No matter the number of precautions one takes, the coronavirus can infiltrate the lives of many, WHS students included. While trying to abide by safety regulations and finding ways to feel somewhat normal, many students have come face to face with COVID-19, including junior Ryan MacDonald. Shortly after he contracted the coronavirus, he began experiencing mild symptoms that worsened over the day, leading him to take a COVID-19 test, which came back positive.

“I woke up one day with a headache and I kind of thought that was normal, so I took an Advil and felt a little better,” MacDonald said. “Then, that night, my family and I went to get our Christmas tree, and I was going to go out with my friends later, but then my dad couldn’t taste or smell anything. The next morning, I woke up feeling awful, and I also couldn’t taste or smell anything.”

MacDonald had to quarantine for just over two weeks, spending the beginning of his time strictly in his room so he wouldn’t spread COVID-19 to his mom, who in the end became infected as well.

“I was sick for most of the time,” MacDonald said. “I had a lot of symptoms, so I was pretty much in bed, doing homework, sleeping or watching T.V.. I had to stay in my room too, so I was quarantined basically just in my room.”

Although MacDonald spent his quarantine sick and alone, he didn’t miss out on any important events while recovering.

“Luckily, because I play soccer and basketball, it was right in between the end of soccer season and the beginning of basketball, so I was able to come back just in time for tryouts,” MacDonald said.

Similar to MacDonald, an anonymous WHS student experienced a COVID-19 induced quarantine after discovering their symptoms over the course of a day. They first had a headache, then lost their sense of smell by lunchtime.

“I was not super surprised [to get COVID-19],” the anonymous WHS student said. “I had a headache, but I had just been diagnosed with a concussion, so the headaches weren’t concerning. But then I lost my taste, and I knew I was doomed.”

The anonymous student missed a few days of learning in-school and a couple of practices. While MacDonald spent most of his time in quarantine sick, the anonymous student recovered quickly, so he spent his time participating in other hobbies.

“I learned to play solitaire and watched a lot of Youtube,” the anonymous student said.

Senior Zach Marto faced COVID-19 in a different way than the other two WHS students, when he and his friends biked to Philadelphia and took a train back right before the start of the school year. In order to return home, Marto had to be tested for COVID-19 to ensure he didn’t contract the coronavirus. To get tested, Marto had to make an appointment ahead of time, drive to the testing site, and wait in line for about half an hour. After, Marto waited 24 hours to get his test results back.

“I’m glad it was so straightforward,” Marto said. “I wish the line was faster. [The line] wasn’t that long, but it was very slow. I’d guess [it took] around five to ten minutes for each person.”

While waiting for test results, Marto had to quarantine at his house. Although quarantining could cause stress and anxiety for some, that wasn’t the case for Marto.

“I wasn’t feeling nervous because I hadn’t exhibited any symptoms or felt bad at all,” Marto said. “I figured my chances of catching the virus were pretty low, especially because I wore a mask whenever I was around other people.”

Marto tested negative, and both MacDonald and the anonymous student recovered from COVID-19 without any remaining complications.

“I felt fine two days after my test came back, and I’ve felt fine since,” the anonymous student said. “My family never had any symptoms, so they definitely don’t have any lasting ailments.”