COVID-19 Open Forum: Mikayla Giehler
When events started to be cancelled, I just kind of pretended it wasn’t happening. Guard competitions weren’t on the District 203 events list at all and my storage was full so I wasn’t getting my coach’s emails. Although I was sad, I was in denial.
Eventually, I had to accept that our events were cancelled, and that our season was over. I can’t think of anything to say except that guard ending so soon really sucks. I was looking forward to a lot of things, some just since this year, but some since I first started spinning. We had just made some changes to our show that I couldn’t wait to try out, and it had been weeks since our last performance! We were all so excited to host our own competition at North and get to perform for our friends and family; we have a lot of fun traditions during our last week of practices which we were all looking forward to, and finally, our championship competition is my favorite part of the year. Usually we just perform in the area, but for our last competition we typically get to hangout together in a hotel and see every guard in the midwest and perform multiple times throughout the weekend. Before our last awards ceremony, members moving on from each team get recognized and it’s a really nice moment. Unfortunately, none of this could happen.
When we left our last practice, I was pretty confident that while we might not make it all the way to the championships, we would for sure be able to perform one last time. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I think this lack of closure (which I’m sure everyone involved in activities understands) is what’s the most upsetting. I’ve been doing guard for five years, and just as randomly as it started, it ended.
That being said, I’m so thankful for all of the friends and memories I’ve made this season, and how far we’ve come as a team. Although our time was cut short, I wouldn’t change a minute of what we did have and I’m so proud of what we were able to accomplish. I’m so thankful that I had a great last practice, even if I didn’t know it was the last one at the time. Although how our season ended is a disappointment, I would never want my enjoyment to come at the cost of someone else’s wellness. Some people’s reactions to their activities being cancelled was anger, which I understand, but I also appreciate those in power cancelling dangerous activities for our wellbeing. What I’ve learned from this is that nothing is ever guaranteed and that you need to take every opportunity and live in the moment.
Mikayla Giehler is a senior and guard captain at Naperville North.
