Representing everything from scientists to musicians to historians, the class of 2024 has a lot of talent and a lot of dreams. 

Freshman year didn’t take that away from them.  

Halfway through eighth grade, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Their bridge ceremony was attended on Zoom by an audience of black screens, with tiny white names replacing the relieved smiles of kids who had just survived middle school. 

Instead of singing on the band bus or at pizza parties with teammates, Haven’s class of 2024 endured a freshman year of isolation at home, or five different schedules and social distancing at school. 

According to the CDC: “…more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year.” 

Defiant in the face of that terrifying statistic, the class of 2024 is still standing. Seniors have learned how to communicate openly about mental health and withstand the torrential roar of social media. 

They had to learn these lessons quickly because their sophomore year’s new normal was difficult to navigate in different ways. Masks filled the halls instead of smiles, and it was difficult to make real connections. How could you be part of a community of activities if you were struggling just to figure out how to adjust to in-person schooling?

Some clubs lack senior representatives this year because seniors just had to find out who they wanted to be over the last few years. Despite obstacles to creative outlets like extracurriculars, seniors continue to push themselves to think outside the box. Just look at what they brought instead of their backpacks on May 21: mini-fridges, kayaks,  wheelbarrows, tires, and a list of other creative ideas. 

Flash forward to 2024 brought even more changes, especially in technology. In many classes, Chromebooks digitized schoolwork. Earbuds and apps competed for attention. They had to learn how to live in a world with artificial intelligence and turn it from a weapon to a tool.

Basically, life has hit them with quite a lot. 

It rained the night of their junior prom. The one school constant, Google Classroom, was replaced by Schoology midyear. TikTok became a thing. They are even seeing the possible downfall of TikTok while still in high school. 

They’ve seen so much that they seem equivalent to storytelling elders, with the general air of, “Well, I’ve seen four years too long of Strath Haven, so if you want to know ___, I got you.”

For Evelynn Lin, one of our editors, the senior class of 2024 holds a special place in her heart. Being a 2021-2022 freshman—the first grade to emerge to a full in-person after a year online—made it extremely hard to adapt to the high school setting. She struggled to fit in as a new student. It was hard to find a place to belong, but one senior she met through band gave shared piece of advice: “I know it’s hard right now, but take it with a grain of salt. One day you’re going to look back and realize it was truly all worth the pain.” 

That senior constantly acted like an older sister to Evelynn. Even as a sophomore, this current senior stepped up to care for her. Evelynn was able to build a collection of memories, from the senior introducing her to new friends in a new setting to being her mentor and friend to sharing laughs and smiles at student events. 

Each senior who has extended such a kind hand to the underclassmen embodied what it meant to be in the class of 2024. 

As our seniors squint towards the bright future awaiting them, the wrecking ball reality of rising college tuition, higher-than-ever housing costs, and general adulting is creeping ever closer. Of course, our seniors are also figuring out this as you read this. 

Seniors, appreciate the fact that you rock. You are masters of the art of adapting and compromise. You made it to June 2024, and you’re throwing that grad cap in the air no matter what. 

Next year, four years from now, 40 years from now, we are confident that your resilience will only have grown stronger.

The unsigned editorial represents the opinion of the Editorial Board, which consists of the majority of the student editorial staff.