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What was your most memorable
pandemic moment?
Mr. Chris Roche, Computer Science
Teacher: I think for me, it was being outside
with the 8th grade on the fields during their
lunch break on the first day students didn’t have
to wear masks outside. Since I am a first year
teacher, this was the first time I saw them just
playing!
Krish Shah ’22: My first virtual class and
logging on to the Zoom meeting to see all
of my classmates in front of my eyes, but
simultaneously so far away. It symbolized the
start of a new experience, but also a realization
of how fortunate I was to belong to a school that
valued the education of its students, as Xaverian
almost immediately continued learning after the
pandemic first hit through this new format.
Kush Mehrotra ’25: My birthday in 2020. I
was very happy all day, but toward the end of
the day I was feeling a little bit lonely...I was
missing my friends this year. Just then, I heard
honking in front of the driveway, and I saw so
many of my friends in their cars holding happy
birthday signs, yelling, waving, and honking! I
was so surprised and so happy.
Did you pick up any new hobbies,
habits, or interests during the past
year-plus? What were they?
Rishu Nevatia ’23: To be honest, I didn’t
really pick up any new hobbies, I just rekindled
my relationship with old ones. I had almost
stopped reading entirely, but due to the need to
stay indoors, I began to read again. I used to
read every single waking second of my life, and
I missed the familiar feel of being transported to
a new universe. Now that I am reading again, I
can’t stop!
Mrs. Donna O’Connor, P ’01, Special
Projects Manager: Watching ‘Stars in the
House’ on YouTube has been a lot of fun;
but more notably, on the very first day of
quarantine, I began keeping a document of
what I was making for dinner each night -
planned it out for every week - and I have never
stopped. It began as a guide for a shopping
list, but then turned into something I looked
forward to doing. I’m still doing it and have no
intention of stopping. Give me a date, and I’ll
tell you what we had for dinner!
As restrictions are lifted and things
begin to open up, what are you most
excited about for post-pandemic
life?
Antwine Burdett, Jr. ’24: I am most excited
about making new friends and exploring new
adventures on campus. I am looking forward to
experiencing all that Xaverian has to offer.
Brendan Colin ’22: As the world returns to
normal, I’m looking forward to seeing the
people I’ve missed and doing the things
I couldn’t for over a year...I think that
across society, as people start seeing
loved ones again, the world will heal
and humanity will reunite. Over the
past year and a half or so, millions of
people across the globe have suffered.
While I haven’t been affected nearly as
much as some people, I pray that those
who have felt the explosion of COVID
In a year that has often been described as “unprecedented,” there is a lot upon which we can reflect. With a renewed
sense of hope from the onset of mass vaccinations and the lifting of restrictions, Xaverian students, faculty, and
administrators were asked to reflect on what has been (to say the least!) a memorable year. Here’s what they had to say.
the most will start to get better and have hope
for a brighter future.
What is something you found
positive or convenient about life
under quarantine that you will miss
in the future?
Mr. Conor Fitzgerald ’09, Social Studies
Teacher: The amount of time I was able to
spend with my family, and how life did seem
slower.
Max Nicholson ’22: I found remote learning
extremely convenient, as I am sure many other
people did as well. The ability to create my
own schedule allowed me to complete my tasks
much more effectively and be more productive
throughout the day.
LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD
Xaverian’s Thoughts on Life in a Pandemic