“Introverts might be cheering at the thought of cancelled plans and being able to stay home. Others may be dreading the long hours of housebound boredom. There will likely be both sweets and sours of higher hours home for higher numbers of people.” - Isabella Schainker, 7th Grade
The exact definition of quarantine is a” state, period, or place of isolation in which people that have been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.” In our case, quarantine is a state, period, or place of isolation to prevent or slow the spreading of a disease right outside our windows. Quarantine consists of many things for many people as all are affected by the strange situation—both positively and negatively.
Positives:
Opportunity to Try New Things with New Free Time:
With all this newly acquired free time indoors, you have a wide stretch of unknown opportunity to try things you haven’t tried. Many people have a different idea of what would be the best way to spend free time while indoors. While some are virtually connecting with close ones, others are going offline for the time and using creativity as a way to gather the mind. This free time is important for young people and can be used to the advantage of students for fun and for the futures we hold. Whether it is getting ahead on studies or going on a long hike, either can help improve mind set and help you stay in a positive conscious during this pandemic. As noted by Arthur Morgan School, “free time gives students the opportunity to play and experiment. It gives them a break from their daily pressures and allows them to incorporate what they learned into their everyday activities.”
Less Commute:
If it was driving, bus riding, biking, barting or anything else, the decreasing amount of commute in a single day might have been overlooked in the past, but currently poses as a positive to our situation. From being swamped with people gathering to board the Bart train, to polluting the air while having to pay for gas, the change in pace from not having to commute is clearly an improved outcome. You no longer have to plan on traffic and leaving the house early to make it to work or school on time. When this is the case you can recapture lost productivity. Rather than sitting in a vehicle or packed transit for up to 10 hours each week, workers and students can dedicate more time to work or school related activity. In addition, according to Davinci.com, workers and students become healthier and happier when able to stay in a familiar location, and are more focused and collaborative. Nearly 3/4 of workers claim team performance goes up as commute time goes down.
“Quarantine is a way of keeping safe, it's important that we all stay indoors as much as possible to slow the spread,” said Esther Lunt, a 7th grade returning Theatre student at OSA. Lunt explained that her situation has been fair and that she can’t complain. “Anyone who has shelter and food and a place to stay safe is really lucky and I am grateful for my situation,“I have a place to sleep, food, opportunities to exercise, access to electronics, and teachers who are trying their best. So in comparison to the less fortunate, I am not taking my situation for granted.,” Lunt explained.
Lunt doesn’t have much free time because she has been keeping busy with school work but said that she has been experimenting with new recipes for baking desserts as a form of therapy. “I have been experiencing an increase in at-home conflict, my whole family is hot headed and being confined to one house is not a story with a good ending,” said Lunt. Lunt described herself as an introvert but is feeling only partially happy with being home and she misses social meetings on multiple occasions.
Time with Family:
Whether you know it or not, spending quality time with family or household members will strengthen bonds and forge stronger relationships as memories build. They don’t always need to be fancy activities that require money. Even home-based, low-cost activities such as playing a board game, gardening or playing outdoors have a big impact on the ‘health’ of the family. They make everybody in the family feel closer emotionally to each other. Stated by HeadtoHealth.com, our families can play a key role in our mental health and wellbeing. Good family relationships can make us feel safe and loved, and provide a sense of belonging. Being close to you, family can notice changes in your behaviour and be there for you when you need support.
“I don’t enjoy quarantine because I seem to miss my community and friends constantly,” said Audrey Taunton, a new student and a 7th grader in the Digital Media Department as OSA. “But, I know that I need to stay safe and you need to be safe, this causes a dilemma that is confusing and annoys me. My experience with quarantine is boring and I constantly feel restless and overwhelmed with everything and everyone.”
Taunton has been spending her free time mostly drawing, watching TV, playing Animal Crossing, and trying to stay on task and on time with homework. She explains that there has been no increase in home conflict but no bonding has resulted. Her family has been staying out of each other's way and trying to interact peacefully as much as possible. “Even though I could be labelled as an introvert I still tend to feel a sense longing for gatherings and events that have been cancelled. And, though I have more opportunity to do things that I enjoy, there are plenty of negatives that may overpower.”
Negatives:
Limited Social Opportunities:
Humans as a whole are a social species, it is likely that everyone is feeling at least a small amount of longing for socialization at this time. Most students can relate to the fact that they miss seeing their friends. The idea may be simple but managing friendships has added complications due to not wanting to endanger the other or the other’s families. A lot of what people perceive of others is based on body language which is harder to read over virtual communication. You can’t always consider body language over a call, this causes strains that have been placed between social interaction. One of the main factors that strengthens and builds up a relationship is shared experiences, it is nearly impossible to do this when the experience can not be physically shared. Despite this, you may not be able to physically connect with others but you can still connect in meaningful ways virtually.
Cancelled Events and Plans:
The list of canceled events grows every day in this global pandemic. Sports, concerts, movies, weddings, graduations, school dances, and other plans and events are now halted until the world gets back on its feet. Rescheduling these events can certainly be a way to minimize spread of COVID-19, although nobody has a solid idea of exactly when it will be safe to gather and interact again. Many of the larger events have been postponed although certain events have announced that they are going virtual. People may have planned to go to a wedding, graduation, party, or a vacation/trip but these events have been either cancelled, rescheduled, or postponed. There is a high level of disappointment around these times, even if you take it for granted, a weekend long road trip or a festival with people you care about to do an activity or go to an event is something that you remember and at times like now, is something that you miss.
Possible Increase in Home Conflict:
How well do you get along with your immediate household members? Your parents or guardians, siblings, stepfamily or others living under the same roof as you? Do you notice greater conflict during this pandemic? Some conflict is normal in a family. When we’re quarantined together around the clock for days on end, while all are affected by a range of stresses, it seems practically inevitable that arguments or fighting will occur. This is a new source of family division that is spawning in households as we clash over how to properly respond to an abnormal killer virus circling the air. Millions of families have been rising with tension as everyone is getting on everyone else’s nerves. Though there are ways to prevent this and it may not even be on the mind, it does seem to be a problem with some families.
Nasra Rashada Warren is a new student and 7th grade OSA Vocal Arts student who has mixed feelings about quarantine. Rashada Warren explains that she is unhappy with quarantine as a whole but knows that it is for a good cause which makes it bearable. “It is plain, boring, and I feel like my life is on fast-forward because just a few hours ago it was August. Quarantine is the torture chamber for extroverts and is constantly coming up with new problems and things to annoy and overwhelm me,” Rashada Warren exclaimed. She has been spending her free time listening to music, memorizing song lyrics, drawing, swimming through the internet, playing Animal Crossing, and watching Netflix and Hulu.
“I always seem to argue or debate with household members but it hasn’t seemed to rise or fall on the scale of tension,” said Rasha Warren. “The one time I actually had plans to go on a trip in the summer, it all spiraled downhill.” Rashada Warren said that she stays in her room most of the time for either school or free time activities. Quarantine gives Rashada Warren an excuse to not go to things that she doesn’t enjoy or find necessary.
Positives:
Opportunity to Try New Things with New Free Time:
With all this newly acquired free time indoors, you have a wide stretch of unknown opportunity to try things you haven’t tried. Many people have a different idea of what would be the best way to spend free time while indoors. While some are virtually connecting with close ones, others are going offline for the time and using creativity as a way to gather the mind. This free time is important for young people and can be used to the advantage of students for fun and for the futures we hold. Whether it is getting ahead on studies or going on a long hike, either can help improve mind set and help you stay in a positive conscious during this pandemic. As noted by Arthur Morgan School, “free time gives students the opportunity to play and experiment. It gives them a break from their daily pressures and allows them to incorporate what they learned into their everyday activities.”
Less Commute:
If it was driving, bus riding, biking, barting or anything else, the decreasing amount of commute in a single day might have been overlooked in the past, but currently poses as a positive to our situation. From being swamped with people gathering to board the Bart train, to polluting the air while having to pay for gas, the change in pace from not having to commute is clearly an improved outcome. You no longer have to plan on traffic and leaving the house early to make it to work or school on time. When this is the case you can recapture lost productivity. Rather than sitting in a vehicle or packed transit for up to 10 hours each week, workers and students can dedicate more time to work or school related activity. In addition, according to Davinci.com, workers and students become healthier and happier when able to stay in a familiar location, and are more focused and collaborative. Nearly 3/4 of workers claim team performance goes up as commute time goes down.
“Quarantine is a way of keeping safe, it's important that we all stay indoors as much as possible to slow the spread,” said Esther Lunt, a 7th grade returning Theatre student at OSA. Lunt explained that her situation has been fair and that she can’t complain. “Anyone who has shelter and food and a place to stay safe is really lucky and I am grateful for my situation,“I have a place to sleep, food, opportunities to exercise, access to electronics, and teachers who are trying their best. So in comparison to the less fortunate, I am not taking my situation for granted.,” Lunt explained.
Lunt doesn’t have much free time because she has been keeping busy with school work but said that she has been experimenting with new recipes for baking desserts as a form of therapy. “I have been experiencing an increase in at-home conflict, my whole family is hot headed and being confined to one house is not a story with a good ending,” said Lunt. Lunt described herself as an introvert but is feeling only partially happy with being home and she misses social meetings on multiple occasions.
Time with Family:
Whether you know it or not, spending quality time with family or household members will strengthen bonds and forge stronger relationships as memories build. They don’t always need to be fancy activities that require money. Even home-based, low-cost activities such as playing a board game, gardening or playing outdoors have a big impact on the ‘health’ of the family. They make everybody in the family feel closer emotionally to each other. Stated by HeadtoHealth.com, our families can play a key role in our mental health and wellbeing. Good family relationships can make us feel safe and loved, and provide a sense of belonging. Being close to you, family can notice changes in your behaviour and be there for you when you need support.
“I don’t enjoy quarantine because I seem to miss my community and friends constantly,” said Audrey Taunton, a new student and a 7th grader in the Digital Media Department as OSA. “But, I know that I need to stay safe and you need to be safe, this causes a dilemma that is confusing and annoys me. My experience with quarantine is boring and I constantly feel restless and overwhelmed with everything and everyone.”
Taunton has been spending her free time mostly drawing, watching TV, playing Animal Crossing, and trying to stay on task and on time with homework. She explains that there has been no increase in home conflict but no bonding has resulted. Her family has been staying out of each other's way and trying to interact peacefully as much as possible. “Even though I could be labelled as an introvert I still tend to feel a sense longing for gatherings and events that have been cancelled. And, though I have more opportunity to do things that I enjoy, there are plenty of negatives that may overpower.”
Negatives:
Limited Social Opportunities:
Humans as a whole are a social species, it is likely that everyone is feeling at least a small amount of longing for socialization at this time. Most students can relate to the fact that they miss seeing their friends. The idea may be simple but managing friendships has added complications due to not wanting to endanger the other or the other’s families. A lot of what people perceive of others is based on body language which is harder to read over virtual communication. You can’t always consider body language over a call, this causes strains that have been placed between social interaction. One of the main factors that strengthens and builds up a relationship is shared experiences, it is nearly impossible to do this when the experience can not be physically shared. Despite this, you may not be able to physically connect with others but you can still connect in meaningful ways virtually.
Cancelled Events and Plans:
The list of canceled events grows every day in this global pandemic. Sports, concerts, movies, weddings, graduations, school dances, and other plans and events are now halted until the world gets back on its feet. Rescheduling these events can certainly be a way to minimize spread of COVID-19, although nobody has a solid idea of exactly when it will be safe to gather and interact again. Many of the larger events have been postponed although certain events have announced that they are going virtual. People may have planned to go to a wedding, graduation, party, or a vacation/trip but these events have been either cancelled, rescheduled, or postponed. There is a high level of disappointment around these times, even if you take it for granted, a weekend long road trip or a festival with people you care about to do an activity or go to an event is something that you remember and at times like now, is something that you miss.
Possible Increase in Home Conflict:
How well do you get along with your immediate household members? Your parents or guardians, siblings, stepfamily or others living under the same roof as you? Do you notice greater conflict during this pandemic? Some conflict is normal in a family. When we’re quarantined together around the clock for days on end, while all are affected by a range of stresses, it seems practically inevitable that arguments or fighting will occur. This is a new source of family division that is spawning in households as we clash over how to properly respond to an abnormal killer virus circling the air. Millions of families have been rising with tension as everyone is getting on everyone else’s nerves. Though there are ways to prevent this and it may not even be on the mind, it does seem to be a problem with some families.
Nasra Rashada Warren is a new student and 7th grade OSA Vocal Arts student who has mixed feelings about quarantine. Rashada Warren explains that she is unhappy with quarantine as a whole but knows that it is for a good cause which makes it bearable. “It is plain, boring, and I feel like my life is on fast-forward because just a few hours ago it was August. Quarantine is the torture chamber for extroverts and is constantly coming up with new problems and things to annoy and overwhelm me,” Rashada Warren exclaimed. She has been spending her free time listening to music, memorizing song lyrics, drawing, swimming through the internet, playing Animal Crossing, and watching Netflix and Hulu.
“I always seem to argue or debate with household members but it hasn’t seemed to rise or fall on the scale of tension,” said Rasha Warren. “The one time I actually had plans to go on a trip in the summer, it all spiraled downhill.” Rashada Warren said that she stays in her room most of the time for either school or free time activities. Quarantine gives Rashada Warren an excuse to not go to things that she doesn’t enjoy or find necessary.
