Students' Reflections and the Global Pandemic
Emily - Age 16
Like many of my high school teacher colleagues I’ve asked my students to record their thoughts (for extra credit) in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. I believe, as do many others, that we teachers have a unique opportunity to record for posterity the voice of a generation and create a digital archive for reflection in the years to come. My students were allowed to express themselves in any way they deemed appropriate: journal entires, drawings, poems, or anything that helped them articulate their thoughts and concerns.
Some contextual background: I teach at a small Modern Orthodox Jewish High School in Los Angeles. In our own way, we have a diverse student body and staff, with students and faculty from all over the world and from differing socio-economic backgrounds. Many of our kids are first-generation Americans.
With my students’ permission (and their parents’…) I offer selected quotes from their submissions below. For the full entry, please click the student’s name. To protect my students’ privacy, I have included only their first names and ages.
Talia - Age 15
“Going through the experience of this pandemic is something that I will remember for the rest of my life. It has emphasized to me more than ever, that the most important things in life are not things at all. Rather, they are your people, your camp; including your family, good friends, and good deeds. Being quarantined for this length of time has forced me to do some reflection. I think the greatest lesson that I have learned is that when this ends, I want to be better. More kind, more patient, more tolerant, more grateful, and more empathetic. I think we all have to be better. ”
Vivienne - Age 15
“It’s a confusing time right now. There are moments where I am left sobbing from the effect that this has on me. It’s mixed emotions that flow through me. It seems like a struggle to just get through a day. Even though this is so hard on me, something amazing happened that shifted and expanded my perspective. I was baking some macaroons and once they got put into the oven I had a break. I looked through my back window and I saw my little sister standing outside with an umbrella just playing in the rain. I decided to go outside. I wasn’t in rain gear, I was just in leggings, a short-sleeve T-shirt, and sandals, but the fact that I wasn’t prepared for the weather didn’t stop me from having a good time and being present in the moment. We just started playing”
Elliot - Age 15
“All of this alone time has come with a painful cost, though. I am thankful that my family and I are physically healthy and sincerely grateful to the medical professionals and first responders on the frontlines. My struggles during this crisis are relatively insignificant. Still, I feel my sanity slowly diminishing as I’m exclusively confined to my home, attached to the same place for weeks on end, only rarely leaving for the supermarket or walks. I can only see my friends and family through Zoom or Facetime and find it difficult to connect when talking to a screen.”
Eva - Age 16
“Our entire lifestyle shifted. Suddenly, I had to learn how to do school in my small house with five loud people and an unstable internet connection. I had to learn how to maintain friendships and stay entertained while isolated within the limits of my home. My parents started wearing gloves when they entered grocery stores and would make the whole family wash down all the groceries before bringing anything inside. I haven’t left the house in a month except for the occasional walk around the block. I think the scariest part is that there is no time limit. No one knows when this will all be over. It could be a few weeks. It could be a few months. And it could be even longer. ”
Amalia - Age 15
“I FaceTime with friends after school, staring at the ceiling on my bed. Recurring questions like “so what did you do today” are often asked.
The answer is always “nothing what about you?”
After a certain point we get bored and lose interest in talking, why bother? I feel like I’m standing on the shore and my friends are in the distant blue,
On a boat that moves every day farther and farther across the water. ”
Michaela - Age 15
“I realized, we used to take so much we considered insignificant for granted, but now that they are not readily available, we realize how significant they actually were! Now that we don’t have the luxury to do the “small” things we used to do for entertainment I realize how important those things actually were. I never thought that I would miss school ... miss the regimented schedule of having bells ring to mark the end of a period … or school administration looking over my shoulder to make sure I was adhering to the rules.”
Benjamin - Age 15
“The few times I have been outside to go to the store the streets are empty since everyone is sheltering away from this invisible enemy. Everything, everyday feels the same now since I am just staying home doing the same routine each day. Time feels irrelevant since no day feels different from one another.”
Gabrielle - Age 15
Josh - Age 15
“At first, when I heard of COVID-19 I thought very little of it and never put any real thought into what would happen if it were to ever come to the United States. However, as time progressed, and more countries were affected by this virus, I started to be more aware of this virus and started to read more articles published by various news networks to see how bad this virus really is.”
Asher - Age 15
“Although the virus has held me back from many social and physical activities, I have been trying to make the most out of quarantine. I began to learn how to play the guitar as well as stay in shape by preforming indoor workouts. This is a very tough time for everyone and the only way to beat the virus is to stay home. As much as I hate staying at home, it is a necessity for all of our safety.
Netflix Parties and Facetimes are growing old,
Masks everywhere,
Throwback to when we thought this was the common cold. March Madness and Opening Day,
I really thought this was the year for LA.
Never thought I would have school in my room,
Using clever backgrounds,
On a website called Zoom. ”
Olivia - Age 14
“While there are various ways for me to stay busy, I don’t take the initiative to get around to them. I sit on my phone all day long and do absolutely nothing. It has reached a point where I feel paralyzed and cannot do much other than sit on my phone. Before quarantine began, I refused to watch movies or TV shows because I found them boring and useless. Now, I watch at least two movies per day even though I still find many of the movies boring. I now feel too lazy to paint a picture or bake a cake for my family. I am unable to do the things I used to do, even though I have unlimited time to do them now.”
Avi - Age 15
“Being in quarantine has opened my eyes to all the privileges we as a community take for granted. This COVID-19 pandemic has affected my life in numerous ways. Before quarantine, I would see all my friends at school, go biking with friends from other schools, and play basketball with my teammates. Now that we are stuck in our homes, I miss every part of that.”
Alexandra - Age 15
“All around the world people are slowing down and reflecting All around the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we thought we were
To how little control we really have
To what really matters
To what’s important.
This is our chance
Our moment
Our opportunity
To be the purpose
To become one
To Be the cure ”
Jack - Age 15
“Remembering a time where everything was normal is getting harder and harder, day by day. Every morning I look at my self and see the same three people that I have seen every day for the past month. I dream of the future, where one day I will be back with all my friends, but right now, that seems as if it is too much to ask for, while two months ago that was the easiest request a person can make.”
“Escape
I’m surrounded and suffocating.
I have no room to breathe.
If I cry then they’ll see.
If they see then they’ll know.
They’ll know that I hate them.
I want to leave.
I want to be gone.
I never want to look back.
I feel as though I can never escape.
I need to escape.
”
Batsheva - Age 15
“I haven’t even started talking about the thousands of deaths worldwide due to coronavirus. Right now New York is being hit the hardest. It’s either about to or already has reached its apex. I don’t know, I have been in the yom tov part of Pesach (a jewish holiday) the past couple days. But it’s crazy my stepmom’s brother who lives in New York has corona. Pretty much everyone in new york has it though many people don’t die, others are not that lucky.”
Noa - Age 15
“The thought of a kid in the future taking an AP history class and cramming over tests about a subject that I have been through scares me. I wonder if this is what the people felt like during wars or if they even thought that kids would be studying those events. That kid with the history exam that they are cramming for is really lucky though because unlike what we are studying, there are a lot of sources for him to study. Now that we have social media, people are using it to communicate what is going on and spread awareness during this tough time. For example, a lot of people are sharing their feelings of boredom, depression, stress, anxiety, etc. on an app called Tik Tok. I think it’s really cool how future generations are gonna get to see first-hand how we were feeling during these difficult times and how everyone was, in some way or another, going through the same thing. ”
David - Age 15
“I do not necessarily know how I feel about the COVID-19 but I have an idea. I feel that it is very tough situation living through this crisis because we cannot do the every day routine that we usually do and are used to. We also do not get to go outside which is difficult because I love to be outside, but I did not appreciate nature as much as I did when it was taken away.”
Mia - Age 14
“Coronavirus,
I’m only at home,
Can’t leave to roam.
All alone,
Now always on my phone.
I cannot see my friends,
Or go to school.
It’s sad, but now,
I will not take the small things for granted. ”
Ezra - Age 15
Benjamin - Age 15
“Most people have a glass half empty outlook on having to stay at home, but few people, including me, are using it to improve themselves. When Coronavirus struck, I was bummed because I wasn’t able to see my friends. But I realized I had more time on my hands and I had to fill that void. I have an interest in business and I started to think of business ideas. I found one I liked and would be helpful to the public so I pursued it”
“I look at my surroundings
I can’t breathe
Is it because of the illness or is it a panic attack I see the panic of the people around me
My vision goes dark
Is it because I am sick physically or just mentally But if I drown out the panic
And I focus on the truth
I realize that we will be ok ”
Eliana - Age 14
“Lets put in perspective how many things we take for granted. In my fourteen years of living, I never experienced restrictions from family, friends, school and the outdoors. These are things I never thought could be taken away from me so easily...I need to be flexible whether my wifi isn’t working during my online class, or I cant go visit family and friends because this situation is unpredictable. Even though every day may feel the same, we need to adjust to changing circumstances. One of the most important lessons I learned, is how to be patient with myself and others. ”
Avi - Age 15
“It feels that we’ll never go out again
But faith, hope befalls us, life will start soon I look around, doing the same, days on end Sitting at home, will we be here ‘till June?”
Hannah - Age 14
“On March 16, my life became a bore
I was told by the government I can not go out anymore The pandemic spread, throughout the globe
It is everywhere,
On cardboard, plastic, and maybe in the air
Nobody knows much about this virus, yet we are so afraid”
Ellie - Age 17
“When I asked teachers in school if they thought class would be canceled, most said “ohh, I doubt it,” or “maybe, but only for a week or two.” For so long we believed that we would be fine. No one thought that society would shut down. The other thing is, is that when this all ends, life won’t be the same. People are going to be hesitant to have big gatherings— or even hug their friends. We aren’t going to wake up all day to this all being over. It’s going to take a long time for the world to recover from this. ”
Hannah - Age 17
“Last Friday we were instructed to go to our lockers, pick up all of our books, and leave as soon as we could. I haven’t been back since. Los Angeles quickly became a ghost town. While people were still driving around, hysteria broke out in supermarkets. Shelves were empty and there was no more paper towels, hand sanitizers, larger jugs of water, simple things like pasta and vegetables, and other things that people need. Elderly people were fighting for toilet paper. The mayor sent out an order last week saying that we should not leave our houses and the entire state of California is basically shut down...I have been going on bike rides and people are still driving around, but apparently the national guard came to the beach and told people to leave. I am not worried, but I am worried for my family and the older people”
Eleeya - Age 14
“As I sit here in my bed after weeks of isolation
I start to.... wait I lost concentration
All this experience has been for me
a blank empty space where my mind used to be
”
Eli - Age 15
“Quarantine has been a pretty wild experience for me. I always wondered what it would be like to live through a major historical event. Now I have the answer, and unfortunately it’s a lot more boring than I thought. ”
Elijah - Age 15
“This pandemic has taught me to appreciate all of the great people in my life, and to take nothing for granted. One thing that I’ve enjoyed is going on social-distanced walks through Beverly Hills with my grandparents. It is very strange to walk down Rodeo Drive with all the stores boarded up and no people or cars on the street. Although I am somewhat enjoying staying at home, I would like for the COVID-19 pandemic to die out, and my life to become regular again. ”
Ethan - Age 16
“Then my relative (not immediate) got sick. I was optimistic that it wasn’t COVID-19 but as his symptoms got worse my hope weakened. He went to get tested and just today the results came back. He tested positive. In contrast to my initial thoughts on the virus, I began to feel it threatening me. If it could reach someone living a mile away from me, what prevented it from reaching me or any of my loved ones? I began to understand the severity of COVID-19 and started agreeing with the “Safer at Home” order and those advising people to observe social distancing.”
Barbara - Age 16
Anya - Age 16
“President Trump has declared this a crisis, and I wonder why I am aware of this “crisis” and still feeling completely unharmed. Am I just uninformed? Am I too young to feel scared by a sickness that I am told is not terminal for me? Perhaps I am just too naive to open my eyes and see the reason why the world is in a complete state of distress? I want to understand. A small part of me wants to feel the anxiety that my parents feel just so I can understand a little why Covid-19 has sent us all into disaster mode...I was supposed to get my license in the midst of this pandemic, but, unsurprisingly, the DMV’s have closed. To keep practicing I have been going on drives. The other day I passed by a gun store. There was a line out the door. I saw it, with my own eyes. I saw first hand how this sickness is weighing on the mental health of my fellow citizens. ”
Ariana - Age 15
Nicholas - Age 18
“It’s the end of my senior year and this is not how I planned on spending it. I was supposed to go on two trips in the month of March which of course were both cancelled. I have a trip planned in may which will most likely also be cancelled. My summer plans are now in jeopardy because of the pandemic. People tell me one of two things to make me feel better. One is that people have had it worse before, and two is that it will all be over soon, which I understand but it still does not change the fact that I am missing out on a lot because of the virus. There really isn’t much people can say except “This sucks.” Those people are right. It does suck.”
Chase - Age 16
“But really, what I do to pass the time does not matter. What matters is that I am very nervous about my grandparents. If I am feeling this way I can’t imagine how they’re feeling. They have been quarantined for much longer than I have. They haven’t left their house or had visitors at their house for more than three weeks. I try to FaceTime or call them as often as I can. I am nervous about a lot of my family members. By talking about my grandparents I am not even scratching the surface of how many people this is affecting and how nervous I am for them all. I don’t know how bad this is going to get.”
Kelly - Age 18
“April 1st, 1915, my great-grandmother was born. Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 was her 105th birthday, except we can’t celebrate with her because of COVID-19. The coronavirus has locked everyone in their homes and everyone has been told they shouldn’t visit the elderly. Now, I am stuck at home with my the rest of my five family members. Everyone has school online, so my house isn’t quiet. The only time we can leave the house is when we walk our dog. Otherwise, we have to stay in the house...I find it pretty crazy how one day I could be hugging my cousin or talking to my great grandmother, and then the next day, have to say hello from a distance or not even visit them at all.”
Shani - Age 16
“Many of my classmates have been using this time at home productively, challenging themselves, learning new skills, and trying things they didn’t have time for before. However, I am finding it very difficult to motivate myself to do anything but be stuck to the couch and stare at my TV screen. I stay in pajamas all day, grab a handful of our quarantine snacks bought in bulk, and go through movie after movie. It has been difficult for me to maintain contact with friends who I would normally see everyday, since I am not used to having to go out of my way to communicate with them. Many institutions have organized platforms and activities to try and bring people together and provide a sense of community in this time, but it’s hard to feel supported and connected when you can close your screen and it all goes away. ”
Gabriella - Age 16
“Around four weeks ago, when schools started closing and we all had to start social distancing, my dad read a Dvar Torah to our Shabbat table, and what he said lingered in my mind the last couple weeks... “We never know what the future holds. We only think we do and keep getting surprised when things don’t pan out the way we expected. Now the mask is off. We have to admit our vulnerability.” This was an eye-opener and reminded me that we don’t know if anything is guaranteed or inevitable. I’ve really struggled with that, and I miss my routines and going to school and seeing my friends. Having school online just isn’t that fulfilling, and I’m not learning as much as I used to. I’m too scared to go outside and see people, but I feel suffocated inside the house.”
Alessandra - Age 17
“My friends are nothing but a shaky voice behind a screen that reads “poor connection.” The lack of them makes me think of depression.
I miss eating lunches with them
And I now realize how on all of them I can depend.
I miss school,
Something I’d never thought I’d say.
This is just too cruel! ”
Jacob - Age 17
“I was set to travel all around the country touring schools and playing basketball, but for the foreseeable future, I am unable to do so. However, while this does seem bad, my parents are forcing me to look at the bright side, rather than focusing on all of things that are negative. I have to remember that I am not sick, at least for the moment, and if I take proper care of myself, hopefully I can remain healthy. This time is not about thinking about what we have lost or are unable to do, it is about completing tasks or activities that we wouldn’t be able to do during our normal lives. ”
Juliet - Age 16
“The truly frightening part of the Coronavirus is the number of open-ended questions that it leaves behind. There is no known cure, no guarantee in terms of when it will end, and no idea how severe it will become. The entire situation is so unusual that no one really knows how to respond to/manage it. And while the circumstances seem so unfair and frankly kind of suck, it is important to recognize that there are many people who are currently in far worse positions than me. I am grateful for the security I have that others may not during this pandemic. Millions are losing jobs. People cannot get the supplies and medical care that they need. ”
Ella - Age 16
“...when I woke up one day to hear that it was becoming widespread in New York, I got really scared. I have family and friends in New York. Now this was so much closer to home. Although I continued my routine, the thought that it could inflict Los Angeles and possibly my friends and family here, really stuck with me. Then I began to hear about people that I knew getting sick, including my cousin who was in the hospital as well as my aunt and uncle, I became really fearful. All of the schools around me (including mine) shut down and it began to hit me hard. This was no longer something happening far away across the world, this was happening in my own state and to people I love. ”
Liad - Age 16
“I never really thought anything of this until my dad came home one night, two weeks ago, initiating an elbow-bump as I was already on my way to hug him. At that moment I realized that the concern and danger revolving COVID-19 was no longer something I overheard my parents watching on the news, it was my reality. While I do recognize how blessed I am to be in a stable living-situation throughout this time, being at home for days on end, unaware of when regular day-to-day life will resume as the people around me put their lives on pause as well, is bizarre. ”
Sara - Age 16
“At first, I saw the virus as a distant problem. Even up until recently, I saw those who felt the need to wear masks or stock up on supplies in preparation for weeks stuck at home as paranoid and responding to the problem with overreaction. I never truly considered the fact that the coronavirus was capable of changing basically every aspect of everyday life; school, eating out, meeting friends, visiting family, religious gatherings, all coming to a halt in order to prevent deaths and the virus’s spread.”
Ari - Age 18
“Schools throughout California, including mine, have been closed for weeks now, and many people are either getting time off work or being laid off, leading to massive unemployment. On Saint Patrick’s Day, even the Irish bars were closed. The amazing thing is that fifteen years ago, this would have had a far greater effect, but because of the presence of advanced technology, such as what we call smartphones, we can communicate through our electronic devices. ”
Bayley - Age 16
“What really sucks is that I haven’t seen my grandpa in a month and probably won’t for a really long time. He’s 86 years old which means he’s incredibly susceptible to the virus and my dad is scared that me and my siblings are asymptomatic carriers. It’s weird to go so long without talking to him in person after seeing him once a week for my whole life. My cousins were supposed to come in from out of town, but because of this outbreak, they can’t. ”
Alexandra - Age 14
“All around the world people are slowing down and reflecting All around the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we thought we were
To how little control we really have
To what really matters
To what’s important.
This is our chance
Our moment
Our opportunity
To be the purpose
To become one
To Be the cure ”
Asher - Age 15
“The virus took lots away from me, but I can’t use that as an excuse to not make use of the time I have at home. I haven’t been able to see my friends or play organized sports. I’m not able to visit my extended family or even go to school. I am always told that I use my devices too often, but now we rely on them to go to school. Although the virus has held me back from many social and physical activities, I have been trying to make the most out of quarantine.”
Jaden - Age 15
“During Coronavirus, my parents have been worried. They worry about the spread and the danger it can bring. My father works in nursing homes, so he has a lot of things he has to do because the disease is incredibly dangerous for the elderly. My mother is being extremely cautious at home for everything that we bring inside to avoid any of us catching Coronavirus. I’m not overly worried about catching Coronavirus myself because it doesn’t affect children too much, usually, but I am afraid if my grandparents catch it. ”
Miriam - Age 15
“Online learning was a positive thing for me. I was able to focus more on my schoolwork and my grades increased. At a certain point it really sunk in that I wasn’t going to be going out to friends houses and that the rest of my school year was going to be cancelled. Ity was extremely hard for me to swallow that pill because over the course of this year I have grown very close with some seniors who I will never have another school day with again...I am hopeful that there will be a vaccination soon and our summers will not be canceled. I am so grateful to all those who put their lives in danger every day to help keep us safe. ”
Zoe - Age 15
“As the weeks went by and COVID-19 started to reach the United States, daily life took a turn for the worst. First there were rumors of schools closing down and people in California getting sick. Then my school announced its closure and people I knew had the virus. School as we once knew it became online classes from the insides of our homes. My dance classes, acting classes, guitar lessons, all transfered to zoom. The scariest part though, is not knowing when this will end. I have hopes of going away to summer camp in eight weeks, but will that even be allowed? Will I go back to school in the fall?”
Julia - Age 15
“all we want to do is go out, nobody is staying home,
instead, they go out and roam. ”
Yael - Age 15
“I feel as if I’m in an apocalypse movie and at any minute
something dangerous will fall from the sky. It’s a strange concept that we have to wear masks
everywhere in fear of getting a fatal disease. The streets and almost everywhere is empty, it
feels like the world is being abandoned. The disease is also really bringing out people’s true
colors. There are disgusting videos of people fighting each other over something as simple as
toilet paper or a can of beans. People also take more than they need making other people go
hungry because they’re too selfish to think about other people.
This pandemic is like a never-ending story
The world is sick and the deaths are gory
We’re told to stay 6ft apart
Or else we’ll be back at the start
We have to stay inside all day with no human touch
And hope that our friends will stay in touch
”
Sean - Age 15
“My father runs nursing homes at the time being. He has been at the front lines trying to figure out the best way to treat patients and keep others safe from the virus. He also explains to the news media what the nursing homes are doing in order to prevent the virus. It is difficult, but he has a handle on it. My mother is making sure we have food and supplies at our house. She also delivers food to those that she knows need help at this time of crisis. My family has been working hard to help those in need and keep my family safe. ”
Alexandra - Age 15
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. I don’t know how long this is going to go on for. I don’t know if we’re ever going to be let out. Lockdown more like letdown. I had so many plans and exciting things for this year, and now I am just stuck in my room playing Fortnite till 3 am. The world as we know has taken a turn that no one expected and will never go back to what it was. But I believe we will get through it, even if it takes a while. I believe in our world, the people protecting it, and most of all that God is doing this for a reason. ”