Since March, we’ve participated in car parades for friends’ birthdays, obtained take-out through curbside pickup, and zoomed extended family. And a lot of this time, we might have seen these experiences as replacements for pre-COVID life. But some things, such as curbside pickup, might not be so unwelcome even after the coronavirus takes its leave.

What will stay after COVID leaves? This might seem like the most irrelevant question you’ve read all day. Here are Montrosians’ top predictions from a recent survey for what will stay in and out of our school community.

1. Zooming into Class. This was the top pick for what the student body thinks will stay in our school community. Now that we know how to operate Zoom, it’s reasonable to assume that we’ll probably Zoom into class whenever we’re out of school and we are able enough to participate. “I think that students will have the opportunity to Zoom into classes from home instead of there being a snow day,” said Georgia Flynn ‘26. At least my mom won’t expect me to shovel the driveway.

2. Curbside Pickup. But seriously. Who will want to stand around for a pizza in a claustrophobia-inducing waiting room ever again? Now that restaurants have established curbside pickup, they might just keep it even when it’s not dangerous to sit two feet from someone else’s food.

3. Working from Home. “Before COVID, most people didn’t see a need for a lot of the virtual accommodations that we have now,” said Kasey Corra ‘22. “Now that we have it, though, I think it’s become more acceptable to do things like work from home.” More adults may be able to work from home using Zoom and other virtual tools they’ve obtained even when it’s safe to work in an office again.

4. Outdoor dining. If you have strolled through Boston lately, you may have noticed people eating on unusual sections of pavement. With parking cones and cement barriers, many restaurants turned sidewalks, parking lots, and even sections of the street into dining areas. Maybe restaurants that turned outside areas into dining spaces for the first time this year will keep it around after the pandemic ends.

5. Telehealth. Sometimes, being in the same physical space as a doctor or nurse allows for the best care of a patient. But many aspects of medical care transfer well to a virtual medium. According to mayoclinic.org, telehealth can include diet logging on an app, viewing test results, and communicating with a doctor or nurse. In addition to allowing for more social distancing, Telehealth could help those who live far from a hospital or clinic long after the pandemic.

6. Altered uniform guidelines. This may have been more of a wish than a prediction, but some Montrosians think that we’ll still be allowed to wear sneakers, leggings, and non-Montrose outdoor clothing after COVID. To that I say… perhaps.

7. Different schedules on Wednesdays. Could Wednesdays remain a mid-week recalibration and deep work day every year? Even when we’re in-person five days a week, Wednesday could become the common home room, clubs, and electives day, with APs being the only academic classes that meet. Between APs and extracurriculars, Wednesdays aren’t really a day off now… why not schedule them differently every year?

Bonus. Amelia White ‘25 said, “I hope that teachers bring us outside more because it’s beautiful and nice to be outside.” Outdoor learning has been a big plus of coming back to school this year. I wonder if, in ten years, kids will even remember a time when tents didn’t live on their school properties and classes didn’t spend time outside on a regular basis.

Anna Sheehan ‘21, Faith Editor

21asheehan@montroseschool.org