By the time this article will be published, we will essentially have spent a full year in this pandemic. While it may not seem like it, a lot has happened since March of last year. Here are the major events that we’ve gone through before getting back to normal life.

March 9  2020: Bernie Noe announces Lakeside’s closure with the intention of reopening after spring break. 

March 11 2020: COVID-19 is officially declared a worldwide pandemic.

October 2020, Hieumongus and Greek Lightning face off in a boxing match.

November 3 2020: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are elected President and Vice President of the United States.

January 6 2021: Lakeside announces for the first time in months we will be returning for hybrid learning at Lakeside. 

February 7 2021: The NFL season comes to an end with Tom Brady winning his seventh Super Bowl. 

We also wanted to look into how Lakesiders feel about the entire Pandemic and how they may have changed. We sent out a survey to members of each grade and faculty to see into a variety of perspectives.

Questions ranged from simply “Has it gone by quickly or slowly?” to asking about the college process for seniors who spent their fall remote. Student and Teacher responses were nearly identical relating to general questions regarding the Pandemic and time. It was a strange year, and when asked, nearly all respondents said that it didn’t feel like a year at all. Some even said “It feels like this year didn’t even happen.” When asked about how quickly the year went by, again everyone shared the same feelings, the days were long and in the midst of it it went by slowly because of the monotony of each day however, as a whole, it is now a blur of time where some months are gone from memory and other go by in what seems like a week. 

How do you think you’ve changed over the pandemic?

I think I’ve grown more independent, because I have needed to find ways to keep myself occupied without the help of my parents.

I have learned a lot of new technology which is a plus, but I have not had french fries in a year which can be either a plus or a minus — health vs. happy taste buds!!

I’ve become a perfectionist! I like am so overly specific about everything and I spend hours on each assignment. I can’t stop until it’s perfect but all of that in a very healthy way 🙂

I have become more stoic.

What is a memorable moment of this last year that is related to Lakeside and Covid?

The class of 2020’s drive-in graduation was very memorable. It was really cool to see everyone together after so much time apart. Lakeside did a great job of putting the event together, and I’m very grateful that my brother had the opportunity to have a meaningful graduation.

I have been impressed with the resiliency of both our students and teachers. Humans are amazing! One definition of intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. From what I have seen at Lakeside, everyone gets an A!

I took my dog in the car to get tested and she stuck her head out of the window and it made the testing staff smile and just enjoy the moment which was very cute.

The contest where students and faculty/staff had to draw a lion on paper placed on their own heads.

SOPHOMORE/JUNIOR: How has your social life changed over the pandemic?

It has become much more limited. I don’t hang out with people nearly as much as I did before, which I think is caused by a combination of safety-related factors and a lack of motivation to make plans. However, I think the pandemic has also helped me figure out which people are priorities in my life. I make time and effort to see certain people and certain people do the same for me.

It has been rough. I feel like I only talk to like 6-8 people closely now and even then like not always. So many people who I was friends with but not close with I just never talk to them anymore!

I have learned to be less extroverted.

It has been harder to find interesting things to talk about because many activities are still cancelled, and events are limited by the pandemic.

SENIOR: What was senior fall like for you? Did it seem easier or harder compared to previous years? How did you manage the college application process fully remotely?

Easier than what I would assume from previous years. The college application process wasn’t that difficult remote seeing as most of the work is writing essays.

What are your hopes for senior spring if we are still in hybrid?

To have some form of a Prom.

FACULTY: How much more difficult is it to teach in remote/hybrid?

Although this has been very challenging, I try to look at the positives. I have learned a plethora of new skills for teaching physics remotely and have given fewer tests in exchange for more focus on the content.

Logistically and technically, it’s not all that difficult, but since my classes are mostly discussion-based, I have to work harder and more intentionally to get students to talk and participate in various ways. Zoom also formalizes conversation into single bursts of semi-awkward statements, so we’ve lost the natural organic flow of a spirited intellectual conversation. We still get lots of great ideas presented to the class, but they arrive in stops and starts, which feels a bit stilted.

If you are on campus, do you feel safe being in such close proximity to students?

Yes, no problem.