March 13th of 2020 was the last day that anyone saw the inside of a school in Guilford County, and this was the day everyone’s lives changed forever. For some students this was a blessing in disguise, but for others this ruined their plans for 2020. Being juniors during this time and taking AP classes was very stressful for my friends and I. We had big exams at the end of year that were really dawning on us. We were scared. When the quarantine began, we had to learn online and take the big exams online. It was hectic, but we got through it. On the other hand, when we initially got out of school, I was happy, and I knew a few of my friends were excited too. The start of junior year was not going well for us, so when I say it was a “blessing in disguise,” it really was. Even though we had to learn remotely, there were some benefits. We got away from certain people at school and teachers who would assign so much work in a day.

Being at home and having to adapt to a whole new lifestyle was a big change to everyone around the world. Some students had to worry about what they were going to eat, how to take care of their siblings, and some had to cancel their plans for the future. Also, many had to worry about their safety and their loved ones, and that is just to name a few obstacles certain students had to face during lockdown. To keep procedures intact we had a curfew, and it was mandatory to wear a mask inside stores and to stay six feet from strangers or sometimes even people from your own household.

The class of 2020 was a special class, because these students got their senior year taken away from them without warning. There was no prom or  traditional graduation for the students and their families to share. Instead, they got a drive thru graduation. However, around the world many celebrities celebrated the class of 2020. They knew how hard it must have been to not have a traditional graduation. It was amusing to see their celebrations all over social media. For the class of 2021, hopefully their senior year is memorable, and hopefully they get to go to the coliseum and feel special like the graduates before them.

Then, the protests began. On May 26, 2020 peaceful protesting in Minneapolis started after the killing of George Floyd, an African American man, and many other people of color killed by the police. The Black Lives Matter movement sparked so many protests in America. On June 6, it was estimated that half a million people joined protests in 550 places across the country. In certain places, protesting led to rioting and looting. This became a scary thing that happened which had led to half of Minneapolis burning down. In Downtown Greensboro, this happened to the civil rights museum. Before rioters decided to wreck the museum and other local businesses, it was a peaceful protest from Downtown to the police station where everyone wanted to be heard. I remember watching it on the news, and it dawned on me that 2020 has been a historical year. The events that happened in the span of a few months have changed our perspective on life, how we treat one another, and how life is precious.