After 13 years of education and at least three schools, the Class of 2020’s childhood education is unceremoniously coming to an end. When the district’s initial distance-learning email began circulating between the second and third period of March 13, Titans were under the impression school would resume  after a 3-week beachy “Spring break.”  

But as the dust settled and the state of California’s social distancing regulations become more clear, the class of 2020 face a far more serious reality than their initial smiles at the thought of “No more World Lit.” 

“At first I was excited to not have any school but now stuck at home I realize that it’s not a vacation and I haven’t had as much time with my friends as I thought,” senior Marquez White said. 

Cancelled sporting events, final performances, and prom are just the beginning to the long list of losses the class of 2020 is mourning. 

“It’s definitely devastating to realize that the events from Most Spirited Titan to the senior picnic and breakfast that I’ve imagined planning for our class since freshman year are likely to be cancelled,” senior class president Josie Allen said. “The past 4 years the ASB class of 2020 has fundraised to make our senior year’s [activities] the best  they could be, and now when it’s finally time to celebrate, we can’t be together.” 

When it comes to athletics, the class of 2020 felt a new wave of remorse with the April 3 CIF announcement of the conclusion of the spring sports season. For senior athletes in particular, the 2020 spring season was a big year with a lot of promise that was devastatingly cut too short. “After being on varsity all four years, I would’ve never thought that I wouldn’t get my turn at my senior season,” baseball player Ivran Romero said. 

Similarly, on the softball diamond, this spring season held a lot of sentimental value to the 10 seniors on the roster. “This year was {most likely] Coach Bennet’s final year [before retirement] making this even more difficult because he has always told us seniors that 2020 would be such a great year for Poway softball because we were a talented class. Us not getting the chance to live up to that is extremely heartbreaking,” senior Abby Kowalski said. 

Entering Titans’ sixth week without a classroom,  seniors’ academics are also not doing too hot. “To put it simply, online school has only made senioritis worse than it already was. It’s so easy to not do your work or not log into Zoom. My friends and I are finding it hard to stay motivated, especially without the promise of the graduation we’ve all worked so hard for,”  senior Lucy Boretto said. 

The reality that seniors’ final moments being Titans could only be virtual is no easy pill to swallow, especially with so many ends left untied. I feel like my time at PHS isn’t done yet. I don’t think I have accepted the fact that I could’ve already had my last day of high school it’s very hard to wrap my head around that idea. I had an upcoming trip to NYC to sing in Carnegie Hall with the advanced choir and I wanted to experience the last few events that seniors usually participate in,”senior Cassidy Stillwell said.

Despite heavy hearts and troubling times, many seniors remain hopeful that their accomplishments at Poway High School have not gone unnoticed. While it is uncertain if the class of 2020 will see any form of graduation; teachers, staff, and students have taken to social media to congratulate seniors on their hard work and recognize the bright future ahead of them in college. “The administrative team and our senior class officers are working incredibly hard to celebrate and promise the class of 2020 they will not be forgotten,” ASB director Emily Pratt said.