JUDY WOODRUFF: For teenagers, this year of quarantine and remote school forced an uNPRecedented experiment in learning and coping. We asked our network of student journalists to reflect on how their world has changed and what they're looking forward to once the pandemic is over. Here is a sample.
MAX CASTILLO, Student: It's been a year.
KAMAL JOHNSON, Student: COVID-19, the virus that changed everything for everyone.
BRYTNI HANO, Student: It's very overwhelming in this time just to, like, exist.
BRANDON BOLDROFF, Student: I think the pandemic affected me the most was mainly through sports, because there was a solid eight months where we just had no sports, no hope.
MAKAILA DILLARD, Student: I hate being in the house, and I hate my car just sitting outside. It's -- my car has been lonely, man. It wants to go skirt, skirt.
DAMIAN VLADIMIROFF, Student: I mean, the first thing I'd love to do again is, like, go to a movie theater. I have not been to a movie theater in probably over a year.
NAAMAH SILCOTT, Student: The pandemic has also made me a lot more of a humble person, more empathetic, I'd say.
CRISTOFER RENTERIA, Student: Last year, I didn't really take care of myself mentally or physically. Now I work out every morning and eat healthier.
HOLDEN SCHWARTZ, Student: I became more closer with my brother, and I have had to make new friends in the neighborhood, because others live in other parts of the town, but some live right around the corner from me.
RYAN MAEJIMA-GONZALEZ, Student: I feel that I'm a very different person than I was a year ago. I also feel that I'm nicer and more compassionate. And some lessons I have learned through all that time are to not judge people based off what I know, because I really don't know what they're going through
ALEX CADAVID, Student: I also lost a great family friend due to COVID named Juan back in October. Juan was my grandmother's best friend. My favorite times with him were when he took me and my grandmother to shop and go to parks.
TERRY JONES, Student: If I learned anything, I learned that life is too short to be wasting time and putting your energy towards the wrong things.
GENESIS DIAZ-VELAZQUEZ, Student: I began to learn how to manage my schedule better, and, most importantly, I began to learn how to self-motivate myself and see each day as a new opportunity.
JACKSON SALEH, Student: I didn't really know what I wanted to do until this year. I'm either going to be a special education teacher or a nurse. And I think it'd be great to be a nurse, because seeing everything that's happening right now and being able to help people and give them vaccines and just be there for people in times of need, I feel like it'd be a great job.
MATTHEW LYONS, Student: I feel like I'm a lot smarter than I was a year ago, not in terms of academics, but just in terms of the way the world works and how scary and how just upside-down it can turn.
DAVINA DOSHI, Student: One year later, I started thinking positively.
MAX CASTILLO: When the pandemic is over, I can't wait to live a normal life.
MAKAILA DILLARD: I just want to go to a concert.
NAAMAH SILCOTT: I can't wait to just go outside and feel good.
DAVINA DOSHI: I cannot wait until this pandemic is over and everyone in this whole wide world is safe.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Such wise and special young people. Thank you, each and every one of you.