Good things will come from this awful time

When the new Covid-19 virus finally appeared, everyone scoffed at the idea of a global pandemic. People thought that it was simply a glorified flu, nothing to be afraid of, and many started taking it lightly as a joke. That was before the CDC classified it as a pandemic, and the disease started worming itself around the world. 

However, the death rate is still lower than MERS or SARS, and that is something to be grateful about. People need to do their part and quarantine themselves if they don’t want the disease to spread, but we can trust everyone to do it, can’t we? That is something difficult to answer.

Because of this awful virus, many of the aspirations of the senior class of 2020 have been crushed. This year was supposed to be the pinnacle of our high school memories, something which we would look back to decades down the road and smile at. However, our schools have been shut down, curfews have been enacted and many school events cancelled.

Senior graduation might just not happen, something which we will only get to experience once in our lives. Prom almost certainly will not happen, and to some people that is worse than not attending graduation. However, what has struck people my age the most is the inability to see their friends/girlfriends/boyfriends at school anymore.

People my age are social creatures, and we constantly need to be in touch with someone. Most of our daily stress is relieved by contact with our best friends, and because of this virus, our contact has been limited to cell phone conversations and texts, along with various social media. Some may argue that applications such as facetime are essentially like seeing the person, but I have to argue that it’s nowhere near the same as physically being with your buddies. 

Hanging out outside of school has been limited by worried parents and teens, and as much as it hurts me to say it, I definitely agree that we should restrain ourselves in our homes until this virus finally dies down. 

It is our duty to slow the spread of this wretched infection as much as possible, and if that means quarantining ourselves in the safety of our homes with nothing much to do, then I will abide by that rule.

Peers and many people decide to travel and visit friends and family every day out of sheer boredom and loneliness, but it is imperative that they wait until the world rids itself of the disease. I know how awful it feels to be cooped up in a house with limited personal contact with the people you love being around, but it is time to do our duty to the world and wait it out.

The ending to our senior year has been ruined, and there is no denying that. However, I believe that this virus will make us stronger, closer individuals who will emerge out of this catastrophe with bigger hearts and stronger spirits.