This past year has been one like no other. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has faced an entirely unique set of challenges, being forced to adapt to a new way of life. As vaccination progress is made and reopening processes continue, people have been faced with returning to a new semblance of normal. Amidst all of these new circumstances, the Class of 2021 is coping with all of the typical experiences of graduating high school and moving forward in their lives. In order to capture what their lives have been like this year, more than 50 Middleton High School (MHS) seniors completed a survey to share their thoughts.

First, seniors were asked what their favorite year of high school was. While in pre-COVID times, many high schoolers may have loved senior year for reasons like freedom, confidence, and opportunities, only 17.5 percent said senior year was the best. The clear standout was sophomore year, with about 44 percent of respondents selecting it as their favorite.

“[Sophomore year] was the least stressful year by far, and I got to spend a lot of time with my friends,” said senior Olivia Hebert. “This year probably would have been my favorite, though, if COVID wasn’t a thing.”

When asked about their least favorite year, the results were mixed, with nearly equal proportions of seniors saying freshman, junior, and senior years. Unsurprisingly, freshman year was unpopular, given all of the transitions that make that time tough for anyone.

“Figuring out who to be friends with was challenging,” Maddy Lawn, another senior, said of freshman year. For Lawn, adjusting to high school, especially the social aspects of it, caused some growing pains.

Of course, with disruptions brought upon their lives as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, junior and senior year were also negative experiences for some students. Many students cited the challenges of online school and a lack of social interactions as their reasons for these years being their least favorites.

Even though virtual learning made junior and senior years unenjoyable for some students, a rather significant portion (about 18 percent) of surveyed seniors said they actually preferred online school over in-person school.

Senior Vivian Wagner said she enjoyed the flexibility that virtual schooling offered.

“Having the option to go virtual if you’re not feeling well one day or just need a day off from being in school was a really nice opportunity,” she said. Some seniors, like Wagner, appreciated the ability to make choices about their personal needs as students.

However, the majority of seniors preferred in-person school. Many said it was incredibly difficult to learn online while staring at a computer screen for hours at a time, coping with lack of motivation, and distractions at home.

“Over Zoom, [school] is harder, especially if you are in extra activities,” said Armari Tucker, another senior. “The concepts we are learning are rushed, and there is just not enough time.” 

Next, seniors were asked about their favorite subjects in school. The most popular by far were science and social studies, with about 32 percent and about 27 percent of respondents in each category, respectively.

“All of the [social studies] teachers are amazing, and every [social studies] class is so interesting to me,” said senior Lucas Sutcliffe. Many other seniors also cited the great teachers as their reason for loving social studies, while others emphasized the wide variety of class options at MHS.

Many MHS seniors plan to have futures in science fields. Several students said their post-high school plans involve studies of science, the most popular favorite class of surveyed seniors.

When asked if they were ready to graduate high school, most seniors (about 71 percent) said yes. Rithika Puli was one of these seniors.

“I am just ready to be done with high school and go onto a hopefully normal year next year,” Puli said. 

Other seniors are more unsure about leaving high school and what they know behind them.

“I think I’m just not ready to say goodbye to so many friends and teachers,” said senior Allison Thomley. She explained that the pandemic helped her realize the things she took for granted, as she has been enjoying high school as things begin to return to normal. These feelings are completely justified for anyone experiencing a transition, especially for seniors who are recovering from a life-changing pandemic.

When asked if they were ready to graduate high school, most seniors (about 71 percent) said yes. Rithika Puli was one of these seniors.

“I am just ready to be done with high school and go onto a hopefully normal year next year,” Puli said. 

Other seniors are more unsure about leaving high school and what they know behind them.

“I think I’m just not ready to say goodbye to so many friends and teachers,” said senior Allison Thomley. She explained that the pandemic helped her realize the things she took for granted, as she has been enjoying high school as things begin to return to normal. These feelings are completely justified for anyone experiencing a transition, especially for seniors who are recovering from a life-changing pandemic.

Additionally, seniors’ lack of motivation may be a result of their unmet needs in other aspects of their lives. Surveyed seniors were instructed to select all unmet needs that apply to them, and many did, choosing two or more. The most prevalent among the responses was the need for “a break from stressful responsibilities,” followed by “time with family and friends” and “mental health support.”

“[I] would like a break from doing schoolwork, but it’s just not possible with AP exams coming up and the semester ending soon,” said senior Sohail Shaik. This response was a very common one, with many seniors saying that this time of the school year simply does not yield extra time to decompress.

Even during the challenging last push of the school year, MHS seniors have some fond memories to look back on. Some of the surveyed seniors’ favorite memories include school dances, homecoming week, and sports. Many seniors could not choose one specific moment, or simply remembered having lots of great experiences with people they are close to.

“My advisory was always super chill,” said Erin Caldwell, a senior. “Shout out to Mrs. Bradford!” 

Some MHS seniors created great relationships with their advisory classes, which made for some great memories over the past four years. Advisory teachers have also been highly impactful for so many seniors who have known them since freshman year.

Many other MHS teachers have touched the lives of the senior class through their captivating classes, helpful advice, or support during difficult times.

“My advisory teacher, Mrs. Callahan, has helped me navigate through a lot over my four years of high school,” said senior Kaitlyn Peters. 

Another senior, Anna Mintz, named Kris Cody as “the best teacher ever!” Evidently, many MHS teachers have provided support worthy of praise.

Seniors also shared some of the new things they tried over the course of high school.

“I started making music,” said senior Phileas Smith. During his time at MHS, Smith was able to discover something he is passionate about. Another senior, Avery Collien, learned American Sign Language. Other students said they tried new sports, clubs, classes, became more social, or learned something about themselves. In reflecting on their time at MHS, students realized how many new things they have tried in four years.

In looking forward, many MHS seniors have a positive outlook about their futures. When asked what they were most looking forward to for next year, some of the most common responses were about more independence, new experiences, and getting a fresh start.

Seniors were also asked what they would do with their lives if money was not an issue, and many of them had some imaginative ideas.

“I would travel around the world and craft art based on the beautiful scenery,” said senior Brooke Pasch. Sydney Yosick said she would become a professional shopper, while Hailey Barrett said she would train puppies. While many seniors have their sights set on focused career goals, they continue to dream about living fulfilling lives.

As a final send-off, surveyed seniors were asked to give advice to underclassmen about being in high school, and they had lots of wisdom to offer.

“Don’t sacrifice your mental health or life experiences for grades,” said Kinsey Davis. She urges younger MHS students to respect their own needs before trying to maintain straight A’s. 

Another senior, Mei Mei Keohane, reassures underclassmen that they do not need to be the best at everything.

“It’s okay to not do it all. You don’t have to be the head of every club or the captain of every team. Spend time doing what you like to do,” she said. Instead of spending your high school career building up a resume, Keohane insists, take time to discover what you love. 

Katie Shaffer, another senior, warns underclassmen that high school goes by much too quickly. 

“You get your time to be a senior, so take it all in and stop wanting to grow up so fast,” she said. Shaffer wants underclassmen to know that they should enjoy high school’s moments as they happen, rather than anticipating what is to come.

Overall, seniors have made the most of their high school experiences during their time at MHS. Not only have they created amazing memories, but they also have some brilliant futures to look forward to. Perhaps most important of all, in reflecting about their high school careers, seniors have uncovered their own bits of wisdom they can carry with them forever.

Because of all of these things, Middleton High School’s Class of 2021 is a special group of people. With their incredible persistence during a time of peak adversity, they embody the kind of hope the world depends on. And that is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.