By Angely Medina, 8th grade, Valor Flagship Academy
As an rising 8th grader in middle school, who adored outdoor activity, I always believed I would have the opportunity to try out for sports, like volleyball. But as the start of my last year of middle school drew near, I began to realize there was something unmentioned that would take away all my expectations for the coming year, and my dream for playing volleyball might never happen.
I recall reading an article about the first COVID-19 case in Tennessee a few days before spring break. During those days, in school, I would hear others talk about the cases in other states, and how many schools had to close because of this new and unknown virus. To me, it seemed like the situations in other places were severe. But, as usual, I believed it wouldn’t occur to me or my community; I would have a different outcome. I thought I wouldn’t need to do online school, and I wouldn’t need to stay at home because I hoped everything would be fine. Like always, I wanted nothing to change because I had just gotten used to my life. I had just adjusted to a routine that contained a huge workload, and I knew the upcoming year would surround school and learning.
A couple days into spring break, I read an email from school stating that scholars wouldn’t return to school the week after spring break. Then, one week turned into two weeks, then a month, until it became the rest of the school year.
In the beginning of quarantine, the first two to three weeks felt like an extra long school break. It reminded me a lot of a winter break, the type where you know you won’t see your friends or teachers for a while because it was essentially your getaway from all work and school related obligations. The difference was I didn’t know when I would be able to see my friends or what I would do in those weeks. Unaware of possibilities, I decided to watch Netflix, Youtube, and anything else that crossed my path. I made my decisions of what I would do based on how I felt. Quite often, I would see people on social media recommending to try to learn a new language or to change your entire agenda and try new things. But I often thought to myself, “how do I change when I don’t even know what to change or try to change?” I thought, “Do I try painting? Or do I try a new sport? Even if I were to do something new, would I enjoy it?”
You see on the internet people reaching their goals because they have no need for an acquaintance. They are able to do it on their own. Their aspirations and hobbies don’t require assistance from the outside world. But, when you are someone who often depends on others for happiness, you need those acquaintances and friendships. For me, it’s amazing when I do outside activities, like sports, with friends. It was one of my main sources of joy, despite how well I played. However, when you have no choice but to stay inside, you realize that you don’t have much left with yourself. You need others to help you and push you.
Almost a year into the pandemic, I know I was truly hoping that my 8th grade year would be perfectly normal, but COVID-19 did not allow that to occur. I didn’t try out for sports, or do anything regarding the matter. Did I have the option to try out for volleyball? Yes, but I wasn’t willing to take the risk of getting sick. Even though I wanted to try it out, I knew it wasn’t necessary. Eventually, I found comfort in other things, and I’m glad I did.
Honestly, I never saw it coming. I mean, who had the slightest thought that a pandemic would occur? I didn’t! In 2020, the hope I had for the expectations of my last year of middle school and so much more vanished, faster than imagined. Like so many of us, I ended up wasting so much time hoping for the best, thinking this would all be over soon.
In March 2020, if someone would have asked me, ‘What’s the most important thing I learned during the pandemic?,’ I would have hesitated to answer such a broad question. Most likely, I would have been clueless and not responded at all. On the other hand, if I were asked this today, I think it would take me a while to answer the question, but not because I don’t know, instead trying to decide the most important thing would take a hot minute. I know I’ve learned so much during all the extra time that I’ve had on my hands. Perhaps, I would say that everything happens for a reason. The reasons for this happening include the time I have had to pay attention to myself, family and friends; and learn more about how we all interact with each other. I’m so grateful to have those who I love near me, and that will never change.
My name is Angely Medina and I am an 8th grader at Valor Collegiate Academy (Flagship). Growing up, I was quite dissatisfied when I would write a piece because I felt as if my drafts had to fit into a specific outline. However, when more time became available because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to explore different types of writing and find joy in what I wrote. I hope my piece brings some comfort to others who read, as it did to me!
