By Serrae Bell
Last Wednesday was the first day back on campus for St. Anthony, and we were the first high school in Long Beach to go back to in person education. Because it is my senior year, I was so excited to go back and see everyone, even though I knew it was going to be very different. Those who chose to return to school were split into two groups, the Anthonians and the Paduans. I was lucky enough to be part of the former, and got to be on campus the first day it opened back up. For those of you who missed it, here is how it went. When I walked up to the school, I was met with the sight of a purple and white balloon arch reaching over the front steps, and a plethora of photographers and excited parents taking pictures of the students walking underneath it. There were President’s Ambassadors greeting me as I walked up the stairs, and our principal, Mr. Eureste, was waiting at the door. Once inside, teachers and administrators were asking each student if they had any symptoms of Covid-19, and a device was set up to take our temperatures automatically and from afar. It was slightly overwhelming at first, but it was all part of the new protocol. The change that was by far the most astonishing was that almost the entire courtyard had been blocked off, and there were piles of dirt and four tall columns coming out of the ground. This was in preparation for the addition of shades to the courtyard to create a more comfortable outdoor environment. However, it did create a minor inconvenience when it came to walking to class. This was solved by arrows taped on the wall directing students which direction to go. It was confusing at first, but is something that won’t take too long to get used to. The two groups that the school was split into, and the fact that some students decided to stay at home, made the classrooms emptier, but it also made learning feel more personal. Because there were a limited number of scholars, the student to teacher ratio was much better than if we were all in school. The teachers were able to assist any students that needed help, as well as tend to the students on Zoom. I even had a class where it was just me and one other student. This made it easier to communicate with the teacher, and even made class fun, despite the desk shields. Although everything was very different, and even a little bit weird at first, I am glad that I decided to go back to campus. It was great to see some of my friends and familiar faces, and I’m sure all the teachers would agree that it was good to see actual people in a classroom again. Although the new split lunch schedule will take a little getting used to, it will be worth it if I get to be back on campus one last time before graduation. To all the people who decided to stay home, or who might go back to remote learning after their one day at school, especially the seniors, I hope the decision is thought-through . If you change your mind, and stay with on-campus learning, it’ll be worth it.
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