Our schedule was so different with the block courses this year, yet this created a really strong community within our small cohorts. Instead of feeling isolated, we all felt very supported. I sail, and while our season was short this year, just being able to go back on the water felt great. I also participated in Holokū at Punahou. This past year, we mostly practiced online, but there were a few days that we got to practice in person and we performed on campus together. It brought back that familial bond with everyone I danced with that we sorely missed out on the previous year.

To film our dance, my group went to the Kosasa Neighborhood, which was actually my first time visiting that part of the campus. It was really cool being able to see the banyan tree again. We used clear masks so that our faces could be seen smiling on camera as we danced. And it was nice that we tried to simulate the experience that we’d normally get when performing in person, in the gym.

For Variety Show, which was virtual, we had our own private showing where we all drove on the campus and watched it together in our cars on Middle Field. We also did our best to honor the Senior Prom tradition, by holding a senior dinner where we had a walk down memory lane through an exhibit of old photos from our time at Punahou.

Maybe most importantly for my Class, some of the parents got together and raised a bunch of money for financial aid, so that everyone could come back to school and graduate with our Class.

We made it, together. I’ll never forget that.