There is no better place that sums up your teenage years than your high school campus. This is where you discover where you belong, meet some of your closest friends and begin preparing yourself for higher education and life after high school. You may still find yourself sticking to activities you enjoyed throughout elementary and middle school. That is great! However, you may also decide to branch out and try something that you weren’t previously interested in. That is OK too. Northwood offers a variety of sports, classes and clubs that all center around one goal: helping you feel welcome regardless of what you want to do.

That said, you probably think I’m delusional for not addressing the elephant in the room. Due to COVID-19, this year will be especially challenging. Events that we were all looking forward to will inevitably be cancelled. Freshmen will miss out on their first-year experience and seniors will most likely miss out on the myriad of events that they have waited their entire high school career for. Instead of battling traffic and speed bumps racing to greet our friends before the bell, our commute will look more like taking a few steps from our beds to our desks to see the faces of only those bold enough to turn on their Zoom cameras. Needless to say, sitting on a computer all day, keeping up with hundreds of emails and assignment notifications may get exhausting, both physically and mentally. However, while the conditions for this school year are far from ideal, we must continue to solemnly observe the repercussions the virus has had on this country—the health care workers, first responders and other Americans, many of whom have died because they put themselves at risk to serve the community—and remain grateful that we are safe at home, at least for now. Although this year will look different from previous years of high school or the glamorous first year of high school you were expecting, continue to stay active and stay connected with friends and family. Your teachers may not be available in person to help you, but do not hesitate to reach out to them when you are struggling. Every adult on Northwood’s campus is here to guide you!

In the meantime, follow health guidelines, complete your work and keep up with the activities you love. Soon enough, we will be back together to support each other in person.

Whether you are at Irvine Virtual Academy or in hybrid, we got this T-wolves. For the good of the pack!