A teenager reflects on COVID-19

I remember walking to my chemistry class about a month and a half ago, feeling stressed, and counting the days till Easter break. This is…or was…or would have been a crucial year for me as subject selection was around the corner and the workload was becoming overwhelming and increasingly difficult, raising anxiety and stress among students in my year.

There are…or were…some highlights of my school (as there always are) — like talking, laughing, dancing and debating among friends at lunch, taking part in sports after school, and strangely, but not so strangely, finding comfort in the frustration and fatigue in others’ faces as you go through your academic journey together. They were things we all took for granted, not realising the value of the day-to-day socialisation and strong friendships that are crucial to our development, and oftentimes our sanity.

And yes, we have online classes, we call and text, but still it feels as if the world has stopped, as if we’re cut off not only from our friends, but the natural routine of our lives that we’ve grown to love and hate, but appreciate in every aspect. We miss the eccentric energy of passionate discussion, the mindless conversations that defined the bonds we built, the youthful community we helped to form, the small actions or statements that made our days, and the high levels of stress that brought the students together.

Now online learning platforms have proven to be both efficient and convenient in the sharing of not only academic-related information but music classes, ballet classes, art classes, just to name a few. Yes, we receive the content, and we may (and I said may) grasp the concept, but there is a way in which face-to-face interactions and inclusive discussion in person register the lesson more concretely.

This is not a time, however, to give up hope or to succumb to the loneliness that seems to be shadowing your thoughts and blinding you from what’s actually achievable. I know it’s not easy to be stuck in your house all day, seeing the same faces, making the same routine trips from your laptop to the fridge, to your phone, to your bed, and back again. Take a break from classes for a moment. Let Netflix wait for just a second. Call up a few friends and have a good laugh. Maybe start taking better care of yourself, eat healthier, creatively express yourself, learn how to do something really cool (you can find ANYTHING on Youtube), maybe call your estranged grandma, learn a new language, exercise more often — there’s so much to do when you actually open your eyes and see what the world has to offer. The Internet is a huge platform — use it to your advantage.

Of course, this is a great time to catch up on stuff you may have missed in that math class (you know what I’m talking about), or take some time to understand what that biology teacher was saying. As I said, the world is at your fingertips.

School’s not out, don’t take this time for granted.

Also, if you want to make a difference in the world, start in your community. Let your voice be heard. Spread awareness and hope to those who will hear it, via social media. So when your mom walks up and asks, “You’re always on that phone, what are you doing?” you can say that you’re spreading hope and awareness like the good citizen you are!

Remember to stay home, stay happy, and stay hopeful.