By: Trisha Brahmachari (Correspondent)

Although everyone is being affected in one way or another by the Coronavirus, high school seniors have had their senior year cut short, losing the last precious moments and experiences with the people they have spent most of their lives with.

For most American teen’s high school career, senior year is filled with exciting traditions, and major milestones, such as prom and receiving a high school diploma at graduation. About eight weeks ago, seniors all across America were looking forward to these milestones, but the Coronavirus had other plans for the Class of 2020. Seniors at Sharon High School are anything but happy about it.

“People have realized to savor the good times because they can be torn away in an instant,” said Blaize Hanna.

Eliana Boxerman says that not having closure is extremely difficult to come to terms with. “I wish I knew that March 12th was going to be my last day at Sharon High so I could have had some sort of closure, she said. “I honestly still haven’t processed that I’m never going to get to say goodbye to everyone one last time, and it breaks my heart,” she added.

Catie Welch agrees. “It is very hard to not have closure and to think that we didn’t know our last day was our last,”said Welch.

“It’s disappointing that our last day of high school was a random day in March, because I hardly remember it and never really got the chance to say goodbye,” added Hanna.

With the revocation of the 2019-2020 school year, the spring sports season has also been cancelled. Seniors are missing out on their final sports season as Sharon High athletes. “I didn’t get to have one more track season and rep Sharon one more time. I miss training and competing with my teammates and coaches so much,” said Boxerman. “I know that so many seniors have trained so hard for their final season, and it was just taken away from us,” said Boxerman.

Many seniors are also captains of their spring sports team, and losing this kind of experience is anything but exciting. “I am a captain of the girls tennis team and am extremely sad to not be able to be on the courts with my team this season,” said Glass.

To many, the most exciting and most important event of your high school career is the moment that marks the end of the journey through high school — the graduation ceremony. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has taken this tremendously special event away from the Class of 2020. “The thing I am missing the most is a true graduation. It would have been nice to have a traditional ceremony to celebrate our class and the hard work we have put in and the memories we have shared over our time in the Sharon school system,” said Catie Welch.

Holly Davis agrees. “I will miss having a traditional graduation ceremony. I have always dreamed of the moment I walk across the stage and celebrate 12 years of hard work. I am also disappointed that friends and family will not be able to watch me accept my diploma in person on June 7th,” said Davis.

In our small town of Sharon, an annual tradition of the senior walk through the elementary and middle school, is certainly an event that is looked forward to. The graduating class, the previous teachers of the graduating class, and the students in the other schools that look up to many of these seniors all anticipate this exciting event each year. “One thing I was really looking forward to that we are missing out on this year is the senior walk through the elementary and middle schools. I was looking forward to seeing all of my past teachers who I haven’t seen in a while,” said Anya Lane.

Even though seniors are missing out on one of the most impactful times of their lives, Sharon High’s Class of 2020 and the administration has gotten creative to try and find ways to make their last months as high school students special with events such as a drive-thru graduation. “Our visions have changed to different forms of celebrations in a way that we get to make memories that are truly unique,” said Davis.

“I feel like for most people, especially seniors, we want to try to make up for everything that we have missed, so we’ve been having senior class zooms which have been fun. It’s definitely not the same as seeing everyone in person, but it’s been nice seeing everyone!” said Boxerman.

Even though technology these days has made it easy to stay connected, it’s clear that very little comes close to being able to see people every day, yet another privilege that has been taken away by COVID-19. “I miss eating lunch outside with my friends, laughing with my teammates and coaches after practice, seeing my teachers every day, walking through the school with friends, and laughing with my friends during class. I would do anything to have some of these moments back,” said Boxerman.

Although seniors are enduring mounds of painful loss, there have been some positive effects of COVID-19 for the Class of 2020. “Looking on the bright side, I feel as though the sense of community within the class of 2020 has strengthened,” said Holly Davis. “We will look back at this significant time in history and be reminded of the resilience of the class of 2020 and the entire Sharon community as they try to make this year even more special for us,” she added.