High School & College Students In All 50 States Show Hope and Optimism
If you are like me, focusing on the news of the day can turn your smile upside down.
The death toll is on the rise. The annual County Fair at the State Fairgrounds, will be a completely different experience - if its not cancelled. High School seniors can't walk across the stage and toss their cap in the air. Toddlers can't visit their grandparents. Family reunions are being rescheduled. Front line workers are taking the brunt of the heart ache, as they take care of one person at a time.
However, in a recent survey conducted by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), an organization founded by the esteemed family that established the Nobel Prize, students in high school and college in all 50 states responded to 10 questions about their outlook on their educations, the economy, the well-being of their family and friends, and their futures. The resounding sentiment is one of hopefulness and optimism in the face of the dramatic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their lives. Strikingly, more than 80% of the 2000 respondents stated being “Very hopeful” or “Pretty hopeful” about the health of their family and friends (82%) and their ability to achieve a college education (94%), graduate on time (86%), and secure a job (83%). When asked how they would feel if their schools were still online in the fall, roughly half (53%) said they prefer in-person classes but could deal with e-learning. A third of the students (32%) said they would rather not attend school in the fall if it is online.
When asked about the overall U.S. economy, 48% of the students are “Not so hopeful,” yet 68% are either “Very hopeful” or “Pretty hopeful” about our nation’s ability to overcome COVID-19. Most students expect to be able to socialize in person again by the end of August, and they anticipate that things will be back to normal by the end of the year. More than 40% don’t see a return to normalcy until sometime in 2021 or 2022.
NSHSS also asked students to share the most positive things that have come of the pandemic and sheltering in place. More time for family, learning new skills, sleep, and self-care stood out among their responses. In that revelation, is perhaps the silver lining. Orders to social distance have brought us closer together. It has shown a light on how traditional family values helped the Greatest Generation live through a Great Depression.
So when you check your Twitter feed, stream your favorite news station, keep it all in perspective and look for the hope and optimism that creates a bridge to the other side.