How do Academy students feel about “getting back to normal”?

Grace Spina ‘25 remarked, “With the mask mandate lifted I have been able to experience AOSE traditions.” Rules and restrictions have been slowly lifted throughout the 2021-2022 school year, and in March, students were given the option to attend school maskless. The student body was so excited!  It meant many beloved traditions at the Academy would soon return, such as the homeroom in the study hall, junior and senior prom, the fashion show, career day, the senior lounge, etc. 

During the pandemic, the students had to separate for homeroom and lunch, but now students enjoy this time together. Once a week the whole school meets in the study hall for announcements, and students during lunch all eat inside Study Hall  or outside at the picnic tables. Grace shared, “I love how we can all come together because it makes it feel more like a community than everyone being separated.”

Luckily, Grace is only a freshman, so from here on she gets to have the full experience of the Academy of Saint Elizabeth. “I’m excited to experience all the traditions some of the seniors have mentioned– especially the senior lounge.” In March, the doors to the senior lounge, closed during the pandemic, were opened– after seniors’ moms decorated and stocked it with snacks. Along with the senior lounge, seniors get more freedom. During studies, lunch and in the morning, seniors can go to the senior lounge and just take a minute to get in a power nap, or just a minute of privacy– no underclassmen allowed. But for now, Grace will just have to look  forward to it.

Although she is not old enough yet to participate in the junior and senior prom, Grace mentioned that she is excited to see everyone dressed up for the fashion show and prom. The many traditions at the Academy present creative ways for the students to come together and have fun in different environments. With old traditions returning and new ones starting, students are excited to get back what they have missed and live out the full Academy experience in 2022-2023.