Teenagers and the Coronavirus Impact
It’s no secret that this pandemic we are currently facing has affected everyone worldwide in someway or another. But, for teens specifically, this stage in their lives is fundamental when developing their personalities; an unprecedented occurrence makes coming into your own more difficult than ever before. Sophomore peers Abrielle Flick, Marissa Rowe, and Sophia Dentino, have shared their viewpoints toward the Coronavirus and how it has affected their growth and development mentally.
Let’s focus on the positive outcomes of this year, having time with not much to do allows you to hone in on your hobbies and interests. Flick stated, “I started learning the trumpet and got pretty good at sewing.”
“It [the pandemic] has definitely made me stronger on my own because I was separated from my friends, and first long-term relationship, so much,” Rowe added. This being said, it is worth noting that good things have sprouted from the virus.
Hybrid schooling is a difficult adjustment for everyone involved. “It is a full and extreme struggle… I feel, personally, that they [school administrators] need to choose if they’re going to do in-school or if they’re just going to do online. Or, let people choose to just do in-school, or just do online,” stated Dentino.
“Because we’re not in school all of the time, I constantly forget where my classes are, especially because they [the school administration] changed the schedule three times in the first week of hybrid. I can’t deal with that. I need one set schedule. The school is barely managing to stay open as a school, and it is not going great,” she continued.
“It feels very stressful to have virtual and in-person because I’m trying to organize how I’m going to do my work, and having the classes virtual or in-person makes it harder to know which assignments I should get done first,”
Flick agreed.
Rowe added her own perspective, “At the beginning, I was so excited to finally be going back, but it’s been kind of weird because I don’t feel like the scheduling (alphabetically) is as even as it should be... But, I’m very glad to be back.”
Evidently, grades are a big issue that MHS students are facing with online classes. Many students feel they are under prepared or even under-taught.
“I was failing math because I couldn’t pay attention, but as soon as we got back in school, my grade was a B+. It’s crazy cause I never would have realized that,” Rowe confided.
Mental health is another massive issue for students, but especially in such dire circumstances. “I have been very isolated. With the separation of the school days, I feel like I’m not as close with people that I’m not at school with anymore... It’s just not the same,” Flick stated.
Dentino gave her own insight, “Because of everything happening, I felt lost. It was like walking alone on a road trying to figure out where the right path is. I was not in a good position. I finally realized that even though things are different now, and they may not be good, I can still manage. It was very hard for me, but I reached out to others. It was only then that I realized how much social interaction helps people.”
In the upcoming second semester, administrators have constructed a new schedule that will no longer separate students by last name, but by grade level. Freshman and Sophomores will attend in-person classes Mondays Tuesdays. Juniors and Senoirs will attend Wednesday - Friday to earn more credits toward graduation. The plan will hopefully lessen the division between friends. Until then, School City will remain virtual starting November 30th.
Marissa Rowe has summed up the state of our world nicely. She said, “It just kind of puts into perspective that you need to be grateful for things when you have them because you never know what can happen. We didn’t know this was coming. You should be thankful for what you have at the time cause it could just be gone.”