Written by MARLO FONG

Graphic by MARLO FONG

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Four years ago, on March 13, 2020, COVID-19 shut down our society. On that day, former president Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency. Everyday life was flipped upside down in less than 48 hours. With students having to switch to being homeschooled and learning online, businesses closing, and people working from home, that period will forever be ingrained in America’s minds. Students had all kinds of different experiences with their transitions to virtual learning, all of which are unique, valid and important to hear to gain a greater understanding of the pandemic. One of the first institutions to shut down was schools. The decision to close schools for safety was quickly made and took immediate effect. Most schools switched to virtual learning and utilized apps such as Zoom and Google Meet. Teachers had to alter their lesson plans in a short amount of time, struggling with the loss of physical teaching. For the younger kids, it was hard to keep them motivated and focused with all the distractions that came with learning from the comfort of their own home, though older kids also struggled to learn in their classes and adapt to the online curriculum. 

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Everest Green, a Las Lomas freshman, described their experience transitioning to learning online: “My transition to virtual learning was pretty abrupt because it was in the middle of fifth grade, so while it was not the hardest to do, it was confusing and challenging to get around, but I think I adapted pretty well to it after a little bit,” said Green. Learning from home wasn’t anything new for many kids who went through home-schooling, but it was challenging at first for students making the switch with such an abrupt change in their learning environment and style. The most common struggle among students was feeling unmotivated and not getting the help they needed as it wasn’t easy to access it.

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Unlike Green, for Las Lomas freshman Walter Kawahara, this struggle did not apply to him. “My parents were stuck at home so they hounded me all the time,” Kawahara said. Though this may not be the same for everyone, having someone to discipline students to stay on top of their work was very beneficial at the time. 

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In the first months of the shutdown, it was a struggle for everyone. The nationwide shutdown not only affected students, but also many other groups. Lots of businesses, particularly small ones, went through tremendous hardships as it was hard for them to stay in business due to the lack of customers and money coming in. The adoption of remote work was introduced to many people for the first time. The lack of fresh air and surroundings took a heavy mental toll on people, especially if they did not have family or roommates to endure this time with. 

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Mental health was also hugely advocated for during the pandemic as many could relate to the hardships of trying to remain mentally strong. Though the students interviewed were able to overcome the obstacles in their situation, many were not as lucky as this time was a highly depressed and unmotivated period for them. 

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Although quarantine was a dark time for many, it also showcased how beautiful communities can be. All sorts of communities were able to come together and show resilience when times were tough. The pandemic was a time for reflection and focusing on people’s mental health. Though some students struggled during this time, it was full of memories people can one day share with the next generation. This pandemic was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that helped bond the entire world.