Most of us remember the day the world shut down. It was a day unlike any other, a day that changed everyone’s lives. From COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter protests to a new vaccine and the Capitol Riots, we have a lot to look back on. No matter your age, it has been a tremendous year for everyone. But we as students have especially suffered. We went from seeing each other every day to no contact at all. It was a monumental shift in our social lives. As we arrive at the anniversary of the lockdown, let’s look back upon the past year and see how much it has affected us.

Everyone remembers where they were when they heard about the pandemic. At first, nobody thought any different of it. We thought it was just a simple virus like the flu, and it wouldn’t affect any of us. It was all the way in China. Then we heard about the break. We celebrated the fact that we got two free weeks off of school. Little did we know that those ‘two weeks’ were just a part of a package deal that included a lockdown order for an extra fifty weeks. Soon, nearly everything was virtual. Schools and cafeterias were replaced by Google Meets and our very own kitchen. Face-to-face conversations quickly became Facetimes. Through all of this, we still managed to keep in contact with each other. Social media became more important than ever because it became one of our only forms of contact. Without technology, this pandemic and our social lives would look very different.

In the past year, we have witnessed important political events that can be compared to nothing else in American history. We strived for equality with the Black Lives Matter protests. We saw some dark parts of humanity with the Capitol break in. Although we aren’t old enough to vote yet, these events have helped shape our perspective of America. Whether you are siding with Republican, Democrat, or other, it does not matter. The impact is still the same. Our generation has had its eyes opened to the true world. Maybe that’s good. Maybe it’s bad. Either way, it still has major implications to our future.

All in all, this past year has hit us like a freight train. Throughout the last 365 days, we have endured so much, some more than others. Yet, in the end, we made it. We survived. Now the world may never be what it once was, but as vaccines come out, we can find a new normal. Sooner or later we will be able to see each other again. We will be able to return to school and watch our beloved Apex sports teams. But for now, let’s enjoy where we are. We made it through a year.