Quarantine has done many positive things in my life. It’s been a time of relieving stress for me, self-discovering, and finding self-love. My sleep schedule is messed up, but isn’t everybody’s? The quiet, calming hours of darkness brought late nights. The lack of worry you’ll be late for work or school. This time in quarantine is a cherishing time for me and I do very much enjoy it.

However, I am still very sad about being away from school.

It’s sad that our school year was cut-short due to the pandemic. Three months of being stuck at home like Rapunzel. Three months of being away from friends. Three months of being out of a classroom environment.

Most most importantly, three months of being away from teachers.

As much as I get tired or angry at a class for frequent tests or hefty homework, I am very fond of all of my teachers. They’re all so understanding and give great advice to guide us into the future. We (My classmates and I) all shared great laughs with our teacher. My 2019-2020 school year will be remembered as one with the best teachers.

It’s disheartening that I’m not able to say my last goodbyes to my teachers or have them sign my yearbook.

And after quarantine still, things aren’t going to be the same with school even when it’s all over.

During quarantine, I struggled greatly with doing my assignments. I had the mentality that the “hold harmless” grading policy will keep me my grades up in school. But I also couldn’t help the guilt eating me up as I saw missing assignment notifications pop up more and more on my phone.

I spared my math lessons until the day of the tests where I would cram them all in my brain. I use SpanishDict for every homework page I need to complete. I googled every one of my Chemistry questions instead of setting the gears in my brain. When there was a writing assignment, I shrug it off. Go “tomorrow morning I’ll do it.”… “tonight I’ll do it.”… “This is a problem for me late.”

I was stuck in a pit I dug myself of wanting to continue learning, but didn’t want to do the work attached to it.

With summer right around the corner with days left of school, I can already tell I’m going to be in a really bad work mentality when school comes back.

Dear my past teachers and those to come,

Please be fruitful yet find a way to be stern with the lateness policy in the first semester, students have adopted the thinking of waiting last minute to cram work or even forgetting the work itself.

Students will be excited to come back. Some will be anxious. Others may be angry to go back to this “hell-hole, unfair education system adults call school.”

If we continue distance learning, continue to try to get to know your students through the computer screen. Build a bond with us. Open up times in your day for students to come and chat. To talk about their week, or vent out their emotions to someone they trust.

Talk about your week to us, we’d love to take a break from learning a hear your stories. Tell us the good, tell us the bad. Show us you’re not some sort of robot who spews assignments. Find common interests with students, whether it be in shows, games, books, or hobbies.

If we meet online, please don’t make us wake up at god-forsaken hours like 8 a.m. We’ve adapted a nocturnal schedule of sleeping from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Leave thoughtful suggestions and constructive criticism for us to become better in a skill, don’t just give us a grade. I love reading comments I get from teachers, and I hope my classmates do too.

Talk about your teenage years, your struggles during your time our age. Tell us your love stories. How your time fought for what’s right. Show us we’re not alone.

And for my teachers to come or those who didn’t feel a connection:

Hi! I’m the kid who loves participating and giving my 2 cents in class. The classmates around me tend to break into laughter because I can’t help cracking a joke during a lesson. My dream school would be Stanford, but I stand for (haha, did you get the joke?) a UC.

When I’m older, I would like to move into a cosmopolitan area to experience the busy, working area. My hobbies are reading, writing designing, planning, or being able things in general.

I grew up watching a lot of animated cartoons such as Avatar and Pokemon, which I find my love for filmography from. I find enjoyment in making and editing videos of my friends for us to laugh at. I tend to rewatch my work when I’m feeling down or bored.

I will always walk into your class with a bright smile… unless it’s a test day, then I’ll be nervously smiling and jumping up n down trying to get all the shakes out.

The list about me can go on and on, but I think it’s better to learn more about me face-to-face, in friendly conversations, and me being able to ask you questions about yourself.

Pretend I folded this up and past it to you under the desk, Analise