Reflections On a Pre-pandemic Athenian
During the 2020-2021 school year, a typical day on the Athenian campus consists of masked students wearing name tags which are subtly tucked under sweatshirts or into dark pockets of backpacks, conversations attempted (and many sentences repeated) from six feet apart, and the breathtaking view of the new modular classes placed haphazardly on East Lawn, as well as the mountains obscured behind them.
Graphic By Alekhya Maram
By Ilah Ross
During the 2020-2021 school year, a typical day on the Athenian campus consists of masked students wearing name tags which are subtly tucked under sweatshirts or into dark pockets of backpacks, conversations attempted (and many sentences repeated) from six feet apart, and the breathtaking view of the new modular classes placed haphazardly on East Lawn, as well as the mountains obscured behind them.
Though this picture of in-person learning may sound grim, I am the last person to complain about the immense privilege we have as Athenians to be back in person while most California high school students remain online. However, as this unusual and unprecedented school year comes to a close, I feel that it would be fitting to reflect on all that the community misses about our school.
Whether it’s a favorite meal, a staple Athenian tradition, or a class rite-of-passage, most students have an opinion on the topic of what they miss about our school. For Milan Boga, a sophomore at Athenian, it’s the regular sports seasons that he misses most.
“I really miss the normal basketball season,” Boga said. “I miss going to away games on the bus with the whole team and also bonding with my teammates at the practices.”
Although Athenian was able to offer sports clinics throughout the school year, and in some cases, a short competitive season, Boga’s account confirms that many students miss their full density sports team, and the community that comes along with it.
For the freshman class, however, many students feel the loss of much more than their favorite sports season at Athenian.
“Since my first day at Athenian in sixth grade, the Point Reyes trip, a rite of passage in the Athenian community, was something we all looked forward to,” noted Miriam Moyes, a freshman at Athenian. “When I found out it was cancelled I was so sad that I wouldn’t get the chance to meet my new classmates, but I was even more sorry that the new kids wouldn’t have a chance to meet anybody before they were sent into an entirely new environment.”
Bella Vukelich, an Athenian junior, recalls a simpler time at Athenian, where advisory meetings were not held online and sandwiched between countless Zoom calls, but rather, in an in-person and informal format.
“One thing I really miss is how advisory used to be,” Vukelich said. “We would all sit in a circle, eat snacks, and just talk about the week. Although we still do have advisory now, I really miss being able to have those fun weekly meetings.”
Another student, Allie Girzadas (class of ‘23), reflected on what, for her, is an incredibly meaningful aspect of Athenian: the performances in the CFTA.
“After only getting to perform once in the CFTA last year, I really miss the excitement in the hallway before performing, the pre-show dinners in the main hall, and supporting all my friends while they perform,” Girzadas explained.
Many students at Athenian miss the comfortable and community-based atmosphere which normally meets us as we walk into school, but as this bizarre school year comes to an end and we prepare for the next, the overall sentiment among students is hopeful.
“Obviously with COVID this year, it has been challenging to connect as a community,” Girzadas said, “but I am hopeful that next year we will get to experience the old Athenian again.”