Introduction
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate how my life was affected both positively and negatively by the Covid-19 pandemic during the last seven months. Furthermore, it describes my High School graduation experience and how I want future generations to remember the Class of 2020.
Long Essay on Pandemic Experience
Coronavirus, or COVID-19, should be well-known to everyone by now. In January of 2020, Coronavirus spread throughout the world after starting in China and reaching the US. There are a number of symptoms associated with the virus, including shortness of breath, chills, sore throats, headaches, loss of taste and smell, runny noses, vomiting, and nausea. Symptoms might not appear for up to 14 days, as it has already been established. Additionally, the virus is highly contagious, making it dangerous to people of all ages. The virus attacks the immune system, putting the elderly and those with chronic diseases at risk.
As of January of this year, the virus was first reported in the news and media. It appeared that the virus did not pose any threat to the United States and many other countries all over the world. A number of health officials around the world were alerted to the virus during the following months as it spread rapidly.
Researchers discovered that the virus originated in China as they delved into its origins. Despite everything scientists have looked at, the virus originated in a bat and spread to other animals, eventually reaching humans. Sports events, concerts, large gatherings, and later school events were canceled in the United States as the numbers rose quickly.
My school was also closed on March 13th, as far as I am concerned. Originally, we were to go on leave for two weeks, returning on March 30th, but, as the virus spread rapidly and things got out of hand very quickly, President Trump declared a state of emergency, and we were put on quarantine until April 30th.
At that point, schools were officially shut down for the rest of the school year. A new norm was established through distance learning, online classes, and online courses. On May 4th, the Philadelphia School District began offering distance learning and online classes. My classes would start at 8 AM and last until 3 PM four days a week.
I had never encountered virtual learning before. As with millions of students across the country, it was all new and different for me. As a result, we were forced to transition from physically attending school, interacting with our peers and teachers, taking part in school events, and simply being in a classroom setting, to simply viewing each other through a computer screen. All of us could not have predicted that. All of this happened so suddenly and without warning.
The distance learning experience I had was not very good. When it comes to school, I have a hard time concentrating and easily get distracted. It was easy to concentrate in a classroom because I was all there to hear what was being taught. During the online classes, however, I had difficulty paying attention and focusing. As a result, I missed important information because I got distracted very easily.
All five members of my family were at home during the quarantine. When I had these two running around the house, it was hard for me to concentrate on school and do the things I was asked to do. I have two little siblings who are very loud and demanding, so I can imagine how difficult it was for me to concentrate on school. To support my family during the pandemic, I worked 35 hours a week on top of the school. I only had my father working from home since my mother lost her job. My father’s income was not enough to support our large family. Over the course of two months, I worked at a local supermarket as a cashier in order to support our family as much as possible.
My job at the supermarket exposed me to dozens of people every day, but with all the precautions put in place to protect both customers and workers, I was fortunate enough to not contract the virus. I would like to point out that my grandparents, who do not even live in the United States, were not so fortunate. It took them over a month to recover from the virus, isolated in a hospital bed, with no one by their side. We were only able to communicate by phone once a week if we were lucky. In my family’s opinion, that was the scariest and most worrying part. They both recovered completely, which was good news for us.
The spread of the virus has slowed down due to the fact that the pandemic is somewhat under control. The new norm has now become the norm. In the past, we viewed things differently. It is now unimaginable for large groups to come together for events and activities! In distance learning, we know that social distance and wearing masks everywhere we go are important. However, who knows if and when we will be able to return to the way we used to live? As humans, we tend to take things for granted and do not value what we have until we lose it. This whole experience has taught me that.
Conclusion,
We’ve all had a hard time adjusting to COVID-19, and a new way of living can be challenging. We strive to keep the spirit of community alive and enrich the lives of our people as much as we can.