March 13, 2023
By Ava Gonzalez
Staff Writer
Exactly three years ago, I was packing my backpack to leave school for what was supposed to be a two-week quarantine. Little did I know this was just the beginning of a long challenge that would change my life significantly, for both the worse and better.
When COVID-19 broke out, I was an eighth grader at Notre Dame Academy in Palisades Park. I had gone to this school since pre-K4, and I remember how different the atmosphere was those last few days of school. There were 34 students in my grade, but on the day before the school shut down, there were only about 18 of us there.
Since we never went back to school that year, all of our field trips were canceled, and we never had an in-person graduation. Instead, we had a Zoom ceremony.
I had been a student at that school for a decade, and I never got to say goodbye to some of the peers with whom I had grown up. After knowing them for so many years, it was weird not to get closure. While we communicated online and connected on social media, it was not the same.
My dad had owned a gym in West New York for 25 years, and because of COVID-19, he had to close his business down in March 2020, and it never reopened. It was strange for me to transition from the normal hustle and bustle to staying at home with little to do. However, the experience definitely brought me closer to my family. In the early days of the pandemic, we went on walks together, played board games and even discovered new hobbies like painting and bullet journaling.
During this time, my grandmother, who was immunocompromised, lived with my family. I was very worried about bringing any illness home to her, so I avoided going out. As soon as we got the chance, my family and I got vaccinated. This decision still affects me today, as I continue to try to make health-conscious decisions and read about how to protect myself and others from all types of diseases.
Because of Covid-19, in 2021 my family and I decided to move to Lyndhurst so I could have a fresh start. This completely changed my life for the better, as I met new people, formed friendships and had new learning experiences.
In September 2020, I started my freshman year at Leonia High School. Covid-19 made it hard to connect with people, and I began to isolate myself. It was especially difficult for me because I had to start anew in making friends. Before this, I never had to try to make friends. I got used to the comfort of seeing the same students and teachers every day for years on end.
For the first few weeks at Leonia High School, I participated in the hybrid schedule. The way Leonia’s schedule was structured, students only had two classes a day. The first block would last two hours, and the students who came in person would go to class. Then, students would take the bus back home and everyone attended the second two-hour class virtually.
As the weeks went on, my classes trickled down to fewer and fewer students learning in person. In some cases, only myself and another student were attending in person. So eventually, I also decided to attend school fully virtually. With this, my hope of making friends disappeared.
Academically, I thrived in a virtual environment. I developed a love for learning and became fixated on getting good grades since they were a source of validation, as there were no sports, clubs or other activities in which I could participate. I attended my teachers’ virtual office hours and prioritized getting familiar with Google Classroom and Zoom. This motivation stayed with me even after we returned to school in person.
During the pandemic, I got very comfortable with being alone and independent. Before Covid-19, I always looked forward to attending birthday parties, I was outgoing and I was on a cheerleading team. However, after the Covid-19 lockdown, I never went back to most of these activities. Without having much to do or many people to talk to, it felt like I was not interesting enough to have friends. I constantly compared myself to people on social media and the classmates I had finished middle school with who seemed to have it all together. I still find myself struggling with this, but I know this is a common challenge to which many can relate.
Because of Covid-19, in 2021 my family and I decided to move to Lyndhurst so I could have a fresh start. This completely changed my life for the better, as I met new people, formed friendships and had new learning experiences. I didn’t know anyone when I first moved to Lyndhurst, but I soon realized what a welcoming community this is.
I never thought my life could be filled with such happiness again. I was so lucky to have made a group of friends who, like me, had just moved to Lyndhurst. I learned how to open up again and let others into my life. We accepted each other, and my friends became my source of support and comfort during times I was scared to be alone and struggling with my own insecurities.
It was difficult to live through the pandemic, but it also helped me identify my future academic and career path. Seeing so many people struggling, I now hope to major in psychology and enter into a profession where I can help people overcome their hardships, as others have helped me. In times of uncertainty, people can turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms that can take years to overcome. I want to remind my readers that there is always hope no matter how hard the journey may be, as Covid-19 taught us all that we are all stronger than we realize.
