Winter Term Begins

Larry Li

At Groton, the start of winter term begins after Thanksgiving break with a short, two-week period of school before heading home for the holidays. These two weeks are always a blur, with teachers speeding through a unit and set of major commitments, before whisking us off back home. I must say, though, that it has always been one of the most fun and special weeks of the school year.

These two weeks are always a fresh start, with fall exams behind us and feeling recharged from days with family and away from school. I feel as if most everyone is happy and freshly motivated to start again. A new season of sports/afternoon activities, fresh grade books, and clubs alike. Although the danger of major commitments looms in the near future, threatening sleep and stress, it’s a familiar one at that. The two weeks conclude just as swiftly as they began and we rush home for the holidays.

Alas, COVID strikes again.

Given the volatility of the virus, it was only natural that certain precautions were made regarding our return after Thanksgiving. As I sit here writing this blog post, with my homework on one hand and dinner on the other, it’s hard not to feel confined and unhappy about those safety measures. We are stuck in the dorm awaiting results from students' COVID tests. I could be out and about with friends. I could have eaten dinner in the Dining Hall. I could have been in in-person classes.

I think if the era of COVID has taught us anything, it’s that comparing the world to pre-COVID times is just not possible. The world today is not the same as it was pre-2020, and it may never be. The reality is that the next couple of weeks may or may not be what I remember from past years (the major commitments will definitely still be there), but the least I can do is try to enjoy them.

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