand scheme of life, however it’s important to recognize that it still matters – it is still OK to be upset.

Grieve the loss of tailgating, packed football games, being a swarm of white in the pep rally with the loudest, most spirit of all the grades. Look at that expensive prom dress you never got to wear and grieve it. It is normal to not want this as our final year.

On March 12 of last year we casually said goodbye to anything completely “normal” anytime soon.

In June we pitied the graduating class for losing their prom and graduation. In the summer we hoped it would pass over and by the school year things would be normal again. Now it has been a year, and while things are looking up it is not what we expected.

With all that said, I am immensely thankful and proud of how our class dealt with the circumstances.

We have adapted and reacted and made this year as much as it can be. Girls basketball and boys wrestling made it all the way to states, the musical put out three shows of “Guys and Dolls,” singing beautifully even with a mask, senior tailgate remained tradition just so happened to occur within the stadium this year following all CDC guidelines, and RCTV has made it possible for us to cheer our Rams on, even if that means from the couch of our homes.

Being a senior in a pandemic is not ideal for anyone involved, but neither is living through a pandemic at any age. With this we became stronger, more resilient, and made it work against all odds. Class of 2021, I am so incredibly proud to have gone through this alongside you.