A year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic and no one is a stranger to mask wearing, social distancing, and changes to plans. Since March of 2020, students have had to adjust dramatically to changes in not only the classroom, but in their activities as well. Measures have had to be taken to keep sports and activities going through the ups and downs of these trying times, many of those measures still in place today. From wearing masks while rehearsing, to avoiding that game winning hug, how are students keeping up with this fast changing world?
A common worry about this ongoing pandemic is how it will affect yet another class of seniors’ final sports seasons, but through determination and awareness, athletes at North aren’t sitting on the bench for this pandemic. Madelyn Rohrich, a senior cross country runner, had a lot to say about how the cross country team has been keeping up with COVID-19.
“We’ve started going back to as normal as possible, but we don’t meet inside anymore. We meet and do everything outside, and team activities are less contact.” With reports of 65% less time spent practicing and playing in games for high school athletes across the nation, Madelyn told us one of the hardest parts about being a runner in the pandemic is having to keep more distance between teammates. “My biggest takeaway from this is not to take it [Cross Country] for granted.” Even with an ongoing pandemic, Madelyn and her teammates have a promising season ahead.
Another department at Fargo North that saw major change was the theater department. With Broadway shows closed since March 2020, losing upwards of $35 million in gross revenue a week, the continuation of theater at school seemed more than difficult. If the pros couldn’t open, could the show go on at Fargo North? Fortunately for the actors at North, with safety precautions and major changes, performances continued last year and will go on this year as well.
Tyler Hoverson, a sophomore, told about how things have changed, as well as how the cast, crew, and directors involved kept the show running. When asked about what the biggest changes to the program have been, Tyler said, “Definitely performing with masks on and Zoom plays last year.”
A successful production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing happened over Zoom last school year, something Tyler said he wasn’t too fond of. As of now, no Zoom plays are planned, but masks and distancing are still a regular part of the theater program, making it difficult for kids who are learning. “People aren’t learning as much about facial expressions anymore and aren’t using them as much.” When asked what one good thing about all this change has been, Tyler was able to find some light in the work of the directive crew.
“I thought that the directive team took a really smart route to theater things with scheduling and stuff, and they were super creative and I admire what they did.” With Steven Sondheim’s Into the Woods taking the North stage early this November, as much normalcy as possible is hoped for.
A major question going into the school year was how to stay safe when playing a band instrument. With air blowing in all directions, live music was one of the last things to come back after the closures. The U of M and the Minnesota Orchestra did a study concerning winds and brass and the transmission of air particles and found the instruments don’t spread aerosols as far as you might think. However, students in the FNH band program are still taking measures to keep their music classes as normal as possible.
Senior french horn player Jocelyn Sveet talked about the difficult changes that had to be made this past year. “We’ve had to wear special playing masks and bell covers, which makes playing harder in general.” Learning an instrument is hard enough on its own, but adding special equipment only makes the process more difficult. “Sixth-graders having to learn with bell covers and masks is going to make it much harder when the restrictions are lifted. It’s going to sound so different when they don’t have to have them on. They’ll have to start all over with listening and intonation.” Even with the less-than-ideal circumstances, Jocelyn found the light in the situation. “My biggest takeaway is being able to be flexible and go with the flow because at least you can do what you want to do and it’s not just canceled like in 2020.”
With students back in the classrooms and activities in full swing, exciting fall, winter, and spring seasons are ahead of students at Fargo North, seasons which students hope will be much better than last years. With restrictions still in place, students have learned to work with the circumstances, however, they still hope, as most people do, that life will become more normal as the year progresses.