finding privacy and bright spots: teens on the pandemic

isolated from the world
some negative effects of the pandemic for me include not being able to see friends and family, which has made me feel isolated from the world and alone. when school was switched to online, it was really hard to stay organized and get all my assignments in on time. the apartment i live in has only two bedrooms, so i don’t have much space for privacy, so i had to find new ways to be alone.

my mom is a frontline worker with an autoimmune disease
my mom is a single mother. she is also a registered nurse with an autoimmune disease. this is very stressful and scary. every day, since the beginning of the pandemic, i would [worry] that she will catch the virus — because of her disease, it’s unlikely that she would make it. thankfully, she recently got the vaccine, and this has really lowered my stress — hers too.

on the bright side
the pandemic hasn’t been easy, but there has been a lot that i am grateful for. taking over more of the household responsibilities have taught me some important life skills. i have also discovered some new hobbies like board games, writing to pen pals, sewing and journaling — these have been very important for me whenever i am struggling with being in lockdown.   

spending so much time at home has also given me a chance to analyze my friendships and separate myself from people who weren’t good for my mental health. some people i know began the pandemic with a lot of friends and have been left with not many. i can relate — it’s very hard to stay socially active online when so much is happening in the world. on the plus side, i know that the people who are still my friends when this is all over are my true friends.

one of the most difficult things about this crazy time is not being able to see others and talk honestly about how you are doing.  i am very lucky to have my mother and sister to share my feeling with when i feel alone and isolated. our family is also very fortunate to have a lot of support from people outside of our home who drop off food when we are too tired to cook.