We’re all confused. When is school going to start again? Is school going to be extended into the summer? Is senior ball still happening? When can I see my friends again? Is school even going to start again this year? 

We constantly complain to our friends and parents about this strange, new normal we live in. We are drowning in the confusion and distraught created by COVID-19 (coronavirus), and as students, we look up to the school administration for some clarity. When we get emails from the principal or school district, we quickly scan them to obtain any information — but we still feel left in the dark about what’s happening and our future this school year. 

School is a constant in our lives: five days a week, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a relatively stable amount of tests, homework, and extracurriculars. Now, it’s the one factor of our life that isn’t constant, and our lives feel like they’ve been thrown out of line.

Because of this abrupt change, it’s given that we’re going to look to someone or something to blame for causing havoc to our lives. However, we have to recognize that, just like everyone else, the administration is doing its best and adapting to the changing circumstances. The updates from Santa Clara County and other government agencies that we receive are very similar to the information FUHSD and MVHS staff receives — they react as information rolls in and notify us accordingly. We probably witness the news on TV before FUHSD knows what happened.

FUHSD’s job is to keep students safe, so it’s understandable that it is changing its plan as the news comes in and the number of COVID-19 cases keeps rising. They cannot predict what is going to happen and have no way to see how the situation is going to change over the last few months of the school year.

When we found out about schools closing, teachers were hearing of FUHSD’s decision for the first time as well, meaning they had to change their curriculum and semester plans completely over the course of one weekend. While most of us saw the closure coming, nobody was sure of when school was going to be officially closed, and teachers had to try their best to prepare.

While some of us were looking forward to school’s closure and getting a break from school (and staying healthy, of course), teachers and the rest of the administration were working to figure out how to combat the situation. When the principal broke the news that all schools in the county were being closed, an FUHSD email followed  soon after, stating the facts about school closures. Later that day, many of us had teachers sending us their plans moving forward for the year, and as the weekend went on, most of us had an idea of what was going to happen in terms of school for the next couple of weeks.

And even though some of us might be confused with the new technology and assignments, this confusion is because this entire situation is new to all of us, including the administration. 

Although the trips and events we were looking forward to this semester year were canceled, it’s important to note that there really wasn’t any other option. FUHSD understood the problem and tried to protect the student body in the best it could. And while we may have our personal opinions on the matter, we have to give the members of FUHSD credit for trying to keep us safe in the most effective way possible. 

We shouldn’t  blame them for every single byproduct of the pandemic, like junior prom being cancelled and school being closed. We can do our best to predict and prepare for the future impacts of COVID-19, but in reality, we’re all figuring it out as we go. This situation is something students, administration, and our parents haven’t experienced.

The reality is, nobody is in total control of the situation. The situation is evolving, and as it does, we need to adapt and change. Spreading blame loses the point of the message and creates a sense of right or wrong decisions for the administration. Just trust that everyone is trying to do their jobs and enjoy the time at home while it lasts.

Instead of obsessing over everything we think the administration could be doing, we should use this time to control what we can in our lives. Let’s be supportive of each other and avoid the repetitive cycle of blame.