Beginning March 15, 2020, the world ended.
Well, the world as everyone had known it before had ended; hereinafter, life would never be quite the same. That fateful spring day marked the start of the United States’ lockdown due to the global pandemic, attributed to Coronavirus (COVID-19) that reigned unbounded on every infected surface and breath across the globe.
For many students and teachers at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech), the effects of the months-long lockdown and online school were profound. Ranging from social isolation to the difficulty in engaging with students, both adults and teens struggled.
How did society, five years ago, deal with the lockdown?
Though there were announcements of only a two week lockdown and that shortly everyone would be able to go back to normalcy, society had to quickly learn how to adjust themselves in the new state of being, unbeknownst to them, for the next year and a half.
Trudy Ragsdale ‘28 stated, “Being isolated from friends and teachers I would usually see in person affected my learning because I couldn’t make connections with people through a screen,” an assertion that many students have affirmed.
Similarly, teachers were also faced with the disconnect that came with online school. Justin Frazier, an art teacher, explained, “I barely got anything back … I had a couple of dedicated students, but for the most part, even those students that were dedicated before COVID were absent online.”
On the other hand, not everything that came out of the nationwide lockdown was adverse. Donovan Yalinkatian ‘26 expressed, “I also saw effects with wildlife — do you remember when there were deer roaming some cities’ streets? I thought it was interesting how some things can thrive with the absence of human intervention.”
How are people doing now, five years later?
Mikaela Clabaugh ‘25 described how she began swimming in seventh grade during the pandemic as an excuse to get out of the house, stating, “It’s been a good physical outlet for me, especially during COVID when I needed to get some of that anxiety out.” Now, she finds herself as the captain of the girls varsity swim team.
Yalinkatian also explained, “I had watched a lot of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) [during the pandemic], and I think that contributed to my love for boxing. I do Muay Thai now, and I’ve been doing that for quite a while.”
While some people have been gaining new hobbies and passions, schools have also undergone significant changes. Whether that may be the rise of cheating from the convenience of online tools or the benefits of increased electronic communication, there is no doubt that schools will continually have to learn to adapt to new circumstances.
How is society doing now, five years later?
Since the lockdown, new and innovative adjustments have been made for some, while others feel we may have regressed. While some have gained new hobbies and passions, others have developed worries for what the future may hold.
Daniel FitzPatrick, one of Foothill Tech’s history teachers, voiced his concerns for the future of academia, stating, “Society has moved away from any form of rigor or accountability … There’s no real learning; everybody looks for the quickest, easiest solution without any actual learning or academic growth.”
Clabaugh brought a more social perspective, explaining how, “during COVID, especially when we were online, I noticed people seemed to be more accepting and did what they wanted to do. But once we got back to ‘reality,’ people seemed to be a lot more physically conservative in the way they dress, reverting back to the way we used to do things.” Afterwards, she added, “I feel like we went almost backwards.”
Looking into the future; what about in the next five years?
As the general population moves on, is the globe prepared for another pandemic if one were to happen? Some believe that having dealt with the consequences of not having reserves or any form of preparation, society will know how to handle the situation with Ragsdale saying, “I think that everyone will start to take sickness and disease more seriously, and have learned how to stay safe in crises like COVID.”
Frazier disagreed with these statements as he said, “I don’t think there’s anything in place for us, so I think if we have another pandemic, I think we’re going to be back to square one.” Many agree with these sentiments, as even though humanity has reshaped itself during the last five years, today nobody would know what to do.
After what seems like an eternity of isolation and questioning whether or not the world could ever go back to normal, COVID now seemed to have faded into the background, almost as if it never happened. The scars emotionally and physically will always be there, but the fear COVID brought has yet to stand the test of time.
