How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting students? Who better to tell us than students themselves. Today we’re publishing a submission from Palmyra Area High School senior Sophia Bruce.
The coronavirus was unexpected for everyone. There have been so many changes and challenges to work through and that’s not surprising, considering it’s a pandemic. But one thing I never thought I’d have to deal with is wanting to be around people and not being able to. I’m an introvert. Of course, I like hanging out with friends and going places sometimes, but I also love being alone. I can listen to music in my room for hours and be in a pretty good mood about it. This pandemic has changed my outlook and in a way, maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe it can be eye-opening, even when it’s hard.
My sister came home from college and one of the only things that made my days better was spending time with her. I can’t imagine not being able to make new coffee recipes and go on drives to nowhere with her. One of the biggest struggles for me was the feeling of being trapped, as I’m sure many others felt too. I just wanted to go somewhere to get out of my room and the more I thought about it and realized there was nowhere to go, the more stuck I felt. I don’t usually feel that way. I wanted to be around people just because it would feel more normal. It made me realize the importance of interacting with other people even though sometimes I like being alone.
I also don’t like change. I like things to stay the same because it’s more comfortable. The feeling of driving on an empty road that would normally be busy was eerie to me. Going to the grocery store turned into an adventure and everything felt so different. It was uncomfortable and I didn’t even want to think about how long it could last. I kept telling myself it was just for a little bit because that was more comforting than not knowing.
The uncertainty was overwhelming. The people who usually had all the answers didn’t know. That didn’t feel right. But through all of the change and problem-solving and bad things, I really started to realize the things I took for granted all the time. Being able to sit in a coffee shop with a friend, hugging someone you love, even high-fives. Maybe there’s some good that has come from this. Maybe we just needed a wake-up call to show us all of the good we already have. Maybe it was the masks that made us open our eyes.