The whole Covid-19 situation and quarantine has affected my life physically and mentally. I have asked myself plenty of times, how much longer will this last? Not being able to see friends and family or going out in public like anyone normally would have created this feeling of loneliness for me. The beginning of everything was definitely the hardest for me and I’m sure for everyone else. Transitioning from seeing people almost every day to staying home and keeping to myself was hard. I usually question if people will change from who they were before. Will people start to forget how to do normal tasks outside of their own homes? All of this is a huge mystery for everyone to figure out and a big waiting game for Corona to pass.

Staying at home all day long has made every day feel the same. Having nothing to do but wait as the time goes by has made me feel crazy in a way. I miss seeing the people I love and having no worries that I may get deathly sick. Since things have slowly started reopening, it scared me a little. Wearing a mask needed some getting used to but I know that it is mandatory to keep myself and others safe. Some people still don’t listen to the rules and that’s why this pandemic is still around. I know people from my school who will have mass, open house parties without a care in the world. Many people are sick and tired of staying at home and wearing masks but that won’t change if people don’t listen. Now that things have reopened and school is coming back, I have seen a few friends, however, I still listen to the rules that were given from the beginning.

During these times, Covid-19 has made me enjoy the little things. Going on a quick car ride to get a few groceries with my parents has been enjoyable when they weren’t before quarantine. Getting to do these things while feeling somewhat normal has really lifted my spirits and has made me less anxious about the future. I feel like everyone should be able to experience these simple things and maybe it can help them release some stress off of their shoulders. Some things that I like to use to relax myself are FaceTiming friends or watching YouTube. However, I’ve noticed that my screen time has increased by a lot since quarantine was put into place.

Remote schooling hasn’t helped with the amount of screen time kids are using either. A normal day during Covid-19 has been school from 7:50 am to 2:10 pm, then I have homework for a few hours after that. I usually end up finishing school by 5 to 6 pm. School has been one of my biggest stressors besides catching Covid-19. My mind is consumed by school and homework is what I think about the most. Many of my fellow classmates could say the same for themselves and school leaves us exhausted by the end of the day. Sitting around looking at a screen for endless hours is the worst part about remote learning. I just wish people would realize that if more people followed the rules from the beginning of quarantine that we could be in school sooner.

Throughout this situation, I have not had a single family member catch Covid-19 and I’m very thankful for that. Because of the essential workers who have been there for everyone since the start of this, many lives were saved. Many should appreciate the work they have done for the sake of others. They have risked their lives in order to keep others happy and healthy. These essential workers not only include the medical staff but also the people who still had to go out and work during this pandemic. If it weren’t for them, this pandemic would last much longer than it already has.

I am hoping that this pandemic will come to a close sooner or later if everyone would pitch in and work together to follow the rules. Like I had already said, I have not had anyone that I know personally catch Covid-19 and that’s just how I would like to keep it. To whoever may see this writing piece, I hope my story can relate to yours in some shape or form. Even though times can be very hard at the moment, remember that everyone is going through the same experience that you are right now. Everyone needs to help each other out so that we can get through this pandemic together. Our normal lives will soon come back to us if we all try to end this thing once and for all.

—Jennalee

Share your own story here. Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with other people. Be part of the Teen Health & Wellness Personal Story Project—like Jennalee did above—and share your story about successfully dealing with or overcoming a challenge.