By RYAN RANDAZZO
There's no greater feeling than being submerged in a crowd of people all cheering and having a great time. The effects of the global pandemic have shut down this euphoric feeling for quite some time. No concerts, no sporting events, no festivals, nothing. Being in crowds of people and gathering was completely shut down during these last two years. The feeling was lost and it seemed as though it would never return.
However, as the world reopened and continued to move forward, that awesome feeling returned and the cheerfulness was restored. People often describe the times they feel most alive is in a packed crowd listening to their favorite artist perform at venues like Madison Square Garden or the infamous Staples Center in California. Others say what tops their list is screaming at the top of their lungs for a favorite sports team battling it out on the field.
Whatever the event may be, the atmosphere of being in a live audience is like no other. A glimpse of this feeling was felt at Washingtonville High School this past week as students watched their piers row themselves down the school pool in cardboard boats. The students constructed their boats in class so that they could participate in the second annual event. It took place this past Wednesday in the aquatics complex inside the high school.
Students eagerly awaited the start of the first race to see what it would entail. Due to covid, last year not many were able to watch the races take place. But thankfully this year students were able to witness it live. The energy in the packed stands above the pool was awesome. Many were cheering for their friends that were racing in the event and others were making bets on who they thought would take first place.
Washingtonville senior Rachel Dean exclaimed, “I was so excited to see how the cardboard boats would perform in water. At first I thought no way is this gonna work but I was wrong.” The winners of the first race did a great job of rowing down the pool without sinking or breaking the boat. Other competitors had major struggles from the start due their boat getting fully submerged by water.
Another student Jack Delguidice who was present in the audience explained that, “it was great to be with everyone in the stands watching the race, it was something I missed doing.” The progress made over the last couple of years in regards to the pandemic is extremely heartening and shows that people are still just as hopeful as they were before.