Let’s be honest: the “new normal” isn’t that great. Masks, plexiglass, social distancing, and bottles of bleach are the pillars of this strange, new life, and the deluge of cancellations, safety precautions, and postponements aren’t helping. However, there are silver linings to the mass of gray clouds storming overhead. 

Before the commotion that has consumed our daily lives, high school was still strenuous and exhausting. One of the few times that offered any break from the routine was lunch. It was refreshing to plop down next to a group of friends and chat about the upcoming game, find a spot in the New Commons and a curl up with a book, or use the time to catch up on homework. But life is different now. 

It’s hard to chat with friends when a plexiglass barrier is in the way. It isn’t as easy to find a spot in the New Commons when you have to stay six feet away from everyone else. It feels weird worrying that the essay you’ve just started might be finished next week in quarantine. It feels wrong when you notice that the cafeteria is so empty, you can discern every conversation around you. But at least we’re together. 

In this time of hardship, our silver linings are the “at leasts.” At least we can take our masks off during lunch. At least you can see your friend’s smile. At least we eat lunch at school and not at home. At least we can interact within our classes. At least, we know, there is hope for the future. 

The opportunity to attend school in person offers us a refuge from the storminess of life. We can work with classmates from the other side of the district or glean tips from a passionate teacher. We can catch a pass, spike an ace, and score a hole-in-one. We team up with fellow gamers in eSports, pen dramatic tales in Writing Club, and tackle the world in Future Problem Solvers. 

Lunch is different; everything is different. But when we open up our lunch or put our tray down on the table tomorrow, we need to remember the silver linings. The new normal may smell like disinfectant and look like a collage of one-way halls and multi-colored masks, but we have each other. At least we can settle down with our lunch, take off our mask, and catch a breather.

Let’s be more than honest: let’s be optimistic.