A Long Island high school student posed as the face of millions of young Americans’ “lost year” for the cover of Time magazine’s April 12 issue.
Twyla Joseph, 17, of Islip Terrace, was photographed by Time magazine photographer Mohamed Sadek. She also shared her experience applying to colleges and helping her family make ends meet during the pandemic with Time reporter Katie Reilly.
“It could’ve been anyone on the cover, it didn’t have to be me,” Joseph told a CBS News New York reporter ahead of the upcoming issue’s release. “But no matter what, it would still be the same thing. We lost a really important time in our life.”
The Time magazine cover feature tells Joseph’s personal story living through the pandemic and explains how she is one of many young people facing these specific challenges.
Joseph’s SAT exam was canceled just a day before she was set to take it in March 2020, Time reports. She was then furloughed from her part-time job at Panera, causing her to spend much of her college savings on bills. Remote school also made her lose close contact with her guidance counselor, making the application process even more difficult.
“I can’t go to college with $900 in my savings account,” she told Time. “I literally just thought, What if I took a year off, maybe a year or two, and tried to wait till things were back to normal? I definitely thought, Maybe I just shouldn’t go. Maybe it’s not worth it.”
Now a senior at Central Islip School District, Joseph has decided she will begin college in the fall and is waiting to see which ones accept her. She applied only to schools nearby, such as SUNY and CUNYs, to save money and that did not require an SAT score in the application. She told Time she’s excited about all the new experiences and memories college will bring, such as meeting new people, learning, being independent, and experiencing dorm life — “if I can do that in a pandemic.”
The article cites that since Covid-19 hit, freshman enrollment in colleges has dropped, including those applying straight from high school.
Sign up for Long Island Press’ email newsletters here. Sign up for home delivery of Long Island Press here. Sign up for discounts by becoming a Long Island Press community partner here.
