Near the end of Spring Break, Imagine Prep Surprise students and parents were notified that they will not be allowing students to return to school for another week. Later, the extension was broadened to two weeks, then a month, then two months. And since Online Learning didn’t start until early April, what happened during the last two weeks of March? Well, we were all quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The news of quarantine hit everyone differently. Some people stayed in their homes the entire time, too scared to leave, while others continued with their lives, however with a little more caution.

“At first I was initially shocked,” junior Aralyn Colla said. “I didn’t pay attention to the virus that much before and so I didn’t expect things to have changed so rapidly. I gradually got used to it with time, but it was a weird transition.”

Some people felt it was just an extended break, like myself. I was a bit excited at first, since I wouldn’t have to return to school for a bit. But then, as they continued the extension, I started to get concerned.

“I was a little nervous, and felt disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to graduate like the other seniors,” Imagine Prep senior, Kesi Barnes said.

Getting used to this new normal has been difficult on everybody, no longer having a proper schedule, gaining a lot more free time in their days since school hadn’t been reinstated, and a variety of changes had to be made. 

“Well there’s the obvious change with Prep, but I also haven’t been able to to hang out with my friends for a while, so that’s kind of weird,” Barnes said.

“A lot has changed. For one thing, no more going to school,” Colla said. “The other thing is that my dance studio is closed which means I’ve had to go from being in a studio to virtual classes which are not that great. The biggest thing is not being able to go anywhere. I miss my friends and family a lot and call them every day.”

People have had to completely change their schedules and adjust quickly to quarantine, and it has had a variety of effects on people. Some people have had to start working from home, while others are in the line of direct fire, working outside their homes for the sake of keeping this country together. But, we will all get through this, so stay hopeful, and stay safe.