All of Olathe West held their breath when the announcement was made.

“Please bring your computers and all personal belongings home tonight.”

This request seemed simple, but after the staggering rise in COVID cases, many students and teachers suspected it had a more cryptic meaning: We may not be back in school for a while. 

Word spread quickly the next week when Olathe Public Schools released a notice that the first day back from Spring Break would be delayed by only a couple weeks. Plenty of students were excited for the break from school. Little did anyone know that we would not return to school that year, or to normalcy the year after. 

“I think everybody just thought that we would just be gone for that Friday, and then Spring Break, and then we’d be back,” junior Maddie Blackman said. “But then we just never came back.” 

When the hiatus from school was first announced, many people were completely unprepared for the world-changing events that would follow.

“I thought it was kind of like an, ‘Oh whatever’ because I’d never been through anything like this,” Blackman said. “I didn’t really know that the world could shut down like this.”

Over Spring Break of 2020, many families who had travel plans were forced to cancel due to COVID restrictions and company policies. 

“I spent the night at a friend’s house for like three days straight,” Blackman said. “She was my neighbor. After that, I just stayed in. I really didn’t do much throughout the entire quarantine.”

Students everywhere felt a wide range of emotions upon hearing that “Spring Break” was extended. Naturally, excitement was one of them at first.

“I was excited for a while, and then they started saying, ‘Oh, we’re not coming back for the rest of the year,’ and then I got freaked out,” Blackman said. “When they kept pushing it back day by day, I was like ‘Oh well that’s cool, whatever,’ and then I got freaked out afterwards.”

When it was announced that school would become virtual the next year, many students anticipated an easy year with little work. Some students’ opinions changed however, as they found Zoom school tedious and repetitive.

“I hated [Zoom school],” Blackman said. “I wasn’t able to get the motivation to actually do my work. I had three Fs in classes I loved, just because I didn’t have the motivation to do anything or turn in anything.” 

As vaccines were released and COVID cases began to lessen, students were relieved to return to school, finally feeling a sense of normalcy. Now that we’re fully back to school with a regularly scheduled Spring Break, it seems that things are looking up. People were able to travel for Spring Break, and we no longer have to wear masks in school.

“I’m just glad that we’re back into the real world, and not locked up, especially after yesterday being on Zoom,” Blackman said, in reference to the virtual day we had due to inclement weather. “It kind of reminded me that I’m very grateful to be in person with people.” 

Though Blackman is one of many who would not want to relive Spring of 2020, she admits that it taught her some valuable lessons.

“Be more comfortable with being alone,” Blackman said. “Pick up some more hobbies and figure out what you can do to spend your time in your room.”