2020 Through the Lens of a Teen

The Start of the Pandemic

When news broke out all around the world that a pandemic had started and that we would all be going into lockdown, many of us were thrilled. As teenagers, we saw this lockdown as sort of an opportunity to ditch school and hang out with our friends. We were all so ecstatic about our final exams being cancelled and having spring break start early. In our heads, online-learning seemed like the best idea ever. I mean, who would want to wake up at the crack of dawn when you can wake up just 30 minutes before first period, right? However, after the first few weeks of online-learning, the excitement started to wear off.

What Did We Miss?

Time before the coronavirus pandemic seems so long ago. Wearing masks went from being odd to compulsory. Going for a night out went from going to the movies or to the mall to just long evening walks in the neighborhood. Talking and hanging out with our friends was only possible if it was through text or face-time. On the off chance that we did get to see our friends, we were not even allowed to hug them or sit close to them because of social distancing. It felt like we had lost our sense of freedom, being confined to our homes for months with no social contact. Learning from home started off great but gradually became worse. Before, if we had questions, it was simple to just raise our hand and ask but now we are stuck to figure it out on our own. This just shows how much we had taken our school and teachers for granted.

What Did We Learn?

Although the lockdown had seemed to be nothing but a burden for us to bare, it still had its advantages. For example, as teenagers, we often worry about our image and reputation. Many of us used this lockdown as the time to work on ourselves physically and emotionally. Whether it would be working out, learning a new hobby, or making new friends virtually, we all tried to make the best of it. Another advantage would be that many of us took this time to bond with our families whether it would be by playing games with them, watching movies together, going for long drives, etc. Also, as hard as it may have been to do it via text or face-time, many of us took the time to strengthen friendships. By strengthening them, it showed that even not though we are not able to see each other, we would still be able to talk with them regularly.

Impact

Being in a pandemic has had a major impact on the whole world, positively and negatively. We have grown and matured, gone back to old habits, learned new hobbies, tried to mend problems and fix everything wrong in our lives, etc. We started to appreciate the time we spend with others and to not take anybody or anything for granted. In a way, being in a lockdown has made us better people. Some of us may still be trying to change for the best. Of course, the struggle to get there is hard, but in the end, it is so worth it.