As the students at Dakota High School return to everyday learning in person with no hybrid, many students have different opinions on everything that has been changing. When it come to their sleep schedules to the parking lot of the school and the experiences within the school at their own desks. Some students at Dakota have strong opinions, some going in a positive direction, while others focus on the negative aspects of going back in their own opinions. Here are some opinions of two Sophomores who have had two not very normal first two years of high school. Kendall Walker and Luke Pokone. 

Brooklyn Plitz with Kendall Walker  

BP: “How does it feel to have to wake up early every day rather than every other day?” 

KW: “I thought I would like it, but I am starting to not like it even though it is only the first week. All I want to do is sleep.” 

BP: “Do you like the shortened school day?” 

KW: “Yes, I do like it because I am able to be home earlier which also helps me be able to get my homework done earlier in case I have something going on later that day.” 

BP: “Do you bring a snack for snack time?” 

KW: “No I do not because I find it weird to not be able to eat all at the same time, I feel weird being able to eat while my table partner cannot, that is just my preference.” 

BP: “What is it like having everyone back in school at the same time?” 

KW: “I think that the school is too crowded, I mean I know that it would be like a normal school year, but with all of the Covid restrictions, for having so many kids at our school, I kind of feel uncomfortable to have to be at school. Even when a bunch of kids are getting quarantined now.” 

BP: “Do you enjoy having everyone back?” 

KW: “No, not really, I do not like that I have to see many kids who always mess around in class and make my learning harder than when I was alone in my room, able to do my own schoolwork at my own pace.” 

BP: “What is it like to have to sit next to someone in your classes since there is not enough room for individual desks?” 

KW: “It was hard to socialize with some of my friends since we were all spread out, but now I get to talk to them because we have to sit next to someone, I am just glad that for most of my classes, it is someone that I feel comfortable sitting next to.” 

BP: “Describe the difference in the parking lot from hybrid to now.” 

KW: “It was not crowded and now it is very chaotic and some of these students do not pay attention while in the parking lot, making it somewhat unsafe in my opinion.” 

BP: “How do you think tests and quizzes are going to work since now that classes are only 45 minutes?” 

KW: “I think, or well I hope that they are shorter because there is no way I can take an hour-long test in a matter of 45 minutes.” 

Brooklyn Plitz with Luke Pokone 

BP: “How does it feel to have to wake up early every day rather than every other day?” 

LP: “I do not like it; it gets harder to wake up the more the week goes on, and it makes me just want to sleep in.” 

BP: “Do you like the shortened school day?” 

LP: “Yes I do, it gives me a chance to have more time before I go to bed, and I can get some studying done if I have to before going to extracurriculars after school or at night.” 

BP: “Do you bring a snack for snack time?” 

LP: “No, I just eat breakfast before I come to school which helps me get through the shortened school day.” 

BP: “What is it like having everyone back in school at the same time?” 

LP: “It is very crowded in the hallways, almost nothing like how the hallways were during hybrid learning.” 

BP: “Do you enjoy having everyone back?” 

LP: “Yeah, it is nice to see people that you have not seen in a while who were on the opposite day as you. It was nice to see familiar faces that I haven’t seen since last March.” 

BP: “What is it like to have to sit next to someone in your classes since there is not enough room for individual desks?” 

LP: “It is weird because I just got used to having my own space at my own desk while at school and now I have to share it with another person.” 

BP: “Describe the difference in the parking lot from hybrid to now.” 

LP: “It is a lot busier, and it takes longer to get out because of how many people are trying to get out of the school. There are also many aggressive drivers who kind of drive reckless.” 

BP: “How do you think tests and quizzes are going to work since now that classes are only 45 minutes?” 

LP: “I think the tests are going to be shorter or maybe take up two days of class if it is a longer test and there is no way to cut down the number of questions.”