As we approach the target date of April 19, students will have to decide if they actually want to return to our beloved Tualatin High School for fourth quarter or if they prefer learning in the comforts of their own homes. Whether you’ve been anticipating or dreading this date, our pros and cons list is the perfect tool for helping you make an informed decision.

Con for some, Pro for others: Remembering or discovering everyone’s height. Surprisingly to freshman biology students and unsurprisingly to IB biology veterans, Mr. Rott is tall. 

Con: Not seeing everyone’s beautiful smiles. If you got your braces off this last year, sorry, but everyone still remembers you as a metal-mouth. If you got braces on over this last year, I’m also sorry. But, no one has to know because you’re wearing a mask. You really lucked out on getting braces during a pandemic. Congratulations!

Con: Abandoning your camera-off lifestyle. Unless you want to put a paper bag over your head, people can and will see you.

Pro for some, Con for others: Feeling socially obligated to not wear your pajamas all day. If you prefer to wear pajamas to your Google Meets and then maybe change into “new” pajamas when it’s time for bed (or maybe not), then I’m sorry, we live in a society. Go pick out an outfit.

Pro: Fluctuating temperatures. Don’t you miss the contrast of the freezing science halls with the humid second floor that requires thoughtful layering and always keeps you on your toes?

Pro: Sitting in traffic and the return of the flashing “School Zone 20 MPH” light, but maybe with slightly less traffic because there will be fewer people going to school than usual. However, there’s no guarantee—anything can happen on Boones Ferry.

Pro: Upperclassmen have to eat at the school. Welcome back to freshman year! Now you never have to walk into third or fourth period late with Dutch Bros and Panda Express in hand because you can finally eat your PBJ sandwich and juice box socially-distanced from all your classmates, just like you always dreamed of.

Pro: Cherry blossoms on the parking lot trees. Enough said.

Con and Pro: Getting headaches from the fluorescent lighting of TuHS instead of from staring at your Chromebook all day. Actually, you will still probably be on your Chromebook most of the day to do homework after school. Maybe just more headaches now. Bonus!

Pro: Noticing all the beautiful eyes of your classmates. Now instead of staring at the beautiful lips of your crush, you can look into the windows to their soul.

Pro: Giving teachers their livelihoods back. Whether you feel like now is not the time to return or that this is long overdue, I think teachers really miss their real-life students, regardless of if they know your height.