Grades 13 Returns to Compensate for Years of COVID-Generated Student Slacking

TORONTO, ON - The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to an era of online learning, resulting in many students catching up on their sleep, and finding new and fun ways to procrastinate. Not only were online meetings for class optional attendance, the teachers found that their classes had never been quieter, and welcomed the lack of typical off-topic student chatter during their lessons. Unfortunately, despite the benefits this relaxing and work-free environment provided for students, teachers found that after returning to permanently in-person classes, students appear as if they are experiencing school for the first time again.

It is deeply saddening to learn that in the few years of online schooling, so many students missed out on the most memorable times of their lives. High school is when teenagers experience the real joy of failure, which is an unforgettable feeling that can only be truly experienced through exams. Not only did students that went through the pandemic fail to get the full enjoyment of four entire and complete years of slow-building agony, from waking up early and going to school through all four seasons, they also did not have the chance to experience school clubs fully in-person, like the Flounder, and its beautiful and amazing “monthly” installments.

When teachers thought about how much school the current generation of students had missed out on, they knew they had to do something. Ms. L has stated “I shed tears for the amount of in-person tests students missed out on, having every test virtual is surely tiring. Imagine how much work Google had to do.” In addition, Mr. W declared that “during the pandemic, all my students just blended into a biohazardous faceless mob. It would be nice to finally learn their names and faces.” It is thanks to the combined efforts of people like Ms. L, Mr. W, and many other teachers, that a new solution has been made.

The newly reimplemented Grade 13 will be a great chance for students to make up for lost time. It provides an opportunity for friends to spend more time together, and gives them a great opportunity to bond through continuing to complain about school for another year. This also means more time to procrastinate on thinking about the future, and more importantly, another year of exams to study and look forward to! Look forward to Grade 13, because as the number suggests, it will be a fun and lucky year.