By Jada Matson, student
East High School

The global pandemic has impacted nearly every facet of our lives. This came as a surprise and we’ve had to make changes in a hurry. I have learned so many things about myself, and I want to offer three things I’ve learned in order to help others who may struggle with similar aspects related to learning and mental health. 

Since school has been virtual, many things have changed. For instance, I used to take advantage of my learning experience. I didn’t experience much change when it came to school, so I never prepared for something so drastic and crazy. At the beginning of quarantine, I was very negative and didn’t want to stay calm and look at the positives. I was angry about my eighth grade year being taken away from me. 

Now I realize that, instead of looking at everything in a negative perspective, I can choose to stay optimistic for the future. I feel like many people struggle with that. And I think it’s good to know that, when put in situations like this, we need to stand as a community and not be so opposed to something we don’t have much control over. 

I never would have predicted a global pandemic to take so much away from me — not only academically but mentally. At first I lacked motivation and struggled a lot with getting out of bed in the morning. I was so used to teachers and my peers’ inspiration that when I didn’t get much of it from home, it was hard for me to do my best. I was so glad when I started talking to my teachers again and actually feeling encouraged to do better and not give up. 

Now that I am at East High School as a ninth grader, my goal is to try my hardest during the remainder of first semester. Even though it may be difficult, it takes self-motivation and encouragement to really do your best. 

Something that used to weigh on me and honestly terrify me was the thought that nothing would go back to normal. What if I never go back to school? What if my high school years are taken away from me? 

I felt like I was sabotaging myself. I thought that, in a way, I was the reason so many things were being taken away from me. I think in these circumstances people start to blame themselves, which is what I did, and it’s not something you want to do. This is no one’s fault. It took me some time to realize that. I now don’t worry about going back to normal. I just want to keep others safe and continue to do well in school. 

If I could give you one big piece of advice it would be to stay safe and stay upbeat even though it may seem hard. There are families who have been hit hard by COVID-19, so if you’re not going to stay positive for yourself, stay positive for them. 

Continue to do your work on time and complete it to your satisfaction. Take mental breaks when things are getting stressful and you need a second to breathe. Remember that we are all going through this together and it is best to remain positive. Lastly, I wish more people had told me this but, everything will be OK.