It’s officially been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world. Since people were forced to stay quarantined in their homes, schools were forced to move online for almost the entire final third of the 2019-2020 school year. In 2021, Hingham public schools transitioned to hybrid learning, both online and in person, albeit with the restrictions of social distancing and wearing masks. However, some students still chose to learn from home full-time to be extra safe. All students currently enrolled at HHS have gone through some form of online learning, and several students have shared their opinions about the earth-shattering COVID-19 pandemic.
“I definitely cannot believe it’s been half of a decade. I think the start of the pandemic was one of those events that I’ll never forget because it was so shocking to see the world stop, so that first month holds such a large chunk of my memory,” says HHS sophomore CJ Cohen-DiPierro. Many students felt the same way about the fact that it’s been half a decade. People have changed a lot since then, especially students, so it’s almost become a part of their personality or their background. It’s difficult to believe that there are kids walking and talking that never experienced the pandemic, as most people feel as though it was a universal experience.
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When asked about his experience with online learning, HHS student Teddy Lambert recalls, “It was nice for a bit, but then I got bored of not being able to see my friends.” When asked about their opinions, several students agreed with Teddy, and some even said that they faked poor connections so that they wouldn’t have to attend class. In all, everybody agreed that students learn better face-to-face.
Although the pandemic was a tough time for many, there were some bright spots. For example, many students said they were brought closer to their immediate family and created unbreakable bonds that will last a lifetime. It also allowed opportunities to try new things and develop a hobby because there wasn’t a whole lot to do.
In conclusion, the Covid pandemic was an important part of people’s, especially students’, lives, and it is interesting to see how it affected the lives of HHS students.
