I found ways to keep myself busy like binge-watching every TV show and movie, going on bike rides and baking, but spending most of my time on social media. I never felt dangerously bored or like I was going “insane” from not being able to go out, but still I made myself comfortable with living vicariously through my favorite social media influencers. Watching every video of them going to parties or on vacation or just talking helped me feel not so alone. But, what I didn’t know was at the same time, I was letting societal norms take over my mind and control my every move. I started to believe that if I wasn’t exactly like these influencers or “perfect” people, no one would like me. Of course I wasn’t like these influencers and I didn’t have everything they had, so I tried my best to push down what I came to believe were the worst parts of me. When we went back to school, I restricted myself from being who I truly was because I convinced myself that I couldn’t be enough, and I definitely didn’t want people to see that I wasn’t enough. So while Covid-19 didn’t impact me directly, it forced me to live in my head, and it took a long time for me to learn how to get out of my head.
— Danica, New York
If you saw a picture of anywhere on the planet five years before Covid, and then five years after, you’d most likely not be able to tell the difference. Now you may be asking yourself, “How did it change then?” I’ll give you one word: people. Humans aren’t the same. This is the most prevalent in children. Especially those in their KEY development years. Before the pandemic, kids would look forward to the weekend. They’d think about all the fun places they would go, they’d imagine how much fun they would have doing those things. During the week they’d spend time with their family, playing games with friends, and interacting with people in their life every day. But then the world shut down. Kids got used to staying at home. When kids are really young, they like copying everything they see. That’s how they learn. If they see all these people at home, bored, scrolling on their phones, that’s what the little kids are going to want to do. They’re going to grow into adults with the same hobbies. They’ll have kids, who in turn, will copy their parents. It’s an endless cycle. Somehow, we need to break that cycle. This goes for everyone. I don’t know how, but I think we can all agree that no matter your age, life has changed. We need to change.
— Tristan, Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL
But others said the lockdowns made them more independent in a good way.
I would be lying if I said Covid did not change me. The most significant characteristic about myself that stood out after Covid was my change of attitude toward independence and reliance on others. Pre-Covid, I had noticed that I constantly hated being left alone and I surrounded myself with friends 24/7. I hated being alone and I hated the feeling of “loneliness.” After Covid, I noticed my attitude toward that had changed. While I am not sure if it also correlated to me becoming overall more mature, or not, I noticed that I began loving my alone time. Whether that was evening time or school, just staying home and relaxing or during the day on a weekend, I notice a change in what the norm for me was. Instead of texting my friends to come shopping with me or going to Starbucks and Target, I have learned that I now enjoy doing those hobbies alone. In some way, it’s a way for me to disconnect from the world around me and do what I love by myself. Although I still have love for my friends and being with them, I have learned sometimes it’s okay to be alone and isolated while doing what you love. I encourage people around me to try the same things!
— GG, New Rochelle High School
Covid changed my life for the better … I think? I was in 7th grade when lockdown first happened. I was truly terrified of going outside because I was so scared of the unknown. Staying at home and avoiding the public really gives you a lot of time to just think. Being by ourselves all the time “ … turned us into hyper-individuals.” I started to somewhat get more independent from being away from everyone, and I started trying new styles because I didn’t have to worry about being judged by the other kids around me. While middle school is already a huge scary time of change, I made it an extra big priority to focus on myself and stay away from all the judgment and drama around me.
— Rhian, St. Peter, MN
Covid changed me in ways I didn’t expect. Honestly, I kind of liked it when everything shut down. No more forced small talk, no awkward social situations — just me, my space, and my own time. It was nice not having to constantly be around people. I could focus on things I actually enjoyed without the pressure of always being “on.” Of course, it wasn’t all great, but I think it made me realize how much I value alone time. Now, even though things are back to normal, I’m more aware of how much socializing drains me, and I prioritize my own peace more.
— H.T., Minnesota
