Another Covid Experience
Like many other people, Covid was both an eye-opening and life changing period of my life. Living through it during the final year of high school was a mental toll for sure. Right before lockdown began, it really started to feel like I was breaking out of the shell I always had. It felt like so many parts of my life were coming together; a huge boost for my self-esteem. On top of that, with senior year slowly approaching, I had been building up expectations of my final year of school into some storybook ending where I’d do and accomplish everything I’d always wanted with friends around me who I realized would not be as present in my life once it was all said and done, only for it all to be stripped away just weeks later. Although graduating through a screen, among many other things, were big mental tolls that I had to come to terms with, being home all the time gave me a lot of time to reflect on myself. Seeing so much death everywhere I looked online left me with a profound sense of gratitude for being alive. The idea of being grateful for everyday living and being present in the moment was a message that really resonated with me during this time and are still ideals I live by to this day. Honestly, part of me misses the nostalgia of playing Among Us lobbies for hours online with my friends, worrying about the turnip stock market on Animal Crossing, and having all the time in the world to pursue the passions I truly cared about.
I’d also like to add that of course, Covid was a very scary time. Hearing news of a loved one testing positive for Covid always made me sick to my stomach. Were they the next in line to fall gravely ill? It also didn’t help seeing my Mom leave for work everyday to go to the hospital where she worked as a nurse. While I was proud of my Mom for the noble work she was doing for others, it left me fearful that one day something bad would happen. Covid was without a doubt a dark time in all of our lives, but seeing humanity get through it with such resilience gives me hope for our future.
Thank you for reading,
Johnn Cabacungan