Amidst the global COVID-19 outbreak, confusion regarding assignments, AP tests, and IB scores has been difficult to handle for many high school students. AP tests have continued this year, while IB has canceled all written exams, basing scores off of IAs and orals. Although all of my IB classes are HLs and I am enrolled in just one AP test, this experience has certainly affected me negatively, as nearly all of my classes rely on discussion and hands-on activities. E-learning has been crucial to school continuing, but it is clear that e-learning is only fit to be used in short periods of time (i.e snow days). For multiple days or even a couple of weeks, e-learning is sufficient, but for an entire quarter of my junior year it is not adequate. While it is nice to not have to attend a seven hour school day only to return home with absurd amounts of homework, I do wish that I could go back to school, as I am gaining little academic value in e-learning. 

That being said, to be safe, the country should absolutely not reopen right now. It may work out well and herd immunity might take place, but it might not. The death rate could soar and COVID-19 could spread like never before. Considering our president’s many words of wisdom, informing citizens that the country will reopen on Easter and to consume disinfectants, the administration worries me as well. I also wonder how the beginning of the school year will look for students and whether all students will be able to attend class normally. People protesting for America to reopen has also been extremely unsettling, as, although young people have a considerably low chance of being significantly affected by COVID-19, senior citizens have a far higher mortality rate. It is my hope that things will become semi-normal in the not too distant future, but I will remain weary of large gatherings for quite a while. 

Moving forward, I hope that the United States, as well as the rest of the world, will take necessary measures for preparing for another pandemic in the future. Considering the lack of knowledge we have regarding COVID-19, we should not discard restrictions and go back to normal anytime soon.