The Stages of 2020

Sarah Bencosme

March 2nd, 2020

 

This morning actually got off to a good start. At about 6:00 a.m., I woke up to my dog, Oliver, giving me kisses. His breath wasn’t the best, but it was worth it. After that, I put on some clothes and headed to the kitchen, where a stack of blueberry pancakes awaited. Unfortunately, my little bubble of bliss burst when I remember what comes next: school.

 

Out of the million kids that go to school, I know for a fact that I’m not the only one that hates it. Sure, it basically shapes our future, but having to worry about constant traffic in order to repeat the same subjects with the same people EVERY WEEK? Not my cup of tea.

 

April 2nd, 2020

 

So, the world is basically falling apart. Coronavirus snuck up on everyone, which means we’ve had to adapt. One of the major adaptations is our education. Because I can’t leave the apartment unless completely necessary, I don’t go to school anymore. Instead, my classes are online. This is one of the good things about the virus because no amount of cars can affect my tardiness. Plus, I can literally take classes next to my beagle, a.k.a., my source of happiness.

 

September 12th, 2020

 

I don’t like online classes anymore. First of all, it’s been like 6 months since I’ve seen my classmates. I see their faces inside of a little box on my screen, but I’m sure you can guess it’s just not the same. Also, I expose my eyes to a screen for more than 12 hours straight (if you include homework), and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

 

November 26th, 2020

 

I’ve been reading my last 2020 entries, and I’m ashamed to admit that most, if not all of them include some kind of complaint. Although this year has been full of tough moments and challenges, the biggest of them being online school, there have been some bright aspects. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, here are some of them:

 

  • My teachers: Although I only see their faces, I know that every fiber of their beings is working to ensure that every single one of their students benefits from online learning. 
  • School: Sadly, there are a lot of children that, because of the pandemic, don’t have the opportunity to learn. I’m thankful that I’m not one of those children.
  • My family: Because we’ve been quarantined together, COVID-19 has forced us to bond and grow closer together. I now appreciate them even more.
  • My life: I know you should ALWAYS give thanks for this, but this year it feels even more necessary. The virus has taken more lives than I would’ve imagined, and I’m grateful for mine every second of every day. 

 

Most importantly, I want to give thanks for this year. It taught me something extremely valuable: I have more strength than I ever thought possible.