What’s Next?
On Facing The New School Year
If you asked any 16 to 17-year-old kid “what are you looking forward to in your senior year?” now versus a year ago, the responses would be comp letely different. A year ago, some would say they can’t wait for prom, others would say graduation, and most of all, getting into a college. With lockdowns and increasing numbers from the current global pandemic, most teenagers, myself included, don’t know what to do.
It’s a shame. Disappointing, even. Yet, we all need to face that our senior year and others to come, are going to change completely.
I’ve seen other friends studying for their entrance tests, as I have. Despite the reviews, there still is a doubt of what will even happen to entrance tests. Each of the incoming applicants for college does not know the next step. It gives us some insecurities and second thoughts in addition to the personal problems we already have. I find myself asking, “what’s next after I graduate?”, “will CETs even happen or will I get admitted from my grades?”, and “what if I have to take a gap year?”. I’m sure other seniors right now are thinking the same thing. We’re on the edge and nobody knows where to go from here.
This pandemic struck hard that it exposed society’s issues and even dug deeper to worsen the situation to add more issues to solve. This is the first time in modern education that we must face learning online, cooped in our homes. No one knows for how long the educational system will be like what it is. No one can really anticipate or expect anything because nothing is set in stone. The virus is a threat that totally flipped the switch on how we used to live.
Of course, the “new normal” changes need time to adjust yet we must accept what we have. Now I don’t mean to romanticize resilience but, we must find a way to keep striving. I know everyone my age is choosing to be negative on how “COVID-19 ruined everything” which is valid. A lot of what we hoped for slipped out of our reach. It’s a real shame. We may stay indoors for the next 3 months, 6 months, or a year more. Who knows how long it’ll be.
Despite that, we should keep moving forward.
So, when we ask ourselves, “what’s next?”, just keep moving forward.
Maddy Aromin is a 16-year old Senior High School student from the Philippines, and Senior Contributer to the Of The People publication. If you’d like to have your work featured in our platform (whether visual or text), you may send in a submission to our email here.
