BOISE, Idaho — This story was originally published in the Idaho Press.
Two years into the pandemic, 17-year-old Petra Hoffman feels like students are having to play relationship catch-up.
Hoffman, who prefers they/them pronouns, was a freshman at North Junior High School in Boise when the pandemic arrived. When the district transitioned to virtual school, it left students without a key outlet for social development, Hoffman said.
“You do a lot of shaping and molding of yourself, and I was in the process of doing that when the pandemic hit,” they said.
Now a junior at Boise High School, Hoffman says they are still learning to set healthy boundaries with friends, and has enjoyed the opportunity to get to know more people.
“I feel both excited and fortunate for that, but I also feel sad that I didn’t get these people in my life and I didn’t have these experiences when I was 15,” they said.
Living during the pandemic has been “life-shaking,” Hoffman said.
Though they had struggled with learning disabilities, toward the end of ninth grade, they felt on track for the first time. But the transition to virtual school changed things. The Boise School District went to online instruction for the remainder of the school year. Students were encouraged to do online lessons, but were also assured their grades would remain stable.
It didn’t help Hoffman feel motivated academically.
“I was a total smart-ass,” they said. “I didn’t do a single virtual lesson (during that part of ninth grade) … which was so silly because I had worked so hard to be on track. I spent a lot of time in the front yard. I made a lot of jewelry.”
During the 2020 to 2021 school year, the district did a mix of in-person, online, and hybrid learning to navigate new waves of the pandemic. Despite stilted learning, Hoffman said the pandemic has helped students learn their self-worth outside of school.
“I think a lot of students have realized that school is just one way to be successful,” they said. “We had to find other ways to learn and put value in our lives.”
Hoffman helped organize Boise’s 2022 Women’s March in Boise.
But serious challenges remain, like the stress of loved ones and friends falling ill with COVID-19, and not being able to engage in social activities without considering the bigger consequences.
“It’s not normal to have the weight of your community on you every time you want to go have fun,” Hoffman said.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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