The pandemic through the eyes of a teenager

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “teenagers only think about themselves” — well, I’m a teen, and although I can’t speak for all of us, it’s true, at least for me.

Twelve months ago, when COVID-19 arrived here, I had just returned from missing a month of school due to mono. Shortly after coming back to classes, we were told that school would be closing for two weeks. Two weeks became four, four became eight, and eight lasted until June when I graduated middle school. During that time, my eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C., was canceled, summer camp was canceled and I didn’t see some of my friends for six months until school started again.

When fall rolled around, I was lucky enough to go back to school in person, but even though we were back, clubs and sports were canceled, and not all of our teachers were at school. Some taught online, like my math teacher, and some taught in person. My English teacher, a cancer survivor, returned to school the first day, unvaccinated, and her primary concern was making sure her students were safe. I don’t think my teachers’ safety ever dawned on me before.

I hear people say that they hope that things will go back to normal and I’ve had a lot of time to think about this. In the past 12 months, I’ve thought about literally everything (mostly during walks, which my parents make me take), and I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t think I could go back to normal. I’ve changed a lot. I’m not the same person I was 12 months ago, and I know myf riends aren’t either.

Before COVID-19, I was a loud, easygoing and immature child. Now I’ve learned to manage my time (for the most part) and know when I should have fun, or when I should actually be productive. I’ve learned that communities come together in times of pain and that people can (and should) improve each other’s lives. I’ve learned to appreciate things that I wouldn’t have appreciated before, like funny texts or emails received (my way of knowing people are alive), what people are willing to risk for each other, and how much it means to have even one extracurricular activity. I joined my school’s mock trial team, the only after-school club we had.

Before COVID-19, I definitely did not appreciate something so simple as an extracurricular, but after doing what felt like nothing for six months, participating in mock trial and having almost every practice in person, and not online, was incredible. I found something I loved.

As a teen, it’s hard for me to see the world through other people’s eyes, but I know what I saw through mine. During the past 12 months, COVID-19 changed my perspective. I’m still a teenager. I love TV shows my parents think are stupid, spending time on social media (which my parents think is stupid), laughing at memes (which my parents don’t understand) and any opportunity to see my friends. My life is different now — I know I’ve had it much better than so many other people — and that’s something only I can see.