As you’ve probably been hearing from every teacher you’ve met this past week, the 2020-2021 remote learning school year is one no one could have predicted. But it’s a school year we’ll work with nonetheless.

This first week back to school has been an adjustment for all students, not just freshmen.

“It definitely wasn’t like any other first day back at school I’ve ever had,” junior Margot Rudin said. Rudin, who, like many other students, had planned on picking out a special first day of school outfit, ultimately wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt for her first day on camera.

The juniors especially are left with a lot of questions and overall stress, as this is what is considered to be their most vital school year for college applications. Maintaining or improving GPAs is a priority for many.

“After getting two days of what the semester is going to look like, I definitely think it’s going to be a little difficult to keep up with all the responsibilities required from the juniors. I’m really curious to see what ACT/SAT prep is going to look like as well,” Rudin said.

While some juniors worry about how they’ll be able to polish their transcripts, seniors weighed in on how to keep the senior spirit up without actually being around any of the other seniors.

“I’m not as upset about the classes being online, as I am about us missing out on opportunities, we’ll probably never get another chance to experience. Friday Night Lights, Homecoming, and even things further away such as Prom or Graduation have become major “what ifs,” which is super upsetting because these are all things that seniors look forward to from the time they’re freshmen,” senior Ela Kinaci said.

Although it remains to be seen whether remote learning and social distancing practices will impact second semester events, students are bracing themselves for cancellations.

“I think the most important thing we can all do right now is just to work with each other. So far the teachers have been really understanding of our situation, and it’s important we remember this is just as new to them as it is to us. As long as we all communicate well and sort our priorities, we’ll be able to make e-learning work,” senior Will Thannert said.

School’s only been in session for three days, so there’s certainly a lot more to discover about remote learning and how it will impact workload and student experiences.