Covid-19 has millions of people around the world isolating themselves in their homes. There doesn’t seem to be an end to it. Coronavirus has changed domestic life, American life, and life around most of the world, due to schools, gyms, non-essential businesses, hair salons, and many more buildings shutting down for the time being. Students have to move to online school, and high schoolers can’t go to prom, take the SATs, or even have a proper graduation ceremony this year. The government and many more people around the globe are influencing and mandating people to stay in their homes, or work from home to stop the spread.
Students all around the country are doing online school, but some have been doing online school for three to four years now. Nia-Maya Pluimer is a junior who lives in Los Angeles, California, and she has done online school for most of her high school career. “Honestly, since I do online school, it’s not much of an impact,” said Pluimer. “I’ve just been playing video games and painting my room.”
Millions of other students are adapting to learning remotely in online school. Across the country, Jamie Gardner, who is an 8th grader living in Boston, Massachusetts is passing the time by doing schoolwork, drawing, and practicing coding. He is taking self-quarantine pretty seriously. “I am washing my hands whenever and before I eat,” said Gardner. “We have drive-thrus for testing. One of my friend’s dad is running it. We have orders to stay inside from the government.”
Colorado is also taking precautions as well. Zachary Tyler, sophomore, said, “I like the fact I get to hang out at home. I get to relax and be at my own pace,” said Tyler. Since most schools and buildings are closed, this is because the government wants us to do social distancing. “I’m practicing social distancing with everyone. Besides my family, since that is allowed. I am stressed out about school though,” said Tyler.
Some people say self-quarantine is either boring, scary, intense, or everything in between. “It’s a little unusual, but it hasn’t changed a lot,” said Pluimer. “I think I do worry about it, but how it’s going to affect our economy and the lower class.”
Susan Goldman, who lives in Colorado, had a hard choice to make. Due to family health issues, Goldman had to take a risky flight to Dallas to help out her sick mother. She is worried but she’s not bored, she is keeping herself distracted. She is surprised by how seriously she has to take this pandemic and endorses staying home, even though she and her mother are taking trips to the hospital. “I feel like it’s an added layer of stress and complication to everyday life,” said Goldman, “whether it’s in the same house, chatting online, phone calls, etc. It’s like making lemons into lemonade. I’m stuck in Dallas, so I try to make the most of it. I’m cleaning out my mom’s apartment, so I feel better about myself. I feel like I’m contributing since I’m not working as a librarian.”
There are many different perspectives and experiences in this historical event. People are using online school which is regular for some students, or staying at home is relaxing for some, and having to travel away from your home to help others is not ideal but sometimes it’s necessary. “Sometimes the best practice is to stay at home. People have to make a complicated decision to care for other people,” said Goldman. “All I say is that you should contribute to people’s well being.”
Peter Kannikal, Staff Reporter
