June 8, 2021
By Francesca Muravin
Staff Writer
Last spring, when I realized I would be ending the year virtually, I thought it would be so easy, but it wasn’t. Staying home, sleeping for an extra hour and spending so much time staring at my phone and iPad drained me entirely. From one day to the next, my social life got cut off, and that also took a drastic toll on my well-being.
You would think virtual communication would be an easy and good option when face-to-face meetings were impossible, but it proved to be very difficult. Sitting at home day after day caused me to feel anxiety and boredom that built up to the point where I no longer felt okay.
It scared me to see the way everyone drifted off as soon as we went virtual last spring. Of course, I was not the only one experiencing this emotion; we all were in similar self-imposed isolation.
When school was closed, my grades declined because it felt weird asking a classmate for help through a screen, and I missed working with my peers in class. I also had a hard time asking my teachers for help, and I wish I had done so before it got to such an intense point.
Positive changes started happening in my life when I realized I don’t always have to be okay and that I can deal with challenges in a healthy way.
I never imagined that an important year of my life would have gotten cut short. Since the beginning of eighth grade, I had been excited about graduating upper elementary school with my friends. I expected graduation day to be the happiest ever, but it ended up being the day I realized the future would be full of unexpected obstacles that I would have to tackle.
I cannot say I’m an expert at being my best self in challenging times, but I did learn that those who care will ask you how you really are doing. Some of my friends did this at the start of the pandemic, and as time went on, I reached out to them when I needed support. I wasn’t scared to call or text them because I did not want to struggle behind a screen alone.
Positive changes started happening in my life when I realized I don’t always have to be okay and that I can deal with challenges in a healthy way. Simultaneously, I learned how to do what is best for myself and make decisions that are in my best interest.
I used to rely on so many people and did not know how to be independent, but now I enjoy being by myself. At the same time, I have a deep appreciation for interpersonal interaction because I realized how much it can change in such a short time. The pandemic taught me that communication is essential, and being cut off from friends and teachers can have serious consequences. A lot has changed in the past year and three months, and though this period has been difficult, it has made me into the strong and self-aware person I am today.
