Briefs

What’s new at the View

Outdoor Activities by Lexi Jackson

As a result of virtual learning, students have not had a lot of opportunities to go outdoors. Being cooped up in your house on your computer is tiring and boring. A solution to those days being stuck inside is to go out on the weekends and explore the outdoors.

One place close by that you could go to is Government Island. It’s a great place to hike for beginners. The trail is less than a mile long and half of it is covered by trees. There is also a beautiful creek with a very long bridge. However, I would bring a jacket and wear pants because it could get very cold in these winter months.

Senior Lisa-Marie Bastian said, “I like that [Government Island] is close, so I can take my dog on a nice walk without having to drive too far.”

Another hiking spot is Old Rag Mountain in Madison County. This is a very difficult place to hike and more time-consuming than Government Island. The trail is over nine miles. You should definitely bring a bag with water and food and wear hiking boots. But once you get to the top, you can see the wonderful scenery around you.

It will be very rewarding once you finish your hike and the walking provides good exercise. Don’t forget about COVID guidelines while you hike. Wear a mask and stay at least six feet away from other hikers.

Illuminate Light Show by Jules Torrice For the past two years, my family and I have gone to the Illuminate Light Show. For those who don’t know what the show is, it is Virginia’s biggest drive-thru light show that is synced to music. What you would see as you drive-thru includes singing snowmen, 50 foot trees made out of multiple different colors of lights, stars, different shapes and sizes of light figures, nutcrackers, singing Christmas trees, and Santa visuals. They open on November 13 and stay open until January 3, so it gives families plenty of time to sign up and buy their tickets which only cost $25 per car and more for larger vehicles. Each show tends to last 30 minutes, so bring snacks, your family, your car, your ticket, and enjoy the show.

Covid and Standardized Testing Changes by Sean Jones

Senior, Samantha Greer, eats a donut to numb the pain that is studying for the SAT.

The SAT for this school year looked quite different from any other year. With pandemic looming over the world right now, many businesses and places have had to adapt to meet the criteria that the states and federal government are setting out, and the SAT was no different. Mandatory masks, a 6-feet apart rule, and temperature checks were implemented to try and minimize the chance of anyone getting Covid.

Studying for the SAT also looked a bit different this year. Mountain View still did a few study sessions for a limited amount of people, but for most people, their studying was done online.

“The SAT itself wasn’t that bad,” said senior, Xavier Robinson. “People were spacing each other out due to the fear that Covid brought with it. We don’t want our families and friends catching it, let alone ourselves. Overall, the SAT isn’t something to fear.”

The SATs weren’t the only major test that was affected; the ACTs changed how they were given.

“I took one ACT before Covid and one ACT after Covid,” said senior, Victoria Simone. “When I took the ACT with the Covid restriction, it was a very different environment. I had to take the test in an auditorium rather than a classroom and it was much harder to find an available test.”

And while some people thought the different procedures made the tests feel different, others saw it as business as usual.

“I didn’t think the SAT changes were very different,” said senior, Christian Taylor. “It felt like a normal SAT for me.”

While taking the SATs have changed, even colleges are changing the requirements for standardized testing. More and more colleges are allowing students to apply without standardized tests.

“ I love the changes that were surrounding college and the SAT,” said senior, Tyler Shotwell. “It allowed me to get into [University of Mary Washington] without even taking an SAT.”