Our Minds In Quarantine
May 2, 2020
Quarantine has been a constant struggle since day one. From getting used to working from home, to figuring out how to deal with your siblings, COVID-19 has been far from an easy ride and shows no signs of getting better any time soon. Teenagers, especially have been handling these rocky times rather roughly. Nobody was expecting to be placed into quarantine, to experience something we thought only true in our history books. Being thrown into a completely new learning environment has proven to be a bit of a headache for most, and while some adapted quickly to the new change of pace, what of those who didn’t?
Freshman Hannah Crumby states how she feels about quarantine and distance learning, “I never realized how lonely I actually am until we stopped going out. It’s definitely been affecting me poorly. All this alone time can be nice but I still long to talk to a peer face to face. And when it comes to school, I am a master procrastinator; I am getting my work done at the last minute. I’ve found that with e-learning, I don’t take in the information anymore, I’m kind of just spewing it back out without learning anything. It feels like a constant burden to carry around all this work that now seems kind of pointless.”
While the students at WFHS grapple for some structure over this new change, teachers and the school are working behind the scenes to make sure their students have all the resources they need to continue their work from home.
Ninth grade health teacher Leah Swedberg states, “The district is handling this the best they can with the amount of time given. There was no ‘user manual’ for this type of thing. This wasn’t something anyone planned for.” Adding her take on who this might be taking a toll on all students she says,“I think some students have liked distance learning and the ability to ‘learn at your own pace’ But I think most students would admit that they miss school more than they thought they would.” Leah also talks about some of the advice she would give to the students struggling with quarantine. “My biggest piece of advice is to MOVE. Get outside for a walk. Go rollerblading, ride your bike, do something! Physical activity stimulates our body and brain, making it the BEST way to fight negative thoughts and problems.” As the school moves forwards through quarantine and the students begin to get organized, all that can really be done is to practice self-care and form a plan. In the end, it all comes down to a good mindset and how willing you are to stay motivated.
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