As coronavirus cases hit its peak, schools shut down and students and teachers were forced to adjust to the unknown virtual world. During this time, many of my friends and I struggled to stay connected with one another. What we thought was the norm was now gone: eating lunch with my friends in the quad stage, walking to class together linking arms, and staying after school to study together in the study halls. However, there are many ways we can stay connected with our friends without having to meet in person.
We know that meeting our friends virtually isn’t the same as meeting them face to face. Although too much screen time is not the ideal, the loss of peer interaction is more detrimental to one’s mental health. Lately, I’ve been feeling down, so I decided to suggest/think of ways I coud reconnect with my friends without seeing them face-to-face. The first time my friends and I had a Zoom meeting, we had an amazing time playing Kahoot, talking about online school, and watching movies together. Through quarantine, if we had any problems, we would listen to each other. We had created a bond, kind of like a support group, so that nobody felt isolated or left out. Many of us admitted feeling distant to one another, but we never admitted it.
Through quarantine, we have continued meeting online. My friends and I have been able to envision a life post-Covid through our conversations. These times may not be what we had expected, however, through constant love, support, strong friendships, bonding time, and encouragement of one another, we will break out through these dark times and come out stronger together and better?both mentally and physically. If you are feeling down, and not convinced about online meetings with friends, I would encourage you to try it anyway; it may just change your day for the better.
