Lessons to be learned

Social distancing is difficult for everyone. Even with work to do, it gets boring not being able to go out to public places. Many people are tempted to hang out with friends, but this will ultimately make the situation worse by people infecting others. Some think this is not serious or that they won’t get the virus. This is a real concern with consequences, so we continue to stay home and isolate.

There are some positive aspects and lessons to be learned from this unique experience. First, there seems to be an increase in communication between extended families and friends through FaceTime and Zoom. Our community seems more connected by facing the same issue and having the same solution which gives people a common bond.

Second, this situation forces us to think about how our actions affect others. We cannot only be concerned with ourselves. Instead, we need to think about the impact our choices have on others. For high school students like myself, we are forced to take more responsibility for our learning. We have the opportunity to educate ourselves not only on regular school subjects, but also about this pandemic and the effects it is having on both people and the economy.

Most importantly, we are learning resiliency. We are faced with changes in our lives daily. We are learning to adapt to these changes and persevere in the face of the “new normal.” These lessons will continue to be valuable to us for years to come.

Brandon Hanken

Spokane