Students laugh and talk together as they walk into school, groaning about homework and classes, but excited for the day to end and to begin spring break. No one could have guessed that would be the last normal day of the school year. 

The pandemic known as COVID-19 took most high school students by surprise. We went from regular class periods in school, to a state-wide stay-at-home order as of March 30. Students were all begging to spend a few more days at home, that is, we were given the rest of the year at home. Now, it’s left us all saying, “Hold up! I didn’t mean like this.”

Schools have been shut down for the remainder of the year, suddenly stores lack basic necessities, and students are desperately clinging to normal life confused by the sudden changes of things. From the canceling of events everyone has been looking forward to all year, to starting online school, there have been major changes to students’ lives in a very short amount of time.

Everyone knows of the 6-foot rule and how we are to be practicing social distancing to slow the spread of this virus. However, despite the circumstances, these rules are not being followed the way they should.

Most high school student’s Snapchat stories include pictures or videos of them hanging out with a couple of friends and a caption saying “social distancing” some even going as far as a graphic mocking the rules that will help us overcome this pandemic. Even memes have been brought into this pandemic as a way of expressing opinions about the situation.

It is important to practice social distancing if we hope to move past COVID-19 in the next couple of months. If we continue to disregard the rules put in place for our own well-being, then we will drag out these stay-at-home orders and the virus itself. 

In a way, the whole ordeal falls on our shoulders, if we do not take care of ourselves and the people around us by staying home, then we only lengthen the effects of COVID-19.