As students flocked back to campus at the end of August, there was no possible conception of how life at Hill would function in the midst of a global pandemic, how classes and the academic schedule would fit community safety guidelines and restrictions was on everyone’s minds.  While one can outwardly appreciate and be grateful to our community’s ability to conduct in person-classes and retain a new way of life throughout the COVID-19 era, the initial excitement of returning to campus and the school we love has significantly diminished as we have shifted from Autumn 1 to Autumn 2. 

The start of Autumn 1 offered a new class schedule, trackers, WAVE and TRACE, unconventional seating and class locations, and unique fall afternoon activities. The excitement of simply being back on campus permeated throughout the school’s atmosphere as we began to fall into a new kind of normalcy, where there were numerous aspects of Hill tradition and life to look forward to.  Yet, as we have now transitioned towards the end of Autumn 2, there is an outward lack of enthusiasm not only towards classes but simply being on campus. 

To be honest, it is completely understandable. As a sixth form class and members of the community, we are grateful to be here, but it is hard to feel heard when constantly reminded about how lucky we are to be here. Compared to three years of fall terms defined by the school-wide blue-out games, L-ville weekends, seated dinners with teams and advisories, and sharing blankets on the pitch with friends to watch scary movies, there has been very little to look forward to this fall. Due to the lack of beloved traditions and school spirit, this fall has been unfulfilling for most students, especially for us sixth formers. It is not the fault of the school, as they are simply implementing these regulations and precautions for the better health of our community. However, the more time we spend in this new kind of daily life, the more that desire and enthusiasm to engage within the community has dwindled. 

With that said, I pose a question to the Hill community, and specifically to the 6th form class- what can we do to make the most of the time we left? Whether it be the last couple of weeks before we leave for H-term, or the last five months we have left as students, it is up to us to decide.