It was an especially hot day, the sun was beating down on everyone as they waited outside the theater, all standing six feet apart from each other.

“It’s really hot out so I keep getting self-conscious about looking sweaty or red in my picture,” said junior Edith Naranjo.

Food Service Supervisor, Shana White went around with a cart pushing around water for people to come up to and serve themselves.

This year’s Picture Day was different from the previous given the restrictions that COVID placed on it. Instead of having it on a day of classes, picture day was conveniently planned to be on Sept. 28, which was also Staff Development Day.

The schedule went in order starting with faculty, then freshman as early as 11 a.m. and ending with seniors at 4 p.m.

Once students were done taking their pictures they were asked to pick up their material for the next few weeks at either the tables set up outside the theater or in the art room.

While most students recognized this Picture Day stood out from all the others in the past, some students — particularly freshmen — didn’t consider it unusual 

“I don’t think it’s weird, it just feels normal,” said freshman Samantha Cruz. “I’ve gotten accustomed to this whole quarantine thing.”

On the other hand, this was a new feeling for students who had already been at Eastside for a while. They had something to compare online learning to, while the freshmen do not.

“I feel like it’s kind of strange to have all this happen,” said sophomore Alexis Martinez. “We were all just freshmen.”

This year stood out from past years, when students would come in during tutorial periods or lunch, and be able to go with their friends and classmates.

“It feels like a separation from our class,” said Edith. “We aren’t all here together and it feels very isolated.”