MO KNOWS Viewpoints Editor Molly Harwell describes her freshman year experience with virtual learning in 2020, and how it impacted her going into sophomore year.
R
ecently, one of my freshman friends asked me how to get to a classroom, and I couldn’t give them an answer. “I’m not sure," I told them. “I’m basically a freshman like you." It’s true -- even though I’m a sophomore, I am one of the newest students to the building. Going into high school, I had a very clear BY MOLLY HARWELL set of expectations for myself. I was going to Viewpoints Editor get good grades, I was going to dress and act a certain way and I was going to get into the top colleges in the nation. I was prepared to do my best to achieve those goals. However, I was not prepared for COVID-19 and the lasting effects it would have on me going into my sophomore year. This semester, it has been difficult to find the motivation to complete work. During virtual learning, it was easy to turn off my camera and stop listening, but I can’t do that when I’m in person. I was pushed into 10th grade -- a year when so much is expected of me -- having little to no previous experience with the realities of high school. Suddenly, I'm thrown into advanced and AP classes full of rigorous learning that I wasn't prepared for after freshman year. My extracurricular and academic roles demand the maturity of a sophomore, when I only have the experience of a freshman.
I was pushed into 10th grade -- a year when so much is expected of me -- having little to no experience with the realities of high school previously. A couple of months ago, I had to be checked out early for a dentist appointment. My heart was pounding as I brought the note to the Attendance Office, and I was shaking with fear and anticipation throughout the rest of the day. I had never been checked out early before, so I was nervous the entire day that I was doing something wrong. I often find myself asking the question, “Will I ever feel like I belong here?" While the few weeks in person last spring helped me transition into high school, I still had no idea where I was supposed to go or what was expected of me when I started this year. Despite the difficult circumstances of my introduction to high school, I have found a wonderful group of friends who have made the transition easier and make me feel like I am starting to belong here. My teachers have been kind and welcoming, and I have become comfortable with my schedule. The work is still hard, of course, but at least I have an excuse. “Sorry I didn’t complete that assignment, I started high school a year late." O
10
odysseynewsmagazine.net
Above: UNCHANGED: An illustration shows Viewpoints Editor Molly Harwell looking in a mirror, but instead of seeing herself as a sophomore, she still sees herself as a freshman. Because of virtual learning last year, it was difficult for Harwell to adjust to high school and the expectations of being a sophomore. Illustration by Antonio Starks
Viewpoints
