Capital City High School has now been in session for around 7, 8 weeks, and the now normal protocols require students to wear masks over their mouth and nose, “Gel in” and “Gel out”, sanitizing just about everything, and maintaining six feet between one another.

Here are two interviews from freshmen about how their experience at a new school and handling COVID-19:

Rashelle Murillo

How was your transition into High School?

It’s been a little bit stressful. Well, because there’s a lot of roadblocks and it’s hard to learn the routes in the school.

Where’d you come from and how is it different?

I came from TJ and well, it’s middle school. It’s smaller, less people, and you didn’t pick your classes.

Do you prefer high school over middle school?

A little bit, because you get to choose your subjects, you have a wider variety of friends, and more freedom.

How has COVID-19 affected your time here?

Um, you just have to wear masks a lot, but besides that and the roadblocks, it’s not much. 

If COVID-19 never happened, how would your year look different?

It probably would have been less stressful, more enjoyable. 

Madison Kempker

How was your transition into high school?

It was good, my sister and brother told me a lot about it, so I was prepared.

Where’d you come from and how was it different?

I’m from TJ and there’s a lot of freedom here and we’re all mixed up. We also get to hang out with the older kids in the hallways. And there’s older people in your classes. Like at TJ, you’d have a certain set of people that you have most of your classes with. It’s now random and I have more friends because of the mixing up.

So you like High School better?

Yes, very much so.

How has COVID-19 affected your time here?

It’s just the masks, I don’t like them. I also feel like they don’t help because my whole family wore them and my brother and I still got it. And I feel like we aren’t social distancing enough, especially in the hallways. I feel like we also can’t sanitize enough to keep it away. But I’m glad we don’t have as many people out as we could.

What do you think would’ve changed if COVID-19 didn’t happen?

I don’t know. We’d definitely be more crowded because people have certain routes they always want to go. We’d be happier I feel like because we’d be able to hang out with our friends more. It’d be different. We’d for sure have more paperwork because they all want everything online. 

So you had COVID-19?

I contracted it from my brother who’s in college. I’m grateful that we sanitize more than they do because they don’t wipe down their desks and they don’t social distance. 

How was the quarantine experience?

It wasn’t bad, just staying inside a lot.

How was catching up on homework afterward?

It was stressful. One of my teachers was out when I came back. I was far behind but now I’m catching up more. 

Make sure to take care of yourself and others during these stressful times. If you need help, talk to your teachers!