The Corona Virus was unexpected. If we were told on New Years to enjoy the next few weeks because we would be forced to quarantine for months and life as we know it would change, we probably would have laughed. Unfortunately, there was no way of knowing that our lives would take a dramatic shift in the middle of March, by which there was no way to spend the few months before Corona living our best lives. It would have been nice to take one last trip before travel was restricted or have one last sleepover with your friends. Fast forward five months and we are still living in a world of new normals. We started school on zoom. Masks are now part of our everyday outfits. We try to restrict meetings in groups to only a few people. Our lives are simply not the same.
As teenagers, we like to be social. We like to get out of the house and see friends, but in today's world, that's not always safe anymore. After these long few months, most of us are tired of being cooped up inside. Often before the virus, there were days that we would just feel tired and choose to stay in for the night or weekend over going out with friends, but now, most of us would do anything to just go out.
However, because of the dramatic change in our world, we have gained a new appreciation for things we used to take for granted. We used to simply be able to go to restaurants at the spur of the moment whenever we wanted. Now, even if many restaurants have reopened, it's not the same. Many of us used to dread waking up for school, but now we would jump at the opportunity to go back to in-person school instead of zoom.
Speaking of school, this week we had the option to resume in-person school. Of course, nothing is perfect with the new policies. For example, the new rule that the hallways and stairs are one way gets annoying especially when you have to go to the bathroom and then walk all the war around the building to get back to class even if your class is ten feet from the bathroom. However, you can also use those few minutes it takes to walk as a break from class if your class is really boring. Overall, though, something is better than nothing, and if the students are responsible enough both in and out of school, in-person school can really safely work.
You brought up a good point about us taking our freedom for granted and now appreciating it! I've honestly found virtual learning so much less stressful than in-person school, but I definitely miss going out freely anywhere anytime, especially with my friends. Things just aren't the same and I think everyone can say they've been affected somehow (whether good or bad) Who knows when things will go back to normal and people are healthy again :( ?
ReplyDeleteIt can feel hard to be at home all the time, and I think we all feel that. But I think you're totally right, it's made little things feel so much more special! Even going to the grocery store is a little adventure nowadays, and things like talking to friends on the phone has an almost sacred feeling they didn't use to have. I think it's also really important to remember as much as hate being quarantined, we do this for the safety of the ones we love.
ReplyDeleteIt's honestly so sad to see how much our world has changed... I think about it almost everyday how masks were once made for fashion and as a way to add a cool accessory to a festival outfit, but now I don't walk publicly without it. I miss being able to travel and not have to sit at home all day on my computer.
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