As students have gotten into the rhythm of having a somewhat normal school year, seniors are beginning to realize that their class has had a much different senior experience compared to previous graduates.

The class of 2022 were lucky enough to get one full year of what used to be known as normal before COVID-19 bared its sharp teeth. That was their freshman year and ever since, they have missed having pep rallies, dances, and regular sports activities.

This year has given seniors one last chance to enjoy their high school experience and celebrate how far they have come. Senior Madelynn Fuller has been involved in the West softball program since her freshman year and will be joining again this year. Even though Covid took away many opportunities, Fuller is grateful for the experiences she was able to have prior to quarantine.

“We got to experience a full year of what high school should be like before COVID-19 took that from us,” she said. “We got to experience dances, sporting events, and numerous clubs all without masks.”

This experience has greatly impacted the attitude of this class and has given them more confidence in making their final year the best year of their high school career. The senior class has also taken the opportunity to change the traditions that West has been doing for years.

During homecoming week this year, the senior class had a split between whether or not to follow the Wildcat tradition of wearing toga outfits or starting something new and wearing a groutfit.

Senior Katie Eiteuner believes the time has come to spice up Wildcat traditions.

“I think future senior classes should do what they want,” she said. “Although it’s nice to keep traditions going, sometimes they become out of date and should change.”

Seniors Brady Engle disagrees with Eiteuner on this point and pushed for traditions to go on and to keep the flame lit for future students.

“No, I think that they shouldn’t change the traditions because it’s been here for a long time,” he said. “If they change that it would be kind of sad.”

Senior Tristan Divito agrees with Engle about how West’s traditions are easy for students to prepare for, such as dress-up days throughout the year.

“I say stick with the tradition because it is what has worked in the past,” he said.

Seniors reminisce on the days where students weren’t wearing masks and when there were no COVID-19 protocols. Fuller reminds seniors of what it was like before the pandemic came into play.

“We got to experience dances [without masks], sporting events, and numerous clubs,” she said. “Also, I think having junior year online was also a plus for our class because we could work at our own pace and much of the curriculum was turned away. People say that junior year is the hardest year of high school, and for our class, I don’t think that was true with being online.”

Despite the hardships and the adjustment to a new normal, the class as a whole has shown West that it takes a lot more than a global pandemic to knock them down. Senior Hannah Roe has wise words for the future graduates so they can overcome whatever challenges life throws at them.

“Go to those football games, go to the plays and musicals, take a class you’ve always wanted to take but were too scared to,” she said. “Join that club, ask them out, and just have fun. You only get so many years here so make them as memorable as you can.”

By Jasmine Travis

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 3

November 29 2021

Seniors reflect on pre pandemic normalcy, strength defined through adversity