At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, it seemed as though this year would last for an eternity. Especially with students spending a majority of their time online, idling in Zoom waiting rooms, awaiting entry into class soon became the new “normal”. Yet, who would have thought that the school year is already half way through! Although the school year that students are accustomed to has been completely altered due to changes occurring globally, Ridge High School students and staff have found new ways to keep up the school spirit.

Learning in a new environment, many students have differing perspectives. Specifically, Elayna Douglas ‘24, voices how her first year in high school is going so far: “It’s sad that we can’t be together in school like before. In high school, I was excited to make new friends. I’m so glad that I was able to meet some new people in Cross Country and Track, it has definitely made this new high school experiment more enjoyable. I hope next year will be better!” Many students share this opinion; the main difference between this year compared to past school years is the inability to see peers in the hallways everyday.

In addition, while there are new guidelines for extracurricular activities, clubs and sports teams have found new ways to keep up club meetings. Most sports teams have implemented a safe practice and competition schedule. In the theater world, the Drama Club has already produced an outdoor fall play: “A Christmas Carol”, and continues to plan for the upcoming spring musical: “Cats!”. And the choirs have put on a wonderful live virtual concert. And those are only a few examples of how Ridge High School has adapted to these new conditions. On a smaller scale, student-run clubs hold Zoom meetings where members continue to brainstorm fun activities (even online), such as games and fundraisers. Everyone has been able to adapt well to this new environment; in addition, there are definitely some advantages to being virtual.

Transitioning into the third marking period, there are definitely more events to look forward to. Even if we can not physically be with each other, that doesn’t stop Ridge High School students from finding ways to collaborate with each other to make virtual learning as fun as possible.