Jodie De Jesus ’21
It has certainly been an eventful past seven months. A global pandemic, calls for racial justice, and a plethora of Zoom meetings only begin to scratch the surface of the things we’ve experienced. It’s crazy to think that, in a few years time, this will all be history. For better or worse, we’ll reflect on the lessons we’ve learned whenever we look back on this period of our lives. I, for one, am excited to answer my future kids and grandkids’ inevitable question of: “Where were you during the coronavirus pandemic?”
Though that conversation is quite a while away, there are things in the near future that we can still look forward to. For the senior class, college applications are being finalized and sent in. As a nation, we look ahead to the 2020 Presidential Election (get out there and VOTE, if you’re able!). And I’m sure something that we’re all looking forward to is the return to some sense of normalcy – no more masks, plexi-glass, or air hugs from 6-feet apart.
Amid all this chaos, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle, the stress, and the negativity that may accompany these next few months. But I think it’s important to also see the good that will eventually come from it – the “light at the end of the tunnel,” if you will. In this edition of Untucked, student writers do just that. While there was certainly no shortage of events and changes to recap, students also chose to write about topics eliciting positivity and hopefulness. Interviews with brand new OKS faculty and preparations for the Halloween season are among the headlines you’ll find throughout this edition. We are also thrilled to be utilizing our new online platform, as we adjust to this day and age of being virtual.
So now that the 2020-2021 school year is officially off to the races, I’m excited (and, of course, a little sad) for my last year at Oak Knoll. We are extremely fortunate as a community to have the opportunity to be on campus and in-person with one another, and I don’t want to take anything for granted. Even though school will look a little different than we may have expected, I encourage you all to find the good in each day and remember our theme for this school year: we’re all in this together!
Have a great school year!
Jodie De Jesus ’21
Great article!