Last year was defined by unprecedented change. Now, more than a year and half after the start of the pandemic, things almost feel more unsure. Where 2020 was defined by isolation and lockdown, 2021 seems to be defined by disquiet and uncertainty.

In the first few months of the pandemic, the phrases “when this is all over…” and “when things go back to normal…”  were ever-present self assurances that COVID was a temporary blip in the rhythm of our lives. But as the months have passed, it’s becoming more apparent that COVID will continue to affect our lives long after its start.

Masks indoors, hand sanitizer stations, and vaccination card checks are the more overt symbols of a post-pandemic world. But there are other, more subtle signs of the pandemic’s reverberating effects on how we live and function.

Our relationship with technology has completely changed, with digital connection becoming just as, if not more, common and utilized than face-to-face interactions. The amount of time we spend on social media and screens has increased significantly, and the lines between the digital world and the “real” world are becoming blurred. 

For many, the pandemic stole important milestones. Graduations, proms, school traditions, and normal school years were lost for a year, leaving us to reckon with the fallout now.

For high school students, the disruption of formative high school years, which are essential for adjusting to the increased responsibilities and workload of high school, left many unprepared for the tempo of  a “normal” school year. Although the adjustment to the ultra-virtual school of 2020 was difficult, the transition back to ordinary is proving just as challenging.

Within Baldwin, the aftereffects of the pandemic are evident in the structure of the school itself. The Schoolhouse is now exclusively used by the Upper School, while the Middle School has shifted to the Residence. The cafeteria is no longer a hub of social activity, a role which has been replaced by the Middle and North Door Fields. Assemblies are no longer in the Residence with the entire Upper School, but on different days with two grades at a time.

All of this change has profoundly affected our outlook and psyche. The turmoil of the pandemic taught us to adjust to living day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month, with the unspoken acceptance that anything can change at a moment’s notice. We have learned adaptability in the face of the most prolonged uncertainty in most of our lives. 

We can no longer look towards a return to the pre-pandemic world we knew in its entirety; we can no longer promise ourselves a definitive “end” to COVID’s presence in our lives. Our world has changed fundamentally and permanently, but so have we. If the past year and a half has proved anything, it is that we can get through anything. As we approach the end of 2021, let’s look towards the future with hope and courage…and whatever storms arrive in the future, let’s weather them together.