Kenwood High is wrapping up their third week in quarantine. Next week starts a new learning experience for teachers and students as they embark on BCPS’s “Continuity of Learning” plan for remote learning.

As the days out of school turns into weeks and those weeks turn into months the grief of what we’re missing settles more and more around students and teachers. Kenwood’s beloved Chef G shares, “I miss the happiness that cooking together with 24 other people brings. Different vibes in each class but the result is the same, a feeling of community, satisfaction and pride. I miss my kids so much!”

As we’ve had the past two weeks, Kenwood students have used some of their down time to reflect on this experience. This week’s diaries are coming from two more seniors wondering what this situation means for the end of their senior year.

Shantell Lindsay, Grade 12

I have a lot of thoughts and worries, but more so worries that this could very well be the end of humanity. The grocery stores can’t keep up with demands for paper towels, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, masks, or gloves. I have even witnessed fights in grocery stores like Sam’s that turned violent for the last of the supplies. People are even bulk buying what they don’t need, leaving others to fend for themselves with no supplies to self- isolate or to get by through these troubling times.

It’s a shame this virus is so threatening to the elderly citizens; we have a lot to learn from them. I feel bad for those who have lost their elderly relatives because of this crisis. In a time like this we are supposed to be here for one another in a crisis, but instead we have only become greedy and desolate. Some families have broken apart while others are just starting to get in contact with family members after who knows how many years.

The saddest part of this crisis is wondering if there is more to come. I’ve heard scientists say there are other prehistoric viruses in the permafrost under the crust of earth that could be more deadly than COVID-19, with no vaccines like we’re facing now.

What I find amusing about this pandemic is that it’s like people are just starting to care about hand hygiene.  I have doubts that we will be back in school before the summer starts, and I’m pretty sure the seniors are not on board with summer school. They have not even told us how the seniors will be affected during this outbreak. This has got my head in a knot, and I don’t even know what or how to feel. These are dark times that make it hard to be positive, but I think our faith is being tested right now.

I haven’t even been able to write my stories like I usually do; I can’t even get any sleep. I think it’s because of insomnia but mom says that it’s because we stay home a lot now. I fear humanity’s days are numbered and what happens next, I don’t know. Being in Mr.Williams philosophy class has really opened my eyes to the way of the world and how closed minded I really was. I thought I was open minded, but now I think maybe I’m not. I feel like introverts are having the best time being in the house, while the extroverts are losing their minds.

Raven Brooks, Grade 12

At first, I didn’t really take this seriously. I thought of it as the flu/cold. I still kind of do but I can’t tell people my opinion, though it may be wrong, everyone gets very judgmental. The toilet paper situation? Don’t even get me started. Ridiculous is all I can say. Honestly, I have mixed emotions about this. I wanted the 2-week break; I needed it mentally. Then day by day I realized I might not step into Kenwood again this school year. My senior year is being ripped from me. There’s possibly no prom or graduation. The two events I’ve been looking forward to as long as I can remember are very possibly gone. Just gone like that.

My job closed on March 19, 2020. All employees get paid for 4 hours; that’s it. I mean it’s better than nothing. It is making it harder for me to see my boyfriend who lives 30 minutes away, but we are making it work. On March 21, my dog got hit by a car. Today is March 22, 2020 and I’ve been constantly trying to find out who did it. The driver left the scene and I’ve been trying to get a license plate. My dog was in the hospital for 6 hours and due to the virus, no one was allowed inside the hospital. I sat in my car waiting for answers. They immediately put him on oxygen and we later found out he has a contusion to his lung and free air in his abdomen. They wanted to keep him overnight to keep running tests and wanted $1,200 to start with. We didn’t have that. While looking at other options we ended up having to make a GoFundMe in the parking lot while they ran X-Rays. A busy Saturday night I waited for answers in the parking lot, so you know it was going to be a long night. At 11:00 pm we had to take him home, without the funds for the proper care he needed. He was sent home with only pain medicine. March 22, 2020, I spent all day finding answers on who did it, what car it was, and got the license plate. Now I’m trying to see how I can take legal actions.

While all of this is happening, I’m worried schools won’t reopen next week. Not sure if they will even open for the rest of the year. If schools are closed for the rest of the year, I can kiss prom and graduation goodbye. At this point I’m so upset that I don’t care anymore. It’s so sad that this one class of 2020, out of all classes, can’t celebrate their achievements like everyone else. Although there are more important things going on in the world. I feel like I’m caught up on all my sleep until I’m 50 years old, but I know when and if school starts again, I will feel like I haven’t slept in a week.

Students and teachers are hanging in there, but both keep hoping that maybe somehow we’ll all see each other again in person before the year ends.

Read Kenwood COVID 19 Diary Series, Part 2

Read Kenwood COVID 19 Diary Series, Part 1