Thinking back to quarantine, many of our daily social activities had to be modified.
For example, your annual birthday party may have become a drive-by celebration, or get-togethers with friends turned into daily Zoom calls.
Whatever regular activities you looked forward to were quickly changed because of COVID, and the same applies to us high-schoolers: Prom, sports, pep rallies, you name it.
Gone.
I feel like I’m not even in high-school because there isn’t really anything to look forward to…and I’m not the only one.
Students all across the world must feel like they’re missing out on what makes these four years so special.
Focusing in on the students of this town, I wanted to give these kids the opportunity to share what they miss most, and how they are able to get through the anxiety of this pandemic.
Jayce Duarte explained how losing football this past fall has hurt him in more than one way.
“Losing football really hurt me because it’s my outlet for all stress… and losing the bond I had with all of my teammates made it even harder to reconnect.”
His new way of coping with stress and sustaining friendships is through video games.
“It allows me to bond with my friends, just like before the pandemic,” he wrote. “We sit there and talk for hours, and make sure that everyone is doing okay and not feeling down.”
Sophomore Samantha Cormier feels overwhelmed, having to constantly adjust and accommodate to the boundaries that the pandemic provides.
She continued to explain, “Now, I just go on walks with my friends outdoors. I have started exploring nature more with my friends… a bike ride or a walk to the beach is a perfect way for us to hang out nowadays.”
Since most activities that can be done in person are constricted to the outdoors only, the pandemic has encouraged us to spend more time and appreciate nature.
With that being said, we’ve had to improvise, creating fun and finding things to look forward to in spite of COVID and all the restrictions surrounding the pandemic.
Ninth grader Coby Yin shared how Project 351, a community service project he dedicated much of his time and effort towards, has been put on hold because of COVID.
“Instead, I give back to the community by donating through Big Brother Big Sister and through local toy and food drives,” because, he said, he feels that, “now, more than ever, we need to reconnect and unite our communities!”
Laura Hubert also shared how her social life has been affected, stating, “I don’t see a lot of people that I hung out with last year, and have been keeping my circle small considering the restrictions. Nowadays, I talk to them over the phone or through social media.”
Although it’s frustrating to feel like we’re missing out on many high school experiences like making new friends, going to sports games, or dancing at homecoming, it’s refreshing to hear that students are making the most of COVID times and finding new ways to stay connected with friends.
A fully remote student explained, “I can’t interact with my peers as much as I used to, so I spend a lot more time online, usually playing games with my friends.”
Similarly, freshman Emma Gomes said, “I can’t see some of my friends as often as I would like to due to the pandemic. My friends and I Facetime each other almost every day.”
Most kids, including myself, can say the same.
People all across the world, including myself and the students of Fairhaven, are so thankful for technology. It has allowed us to communicate virtually, learn remotely, and find entertainment when very little of it is available outside of the computer screen.
To conclude this week of Dispatches, I encourage you to continue making the most of our circumstances like our Fairhaven students have. Get outside, enjoy nature, check in on loved ones, and reach out to friends you haven’t talked to in a while.
These times are difficult for so many of us — let’s be sure to take care of ourselves and one another.
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