A duration of what felt like an eternity. Hours on end of leisure at home, in order to assure the people around us stay safe. This represents the outline of life after March 2020, in which we called quarantine, up until the rebuttal seen in recent months. Even though the circumstances were terrible and people, family, and friends around the world were being impacted in immeasurable ways, the world stopped for a bit.

The “new normal” was sitting at home and doing work for a sparse period of time, continuing the rest of the day cozied up in a pair of favorite PJs and watching the newly released show. Teens were taking advantage of this time, in which personal growth, finding self-interests, and downtime were common occurrences. For adults, having the whole family home may have led to being able to indulge in family fun and bonding that may have never occurred before the time being. 

However, the world must not forget about the frightening aspects, which was sparked by any task as little as going to the grocery store. Parents telling children to stay at home while they went to the grocery store, as fear started to grasp them. People panic-buying, in fear of not being able to feed their families or not being authorized to leave the house before essentials run out. Having shortages of crucial equipment and space for the sick, in which the world was not prepared for the event displayed in front of them. 

Shifting to recent months, as society is continuing to fight together to overcome the events unfolding every day, regular routines are trying to go back into place. Waking up at six o’clock in the morning, going to school to expand knowledge, participating in extensive sports practices or games, and contributing your skills at a job. All of which are expectations of a standard high school student. 

From a student frame of reference, COVID-19 has greatly impacted the lives and schedules of teens all around the world. Not only does summer alter the motivation and pattern of completing pressures that the school year brings. However, after the summer season, going back into the process is eased as a result of summer practices and summer 

assignments. The time period is a yearly occurrence that seems to work smoothly, in which it balances the amount of vacation and responsibility. 

In addition to summer vacation, providing extra off time, adjusting to hybrid/online/full time school, adjusting to no sports/restrictive sports, adjusting to no work/restrictive work, and adjusting to the evident fear of the virus can be very overwhelming. What is the impact that resulted from doing nothing every day to proceeding with a full schedule? 

Sophomore Mikayla Strane, from Hempfield Area High School, expressed the difference in this school year versus the previous year. She emphasized, “School has been greatly impacted at Hempfield due to COVID-19. The hybrid schedule often finds me in difficulty to focus online. My grades are being impacted greatly, in which I don’t focus as much due to the knowledge of having my phone nearby.”  Schools are taking actions in several different ways to ensure their students are safe. The common alteration of schedules at different districts is occurring, in which they’re learning what methods are working best for students, as well as due to the virus constantly changing. 

Mikayla is also a contributing athlete in which she voiced out on the topic stating, “Keeping up with sports has been especially tricky. At the start of the year, I was going to school every other day. This was difficult as someone without their license, because if a parent wasn’t home I would have to arrange for a ride to practice. This contributed to my academics, in which I took time off of my last class of the day to leave early in order to ensure I arrived to practice on time.” 

While still looking at a school aspect, teachers are also experiencing a tremendous impact. Teachers now have the heavyweight of not only planning lessons for their students, but now for additionally planning online assignments. Teachers may feel the compression of not being able to keep all of their students healthy and safe, which is what their goals entail. Lesson plans are constantly being adjusted as soon as they spend hours constructing them, in which the district is working extremely hard to make the best decisions for their students’ health.

However, no matter who may be the person or group associated, COVID-19 has thrown challenges and obstacles every way. Whether it be mothers having to help elementary kids at home on top of a full time job, small businesses having to forfeit their well earned hard work, or even people who have full time travelling jobs that are now restricted.

Thus, from all aspects, people must accept that everyone is feeling dispositions of being overwhelmed. Instead of letting this widespread obstacle discourage people, society must give credit to those who kept a daily schedule that was so compact and powerful. Accepting, overcoming, and doing the best to the challenges COVID-19 is constantly partaking in is what will make a difference.