During quarantine we all saw millions and millions of adults struggle to stay afloat through the chaos. Existing in a pandemic was new concept for everyone, and adults were trying to figure out what to do. They still are; we are far from the end of this pandemic. A lot of attention has been given to the struggles of adults during this time; however, teenagers are struggling too. High school academics and day to day life are daunting. Between being considered essential workers because of their kitchen or baggage jobs, to their sports coaches hounding them to keep working out, and even their teachers trying to maintain academic rigor through zooms and google classroom, their lives are difficult. The class of 2020 and 2021 both got an unimaginable wrench thrown into their plans with this disruption to their senior years. Everyone wants to go back to normal.

Looking now at October verse where we were in March, there are enormous strides made as far as school efficiency. Most students are upset that school has to be hybrid, but are thrilled that it isn’t full remote. The obvious changes in sports are blatant-some seasons are cancelled and most are shortened, this leaves a huge and detrimental impact all around the school because Ipswich High loves its sports. Jobs in this small town are drastically different. It is understandable that all of these changes happen because they keep the town’s Covid numbers down. These changes are necessary, but they dramatically impacting the teens of Ipswich. 

A lot of students at the school feel like they are always busy. The overwhelming amount of things students are expected to do can be really stressful. Chase Huntley, an IHS senior, stated, “I work a lot and try to do well in school; on top of that, anything that involves making money, I’ll probably do it.” Chase, like many kids his age, works two jobs and plays two sports. The pressure to juggle multiple things at once is overwhelming. Riley Daly is another student at IHS, and she feels the pressure too. “Recently, adding work to my weekly schedule has made me feel more pressure; it’s definitely taken time to get use to it.” Riley is continuing her education and athletics at The University of Connecticut, and she just picked up a new job. She is always busy with sports so she definitely feels pressured adding the job. “My priorities are ordered as school, sports, then work. Sports are giving me the opportunity to go to college on a scholarship; I couldn’t pass that up.”  There are other things besides school and sports that take up a high school student’s time. For example, Bree Ring is the senior class President at IHS; she shared her thoughts about getting enough sleep throughout the school year. “With sports, being the class President, and additional club stuff simultaneously happening, daily life get harder.” 

Seniora Harvey is a Spanish teacher at the high school. She has great insight on the situation because she has been working with students for years, and she also has a high school aged son. She talked about how she believes she has a pretty good grasp on how students have to deal with so many things.“I think it’s a lot to handle in general… I have a teenager too so I can see him going through it.” She shows that some teachers and parents could have a grip on what students have to deal with. Students really appreciate when adults show that they see what is going on. Adults expect a lot out of teens and often times, they don’t give teens the respect that they crave and deserve; it almost becomes frustrating. 

In conclusion teenagers do a lot of things that go unrecognized. There are many more things not included in this article that can show in depth how crazy a high schooler’s life really is.