Dear Fellow Gibraltar Students and Community,

In anticipation of the Peninsula Pulse’s Graduation Issue coming out May 22, the Pulse has contacted the newspapers and yearbooks of each school district to invite students to contribute stories about school life amid the COVID-19 pandemic and finishing the 2020 school year from home. This week, Gibraltar’s school newspaper, the Viking Voice, contributed articles to the Pulse.

The Viking Voice: Notes from the Editor

I would like to say that, with my highest regards, Gibraltar’s school board, administration, students, teachers, parents and community members have reacted incredibly professionally, conscientiously and punctually to this entire situation. Everyone has worked extremely hard to maintain a continuity in student’s education through this unfortunate situation. It truly does make myself and the rest of the Viking Voice staff proud to be a part of, and have the opportunity to entertain the Gibraltar community.

When I say “unfortunate situation” for students, I really do mean it. All of Gibraltar’s students are missing out on their spring activities, clubs, and sports. Likewise, it’s been nearly a month since students have been able to socialize with friends. Seniors won’t be able to spend their valuable last months with their classmates and teachers whom they’ve developed unique bonds with over many years, which I have heard is often unprecedented in other schools. Juniors won’t get the memories of their junior prom. I hear you, I’m experiencing it and it is truly a shame.

Nonetheless, I think that as we are becoming adults, it is our responsibility to take a step back. Our pitfalls of this situation don’t even begin to compare to those of the victims and families of those directly affected by this pandemic. Not being able to go to prom need not be juxtaposed with losing a family member, losing a job or going broke as a result of this virus. I think that it’s time for students to put our issues in perspective and begin to take advantage of the positives of the inconveniences that we have been put in.

Among these positives includes taking this time for some much needed self-reflection. I’ve found that this time has been very fruitful in that I’ve been able to do some of my favorite things that I haven’t had time to do recently. Moreover, I’ve been trying new things that I’ve been meaning to for a long time. It has been a great time to process some of my thoughts and emotions regarding some of the biggest decisions I will ever have to make in my life. I think it’s important that we all become more self-reliant. Maybe I’ve been reading too many Ayn Rand novels, but finding time for ourselves and only ourselves can benefit our mental health in many ways. We are always trying to work to impress others, before we have even impressed ourselves. I suggest we all use this time to change that. It might change our entire paradigms.

Nonetheless, all of these things cannot take precedence over slowing the spread of this virus. We all need to do our parts in quarantining, washing our hands, and not touching our faces. This virus is much bigger than each of us, but we still can play our part in defeating it. We just need to work together, but not too closely.

Thank you for reading,

Solomon Lindenberg

Editor-in-Chief, the Viking Voice