What I've learnt from COVID-19

Our Year 8 pupils were set a task in English to write an article for their school magazine on what the coronavirus has taught them about life and how to approach it. Here is what Georgie (Form IVV) wrote:

Equality

Firstly equality throughout the time of Coronavirus we have heard about all the NHS workers who have done an amazing job but when we go out and clap for carers we forget that it is not just the NHS who are going out and risking their lives what about the person that delivers the supplies to the NHS or the person that cleans the toilets in the hospital. They are all risking their lives for us and they do not get a credit in my eyes. Yes go and clap for the NHS but don’t forget the people who aren’t paid quite so much but are also keeping people alive. 

Connections

My next point is about Connections. The question is why do we stress so much about simple things like flying to places to see people when we can just FaceTime or Zoom them. It might be nice for you to see them in person but think about all the good you're doing for the environment by not flying in a plane which produces 115g per passenger of carbon dioxide that might not seem like a lot but with a climate crisis already happening it is. I’m not saying don’t go on holiday just next time you ask to go on the plane think about do you really need to fly from England to Scotland or could you quite simply get the train or FaceTime someone.

Materialism

We all spend at least 10 minutes worrying about how we look and what we should wear that day. With lockdown we could not go out and buy clothes or buy the newest thing. For me personally lockdown has been a good time for me to detox and just be myself and it has taught me a lesson which is you don’t need all the new west newest things to be happy, I know that sounds really cringey it is true and I hope others have learned that too because it is a really nice feeling.

Family/home life

Have you fought with your family through lockdown? I have and it is annoying when it happens but each time you fight you gain you learn a new thing about each other. At the beginning of lockdown and sometimes now, I thought I wasn’t going to make it through just because none of us really had anything to do and we were all on each other's backs and annoying each other. But now we have learnt new things about each other and share a closer bond and have more memories together and sometimes I wonder why I have fought with them? I think our family bond will become stronger from the experiences we have gained through this.

Mental and Physical well being

Time in lockdown has given me and hopefully you the opportunity to try out new and exciting things. I have learnt how to cook a cake with no eggs but instead potatoes. I know it sounds disgusting but it was actually really yummy. Oh my goodness I have tried many recipes but never potatoes. I was able to do these new experiences because of the time lockdown gave me. The time, as well as new experiences, allowed me to clear my mind and just take a minute to breathe because all our lives are busy and it is important sometimes just to take a minute and lockdown for me was the perfect excuse to do so. Also, it has given me more time to do exercise that I would not normally do. 

Our true purpose in life

Do you think coronavirus has taught you your true purpose in life? If so send it into the school newspaper and you never know you might end up in next week's edition. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it has taught me my true purpose because that makes it sound like that is your only purpose and what you're going to do for the rest of your life. But it has taught me about how nice it is to help others. For example, it has made me think about helping others who can’t or need help to do something. It makes you feel really good about yourself when you do something that helps others.

Taking things for granted

My last point is that the coronavirus has taught me not to take things for granted. What I mean by that is it has taught me that things can change so quickly and something that you always moan about can be the one thing you miss most. For example, when my sister had coronavirus I missed going outside and going on a dog walk and that is something that we are all normally trying to get out of especially when it is cold and wet.

In conclusion, coronavirus has taught me about equality and how people that do important jobs aren't all valued the same, connections and how that we can all come together even if we aren’t all there in the same country or house, materialism, family and home life which has changed so much, physical and mental health, it may not have told me what my true purpose is in life but it has definitely given me some ideas and finally, it has taught me not to take things for granted.