Finding a new lunch spot in the hallway, participating in after-school sports, joining club meetings at lunch and cheering on the WCHS Bulldogs at Friday night football games are all ways that freshmen get to meet and find friends to accompany them for the rest of high school. It is a year of going from an overwhelming sea of unfamiliar faces to meeting lifelong friends.

It is not easy to make friends when the only people you see are represented by black boxes. Maintaining friendships while interaction is reduced, is a challenge, and cultivating new relationships are even more difficult. This challenge has affected the freshmen at WCHS in particular, as virtual school is even more isolating without community and friends.

“I feel fortunate that I got to be in person for at least some of my freshmen year,” WCHS sophomore Avery Max said. “Being in quarantine has made me feel lonely at times, but I always have my friends to lean back on. My current friend group is completely different from that of middle school, so I am grateful to have been in person and have met them before being stuck at home.”

As a way for students to connect with others, The Observer has “speed dated” a few members of the class of 2024. Read on to meet some awesome students.

Meet: Megan Demske

Megan went to Cabin John Middle School and is an avid field hockey player. She plays for a club team and recently made the WCHS varsity team for the spring. She is also involved at WCHS by being on the staff of the yearbook. 

“I can’t wait to return back to in person school so that I can meet the other people in my grade,” Demske said. “We’ve all been WCHS students for over half a year but still never seen the inside of the school or each other. I am excited to experience WCHS on a day-to-day basis.”

In her opinion the most underrated school supply is sticky notes because they make things look pretty while keeping everything organized. Demske is an animal lover with two yellow labs and is eager to meet other freshmen.

Meet: Jonah Goldberg

As someone who would be described by his friends as fun, happy and intelligent, Goldberg is an ideal freshman to become friends with. Hailing from Hoover Middle School, Goldberg has been looking forward to being a student at WCHS for a long time and is trying to make the most of the virtual situation. 

“I obviously could have never imagined I would be doing high school from my house, but it isn’t all bad,” Goldberg said. “I enjoy the simplicity of it; I just wake up, log on, do my work and then it’s over. I try to look at the positives of it.”

Goldberg firmly believes that a hotdog is not a sandwich. He claims that given the bread is connected and not two different pieces it can not claim the title of sandwich. He can be found playing football on the WCHS team or enjoying his ideal day: hanging out with friends, getting some food and then playing sports.

Meet: Lyndee Sklute

Sklute is a big fan of the shows The Vampire Diaries and Good Girls. Over quarantine, she has  watched all of the Marvel movies with her family. She loves to go biking especially when the weather is super nice out, because it gives her an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with her friends, while simultaneously getting some exercise in. She also runs track and plays lacrosse. 

“I love meeting new people and making new friends,” Sklute said. “One thing that people get to know about me pretty quickly is I am very social and have a lot of hidden talents. For example, I can solve a rubik’s cube in under fifty seconds and I taught myself how to play the piano.”

In a speed question round Sklute answered that her favorite food is white chocolate (even though it is not real chocolate), she attended Hoover Middle School, her favorite subject is math (but only when she understands it) and is definitely a night owl. 

Meet: John McNelis

When McNelis is not traveling he is probably at the hockey rink or hanging out with friends. He is a big sports person, and enjoys both playing and watching them. His favorite by far is hockey. He is extremely passionate about it and has played for three years on a club team based in New Jersey. Another passion of his is traveling, which is evident by the fact that he has been out of the country twelve times. Some of the places he has visited are Greece, France, England, Italy and Canada. 

Although the social experience this year has not been what he previously expected it would be like, he is still finding ways to meet others. 

“Whenever I am in breakout rooms I try to talk with the other people in them which has helped me feel more comfortable in my classes. I have also met people on social media and through mutual friends,” McNelis

The freshmen above, along with all the others in the Class of 2024 are eager and open to meeting new people and making new friends. By finding ways to connect with others, virtual school can be less isolating, so utilize all opportunities for interaction!