I never would have thought I would be writing about what I learned during quarantine.
There are so many words you could use to describe the time we are all living in today. Some that come to my mind are: scary, confusing, draining and just weird. This "new normal" feels so odd to me that sometimes I think I have been living in a really strange dream for over a month. However, what is happening right now is very real and people have tried to learn to adapt.
I wanted to focus this article on some things that I have learned during this time. I think it is important to reflect on the lessons you have learned during all parts of your life, even the ones you don't understand.
People want to see people.
I never knew how much I truly valued face to face communication until I was told I could no longer do it. Through my quarantine experience, I have learned that people want to be with other people. People like having real conversations and being in the same rooms as others. Being told to isolate myself from my friends and family has felt so unnatural. I never knew how much I could miss seeing someone standing in front of me and being able to talk to them. No amount of phone calls, FaceTimes or Zoom meetings can accurately replicate having a real, physical conversation with someone. Once I am able to go see my friends and family in person, I will be much more grateful than ever before.
Online learning is not the same as traditional learning.
I feel like this could be an article in itself, but I'll do my best to concise my thoughts.
I have heard so many people say "If kids can learn online, why do they need to go to school?". This could not be further from the truth. Online learning is completely different from traditional learning and not every student learns in the same way. I for one, am not a fan of online learning. I could make a list of all of the things that I can no longer do because my school switched to an online format. It is in no way, shape or form the same and could never replace the experiences from actually going to school. Some schools have even taken measures to change grading policies due to going online. This was done to help students because most of us have never learned completely online before. So for anyone wondering if you can get all of the same resources, experiences, lessons and knowledge from online learning when compared to traditional learning, you can't.
When you're alone, you turn to social media more.
I have used social media for many years now, but when I'm at school I tend to use it less. Ever since I came home and have started online learning, I have noticed I use social media more than I did before. I typically spend the majority of my day doing school work, but when I want to take a break or stop for the day, I go on social media. I have found myself becoming more involved in social media and following more accounts that interest me. I have even felt more compelled to revamp my own accounts so they are more representative of me. This made me think of influencers and people who make posting on social media their job. I have found it is really easy to let yourself get sucked up in the world of social media, when you have the time. I don't see myself becoming social media famous, but I'm starting to understand the appeal. When you're alone, social media seems to become more important than ever before.
Dive deeper into interests and/or passions.
When you have more time on your hands, sometimes you can find yourself becoming more interested in your hobbies or even making new ones. Thinking of my mindset pre-quarantine compared to now, I am much more interested in my hobbies and the things I am passionate about. I never would have thought being in quarantine would inspire me to expand my style more and become more interested in art. So, if you're feeling down about being isolated, try doing something you enjoy, whatever it may be. Or, try doing something new and see what happens. You can use this time to focus on your interests and maybe gain some new ones too.
Those are a just few things I have learned on my quarantine journey so far. Through all of them, I have learned that even in scary situations you can still learn and grow as a person. I hope I have inspired you to think about what you have learned during this time and how you will use it in the future.
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