During this special time of uncertainty, Seattle Prep is doing its best to try and create a lively, and social environment for its students.  The administrators have worked on a way to go back to school, only 25% of the students at a time on campus called the intermediate transition to hybrid.  Originally, they hoped to get 50% on campus, but due to COVID cases rising in King County, the school couldn’t permit hybrid learning because there would be too many people.  Soon, students will go to school in pods based on their last name, in quarters of the alphabet.

Many students have differing opinions on this new school environment.  Lucas Hamilton ’22, saw how the lunchroom was arranged and was immediately concerned.  He asked himself, “How would I even be able to interact with my friends when the whole point of going back to school is for social interaction?” Hamilton believes that it also defeats the purpose of going back if its only one day a week.

Gabby Betzer, ’23, has a similar opinion.  She likes doing school online rather than the idea of hybrid because “people miss the social part of school, and hybrid doesn’t do much to help that”.  It’s better to stay at home for now Betzer said, because so far, “the risks are greater than the benefits for returning”.

Most teens have accepted their reality and are doing just fine with staying online for a while.  Senior, Eva Guarda Vazquez, may not go back to school yet because it would mean no more contact with her grandparents, which she values.  Online school “can be lonely, but it’s nice to work at my own pace and relax a little more,” Guarda Vazquez explained.  She wishes the circumstances were a little different so she could do art in person, and that her work could be done with her peers.

Other students have a different mindset of going back to school.  Carolyn Kounellas, ’21, would much rather have school in person than online.  She misses her friends and eating lunch in the Great Room, and especially misses the fun of going to sports’ practices and games.  Kounellas “can’t be at home any longer because [her] family and pets come into [her] room while on Zoom calls to make an appearance”, which she is tired of.

While the school and its students have different opinions on going back, Prep can all agree on one thing: online school is hard, for everyone.  Whether the school decides to go back soon or not, students and teachers alike are all in this together.