While we must realize that the Coronavirus is affecting almost everyone in the world, this piece is directed towards seniors in high school, whom the virus is impacting in so many ways.

This is a difficult time. This is not ideal. No one ever wanted this to happen.

While all high school students are having to make sacrifices during this time, seniors may be missing out on their last few months of high school. They may not have a senior prom. They may not be able to walk across a stage to be handed their diplomas. Senior spring breaks were canceled; the trip so many were looking forward to.

This isn’t a ‘fun time off’ for seniors, although it may be for other grades. 

This is a time that they’ve been waiting for all four years of high school, but now they’re in their houses watching all of this precious time tick by. Because they want this to end as soon as possible to have as much time left at school possible, stay home and stay healthy!

Having one last summer before college with their best friends will be one of the most memorable moments in all of the senior’s lives, but if people are out and about with friends, this summer will not happen. 

Senior Halle Douglass is one of many who has waited a long time for these lasts.

“It’s very sad and obviously there are so many worse things happening right now than not being able to go on spring break or to prom, but these next few months are so many events that my friends and I  have been looking forward to for years and it is all getting taken away from us and it makes me so sad,” she said. “Just the fact that our time together is so limited and thinking about what life should be like right now, makes these days even harder.” 

Not only are seniors missing out on their time with friends and their last months walking through the halls of LFHS, but senior athletes are missing their last times playing the sport they love with their best friends. 

Senior Ingrid Falls is a spring athlete who may never play the final season she has been waiting for.

“Obviously this time is so hard for everyone, so we are trying to stay positive and hopeful, but not being able to play the last few games, our senior group has together after playing together for over ten years has been super challenging,” she said. “We’ve been looking forward to this season since sophomore year and playing for the school is such a fun experience, especially alongside our best friends. We are all just trying to focus on the possibility of having a shortened season of some kind and our whole team is so supportive of each other.” 

Senior baseball player Anthony Ranallo is in the same difficult position not being able to finish his senior season in the sport he’s been working for his whole life.

“Not playing baseball is devastating. We have all been looking forward to playing our senior season since freshman year. Last year we had an amazing team camaraderie and we were all looking forward to having that again,” he said. “Everyone on the team gets along so well which makes us better on the field. We would all sacrifice anything for our season, so hopefully, this virus passes over so we can get back to playing with our amazing group of guys.”

The impact of COVID-19 is much bigger than just not being able to leave your house.

It’s seniors missing their last few moments with their closest friends. It’s seniors not being able to play the sport they love with their best friends in front of their friends and family.

Respect the seniors who are not able to have these lasts.