There have been many changes to our daily lives resulting from the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, including closing schools and wearing masks, but while those precautions pull us farther apart, the emergence of daily advisory brings us closer together.   I have always seen advisory as a highlight of my day– a time when I can relax or even study for an upcoming test. While I did enjoy the conversations I had with my peers and advisors, I felt we never had enough time to connect over the issues, or in some instances,  the snacks we were discussing. While COVID-19 has brought negative changes to our lives, in terms of advisory, it also may be a blessing in disguise. 

Checking every student’s temperature has become mandatory for advisors at Lake Forest Academy, and because of this, advisories now meet every morning before school begins. While checking students’ temperatures can be done in a mere one to two minutes, advisory is still twenty minutes long, opening up time for students to connect with their peers and advisors. 

Unfortunately, with advisory taking place every day, there tends to be a lack of announcements, leading to an occasional awkward silence or a slow conversation about the recent COVID updates. On top of this, advisory no longer takes place after 2nd period. Therefore, it does not provide a needed break from classes. Nevertheless, advisors work hard to keep their students occupied, whether through food or discussion of debatable topics. 

As our calendar nears the election date, tensions tend to rise on campus. To combat this uneasiness, LFA has given advisors discussion topics as well as mock voting ballots to educate students on the upcoming election and the problems our country faces. Though school may not seem like the place to bring up highly debatable or even controversial topics, such as climate change and various social movements, it is important that we learn to discuss these topics with our friends and peers in a respective way. These discussions have also allowed us to better bond and understand those who we share the room with, leading to more personal conversations rather than the same chit-chat about grades and COVID updates every day. 

In the end, while holding advisory sessions every day may be a nuisance to those who appreciated the timing of advisory in the past, the new times ensure safety through temperature checks while also providing students the opportunity to connect, which is something very important in a time that has torn us apart.