Students who have opted for in-person classes for the rest of the school year can enjoy campus life and reconnect with their teachers and peers. But hHow do 8-9 students truly feel about returning to campus? We checked in with several 8-9 students to get their views.

Ben Morgan ‘25, who was playing soccer with friends prior to being interviewed, expressed his enjoyment of back-to-school life, mentioning that his exhaustion of online school was crucial to his decision to return in person. Morgan feels that he is less busy in person than he was online, and thinks hybrid classes are working well, stating “I think it’s hard for the teachers because if they’re teaching online, then they forget about the people in-person, or they walk around the classroom and forget about the people online. So, I think it’s sometimes hard, but I think it’s working fine.” Morgan said that he feels safe on campus, and has never been worried about COVID-19.

Varinn Sood ‘25 decided to return to campus because she felt it was important to return to a semblance of normalcy, and due to the difficulty of concentrating during online classes. Since sports have started back up, Sood feels busier with schoolwork, but she said it’s “not overwhelming.” When asked about hybrid classrooms, Sood stated that she “can’t speak for the people that are online, but one day I did go online and I felt really included because they were being interactive.” She said that there have not been moments where she has been worried about COVID-19 and says “Academy is doing a really good job.”

Riley Brown ‘24 is happy to be back on campus with all of her friends. She decided to return in person because she did not like online classes and all of her friends came back. Brown also feels busier with school, however, primarily due to the start of the athletic season. When asked about hybrid classrooms, Brown said “I think that they’re going alright. I mean, I think it’d be better if everyone was online or in person, but I think they’re going pretty well.” Ultimately, she has never been worried about COVID-19 on campus.

Max Moye ‘24 was bored of being at home, so he decided to come back on campus. Moye is delighted to be back and feels less busy with in-person classes. He thinks hybrid classes are working well, and he likes them. When asked about COVID-19 concerns, Moye stated “Yeah, at the beginning I was worried, but I think it’s calmed down.”