2020 has brought it’s immense amount of trials and tribulations for everyone, and has been displayed as one of the hardest years in our generation. Even though it has been a difficult year, not everyone would have the same perspective, they may have had some trials or even blessings from this past year. Especially with the many different opinions, we as a Crusader Ohana should learn to understand and empathize with one another. When we can empathize with one another, we can learn to help out a fellow brother, which makes the community at Saint Louis even stronger. When asked the question “How has 2020 impacted your life?”, a diverse group of students have responded, some similar, and some with differences.

Senior Girwen Lat responded saying, “2020 has impacted my life pretty hard knowing that I can’t live up my senior life. It’s been pretty rough as well because I can’t play my favorite sport, volleyball. Volleyball is my passion and not being able to play it in my most important year of my high-school career is depressing. But this doesn’t stop me from grinding harder and harder everyday to reach my goals. I just wish our seniors could have the senior year we wanted.” 

Another fellow senior, Reese Sua had a different response, saying “2020 has impacted my life as it acted like a blessing in disguise for me. I wouldn’t have gotten closer with all the friends I’ve been hanging out with this past summer and wouldn’t have new friendships if it wasn’t for COVID.”

Overall, seeing the different responses from our brothers, we now understand more than just the surface of how the year has been. For example, Girwen’s life was really impacted hard, and a lot of the seniors can empathize with him. This year was hard to give up a senior life, but it pushed many of us to keep going and to be in pursuit of our goals. Inverselly, Reese explained that 2020 was a blessing in disguise, and that he got closer with some friends, which I completely agree with as well. We all have had our different experiences, and 2020 was indeed a difficult year, but it was just a season in our lives that prepares us for the difficulties of the future. It always helps to glance back at how the past year went, and to understand each other, because only then can we move forward together as a Crusader Ohana.