New Years Eve, 2019, families and friends gathered around the clock with poppers, party hats, and festive beverages. They counted down as the clock ticked closer to midnight. Little kids rose out of bed, while dogs ran and hid under beds–both anxiously awaiting the celebration (and noise) that would ring in the new year. 2020 would be the beginning of a new decade, the freshest of new beginnings. While the new year indeed began with big hopes, they were soon crushed by a worldwide pandemic. COVID-19 took lives, separated families, and changed just about everything in what used to be “normal” life. This being said, it also gave many people new perspectives on what is really important. 

With nearly every big part of their lives disrupted, Miramonte students realized just how important the smaller moments in life are. For some, this meant fostering stronger friendships with friends and family. “The pandemic has made me grateful for a lot of things. I feel like you don’t really appreciate the things you don’t realize you could lose,” sophomore Emi Ross said. “I have a much smaller social bubble, so I am hanging out with more of the same people. I’ve gotten a lot closer with them which I really like.” 

After all athletics were cancelled, student athletes grew a greater appreciation for sports and the community that stems from it. “I feel like I didn’t realize how much I appreciated even just something basic like water polo practice,” sophomore Addison Owensby said. “It never occurred to me that it might go away. And once we got to go back, even though it’s not the same and we can’t do much more than drills, I appreciate just being in the pool with my friends and teammates.”

By spending more time with family, Miramonte students have been able to build on their relationships with family members. They realized not to take this time for granted. “Having to spend so much time with my family was a little frustrating at first,” junior Bridget Meagher said. “Being around my sister all the time reminded me of when we were younger. But I know we’ve gotten to hang out a lot, and that probably wouldn’t have  happened in a normal situation. I think when we’re older we’ll be glad we had the time together.”

Miramonte students have discovered that the lack of traveling, whether it be for vacations or simply driving to sport activities, makes life a little more simpler. “Something good that’s come out of the pandemic is that I don’t have to go anywhere. I can do all my work right from home, which is much easier, and I have more technology and resources to use,” freshman James MacKenzie said.

The flexibility of online teaching has given teachers more opportunities to spend quality time with their families and try new activities together. “With technology and lock-down, we’ve been able to enjoy deeper connections and keep in touch more often. We do family zoom sessions once a month with relatives from England, Australia and Canada! We also enjoy playing board games, which can become quite loud and competitive, which ultimately contributes to a strong bonding experience,” french teacher Nouna Pinto said. 

Sooner or later, this time at home will come to an end. Scientists and doctors are testing new cures everyday. Schools are slowly being reopened. This pandemic will fade and someday it will all feel like a weird dream. Everything will go back to normal, but physical interactions will be cherished. Simply being able to walk into a store and not have to follow arrows and wear a mask will feel so freeing. Miramonte student’s perspectives on life will be changed for the better.