This month, 14 years old Sofya Mehta writes about experiencing coronavirus during lockdown in India and how to stay focused and positive.
Having left all my belongings and items in my dorm room a thousand miles away, coming home with only my laptop, phone, and two extra t-shirts, and leaving a few of my good teachers and friends who I may never see once they leave when the school year finishes, it is funny to say that the rest of 2020 will be an awesome and exciting year! At least that's what I told myself a few months ago. It is so amazing how quickly things can change in such a short amount of time that it may just happen right under your nose and you wouldn’t even see it. When I left for spring break three weeks ago, I expected to return just seven days later, refreshed and happy to see everyone once more. Now, I can barely keep my morale up high enough to walk into the kitchen and pour a glass of water.
In times like these, it is easy to forget how to keep our hopes up. Especially for teens who are losing out on precious events and milestones. Usually, our childhood is filled with amazing memories and moments that really help shape our decisions. But with missing out so much, not only would our time be misused, but our learning may be disrupted for possibly a couple years. Yes, online learning is there with teachers working hard to give their students tasks, courses and any type of test they can. However, we are really missing out on the learning experience which makes this situation so difficult. Therefore, I am going to share a couple of tips that have not only helped me learn better but have also boosted my overall confidence.
· Making A Treasure Mind Map. When I found out I was staying home for another five months, I knew I couldn’t sit around and watch Netflix all day. I had all these incredible ideas I could do which would make this my longest but most fun summer ever. As I started goal making, I realized a lot of goals would be impossible because of the special circumstances. Thinking about giving up, I was about to wrap up my work when I got the idea of making a mind map. I started with a few simple and realistic goals that I could easily fit into my routine, leading to activities that I have never tried before, all the way to extreme risks which would test my moral instincts. Then, this would lead me to my treasure, indicating I have finished my goal. You could do this with any type of art or subject!
· Plan your day like your last day of summer. This sounds a bit complicated to follow as you probably can’t go to the beach right now. But just imagine that this would be your last day of summer and freedom and you only have yourself and a few specific rooms that you can go to (remember, it's not your scary older sister’s room). Have any ideas? Make sure you write them down into a schedule and plan your day in such a way that it is relaxing, productive, and most of all fun!
Finally, I would like to say that staying off social media also helped. Right now, most of the world is probably on their Instagram, snap chat and Facebook feed, sharing their opinions about this virus. There is a high chance you may just get influenced by negative vibes which could affect your mood. Try focusing on things that could help yourself and your family at this time. And remember this will end, and it would be just another exciting story to tell in a few years, a moment in which your moral compass stood out, depending on the choices you made.
Sofya Mehta is an 8th grade student at Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India.