Instead of waking up in dorm rooms, college students are waking up at home, with online classes replacing lecture halls. Even parents are working from their homes instead of an office. Normal routines are changing, and the coronavirus impacts different age groups in different ways. The Ranson family has two Trinity students and their mom is the 2021 Auction Co-Chair.
“I’m usually a social butterfly and now I can’t be as social,” sixth grader Elizabeth Ranson explained.
Elizabeth is also a level six competitive gymnast, and she’s sad about missing states and possibly regionals.
“As a sixth grader, the coronavirus is impacting me because I’m missing out on end of the school year events like Headmaster’s Day, and I can’t see my big sis again before she graduates,” Elizabeth said.
For seniors, COVID-19 has completely changed their end to high school. Many traditions have been canceled, from senior sporting seasons to final goodbyes.
“It’s taken away prom and graduation,” senior Jackson McNeill said, “I don’t get to have a normal senior experience.”
The McNeill family has three Trinity students, one alumni, and a mom involved in the PTO.
Jackson feels that the coronavirus has stolen many experiences that he’s been looking forward to for a very long time. He does weightlifting, and the coronavirus has canceled his season and districts.
“While for other students this might be a nice break, I have to miss out on everything that makes being a Trinity senior,” Jackson said.
The oldest McNeill brother, Harrison, is back at home from Florida State University where he is a senior and he said it’s quite an adjustment for him.
“I no longer have the library,” Harrison said. “I no longer have all the resources.”
Harrison admitted that when he first heard about the coronavirus, he didn’t think it would be a big deal. Now he, along with many other college students, have to adjust to learning online. Harrison said he feels like he’s on his own now without the access to his otherwise typical resources.
With Harrison home, Jeni McNeill, the mother of Jackson and Harrison McNeill, has to cook for a full house of kids.
“It’s challenging to have everybody inside at one time…but we’re spending a lot more time together,” Jeni said.
Jeni said she’s doing a lot more cooking now that there are six people constantly under one roof. Jeni also explained how she makes sure all her children stay at home and only leave the house for necessities.
Like Jeni, Mary Ranson is a Trinity parent heavily involved in volunteering and has several kids at Trinity. Mary hopes that everyone returns back to campus in August. She hopes that everyone can go back to a normal school life and the February auction won’t have to happen online.
“My husband is a vascular surgeon so he is in the hospital everyday so we’ve been trying to be more careful,” Mary said. “I miss going out and about without concern. Now it’s a whole ordeal to do something as simple as getting the groceries.”