‘The pandemic, unfortunately, made me less focused on school, and I lost some of my motivation.’

When I first heard we were going to resume a more normal routine similar to pre-pandemic times, I was really excited to get a school year back on campus. Although it was not the same, I was still able to be around my friends and the staff at school.

Coming back took some adjustment, as we had to wear masks, take weekly COVID tests and stay socially distanced. Plus, we were applying to college.

The pandemic, unfortunately, made me less focused on school, and I lost some of my motivation. Being a yearbook editor, taking AP classes and having to do online classes would constantly conflict with my tendency to procrastinate, so finally being on campus allowed me to get back into rhythm.

Being surrounded by peers who pushed me to try harder and get work done was another major benefit to coming back to campus. Those people helped motivate me and helped me realize that I was not facing this alone.