For the first time in nearly a year and a half, the entire student body has returned to campus. While the quality of our education has suffered along with our social lives during the pandemic, most agree that this return is for the best, and we as The Nexus are eager to return to our somewhat normal lives.

Although new Covid guidelines allow for all 2,323 students to come back to school, there are some undeniable differences from the 2019-2020 school year, one being the cancellation of the annual First Day Rally. Although this cancellation made for a slightly less spirited first day of school, we believe that it was for the best. Packing more than 2,000 students into the stands would have not only been overcrowded and overstimulating for some who have not experienced crowds in over a year, but it would have also been unsafe given that mask wearing is not enforced in outside environments. 

In place of the regular rally, there was a Spirit Blitz on the first Friday of school at lunch, where students could choose whether or not to come out and watch band, cheer and Color Guard perform. Students and staff were given t-shirts to commemorate Westview having been open for 20 years, and were encouraged to wear the shirts to the Blitz. When it came to displaying unity, the matching shirts were successful, as the majority of the student body wore theirs, resulting in a sea of black and gold in the plaza, an overwhelming display of spirit.

As another helpful measure, in addition to the Blitz, Link Crew hosted two orientations, one for freshmen on the first day of school, and one for sophomores on day two. This allowed for students, many of whom had never been on Westview’s campus, to become acquainted with its layout and meet their peers in a small-group setting.

Upperclassmen also were able to fraternize with their respective classes at their ASB-sanctioned field lunches, which took place on Tuesday and Thursday this week.  

By splitting up Welcome Week activities, bonding efforts were adapted to be solely grade-based, which was a refreshing way to allow for more adjustment for underclassmen, as connections with those who we have known for years diminished during the virtual school year. 

Even as we all get to catch up with old friends, and make new ones, there is the ever-present concern of COVID-19 to consider. 

Although packed halls with familiar faces were greatly missed in the past year and a half, it was somewhat jarring seeing the sheer number of people on campus. Even with Westview’s open campus model, at times, the cafeteria feels like a tightly packed can of sardines and the walkways between classes are so congested and crowded that quickly walking to class is nearly impossible. 

This is concerning, especially as the past 17 months have been all about not getting in one another’s personal space. With no staggered lunches, passing periods, or reduced capacity classrooms, there are bound to be Covid outbreaks on campus, especially amongst the unvaccinated.

And with Covid outbreaks will come  a growing number of students who are no longer able to attend school for 10 days. Last year, with the concurrent model in effect, this would have been much more manageable, but this year, there will be students who have no access to live instruction for 10 days, and teachers will be forced to  scramble and put together packets for said students. Even a parent or sibling getting sick could be detrimental to the education of a student. While we understand the need for personal quarantines, this does not bode well for the continued preservation of a completely in-person year. 

Despite there still being uncertainty and some fear about what this school year holds, the optimism of students and faculty has made the first two weeks a positive experience overall. To be able to see so much of our community, together and thriving, has been a great way to start off the new school year. The Nexus is excited to see campus life continue to flourish with spirit, and is hopeful for the continued safety of the Westview community.