As the year comes to a close, students can often be caught up in the stress of final exams and the excitement of summer. Between studying and finishing long-term review projects, we tend to focus on ourselves. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; however, motivation and happiness levels can fluctuate wildly from one person to another. Even the infamous senioritis takes control over most of the once-mighty seniors, and often times we can find ourselves distancing ourselves from one another in fear of a lack of connection in college. These are just a few examples of how individuals even with the end of the school year still can fall victim to social isolation.

Despite our busy schedules, students and staff need to take time to communicate with one another on occasion to prevent stress from demoralizing the population. Perhaps working in study groups can be a good way to multitask: satisfying our human need for a sense of community as well as our modern drive for the best education and grades. As for seniors who distance themselves from their peers or fall to senioritis, we must recognize that these few weeks will craft the last of our memories of high school. To celebrate our time here at Lambert, we should value time with our teachers and peers, for we many never get the chance to interact with one another for an extended duration of time. Although it may hurt to think of losing friends, one should never avoid the company of their peers, especially since these precious moments are fleeting.

Social isolation still exists, and ultimately the fight will continue in the coming years to prevent it from overcoming our community. Amidst an increasing presence of technology and an increasing population in our society, it is pivotal that we continue to interact within the masses. Take the headphones out instead of hiding from the sound of reality. Take the time to appreciate your surroundings and learn the names of the people around you in your classes. Take time to volunteer and try new things. Take the time to meet new people and challenge yourself. If we lose our desire to connect with one another, we lose one of the few facets of our humanity.

In my Sophomore year, my friends and I were overcome by the pressures of school. We grew reclusive and felt lonely even in within our classrooms. We attempted to mend our spirits individually, only to realize that what we needed was support from one another to keep on enjoying times that consisted of the best and worst experiences of our lives. I was inspired by these personal experiences to start this series, and I hope it will inspire others who may be suffering alone. This has been a wholesome school year that has really brought me closer to others in my community, and I urge others to attempt to continue fighting social isolation in the future by challenging themselves to make a change.