I’M JUST SAYING: Pandemic brings out some positives

  I’m the type of person who tries to find a positive aspect in everything. For example, if I were to come down with a terrible case of the coronavirus right now, I’d probably think something like – “At least the hospital has ice cream!” It may be ridiculous to think there are positive aspects to a worldwide pandemic, but perhaps positivity is something we all need in order to get through these strange times.

  If you were to go outside right now, you’d think that you just stepped on to the set of a dystopian future movie. The streets are almost empty, with most people being locked down safe in their homes. Countries are placing travel restrictions the likes of which haven’t been seen since World War II. If the protests in the streets weren’t enough to convince you, people are becoming more and more upset about the global lockdown. However, you know who’s not complaining? The environment! First, greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced, giving those who fear climate change some relief. In China alone, emissions have reduced by at least 25 percent. Furthermore, in some parts of Europe, nitrogen dioxide emissions are reducing. Air pollution in various major cities such as New York is being reduced as well. Most of this is due to the fact that flights are being canceled to reduce the spread of the virus. Not only that, but the absence of people in cities are having a positive effect as well. The waters of Venice, which are usually dirty and polluted due to the massive amount of tourists in the city, have now cleared up to the point where fish are visible.

  Another important positive aspect of being quarantined is that you have more time to spend at home. Now that school only takes up a small portion of the day, we have more free time than ever. Now’s a great time to catch up on any books, video games, TV shows, etc. that you need to finish. It’s also a great time to learn new things and practice new skills. Personally, however, I believe all this free time is great for relaxing if you’ve been stressed out by work or school before this pandemic started. The most productive thing I’ve been doing is developing my Animal Crossing island. According to War Whoop’s most recent poll, a majority of readers are spending most of their time playing video games during this age of social distancing, so I’m not alone. Another positive aspect is that we all get to stay at home with our families. While there are plenty of teenagers out there who will groan at the thought of being stuck at home with their parents, many of us appreciate being able to stay home with our folks. Nothing makes me smile more now than when I see my mom working from home and she’s surrounded by her “assistants”, a.k.a our pets. 

  Finally, another positive aspect of this pandemic is that it shows us how much we need to appreciate everything in life. For most of our time during this age of social distancing, businesses and other places we go to daily were closed, showing us how much we took them for granted. Not only that, but it also shows us how much we need to appreciate medical workers. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, geriatric nurses, etc. are all working diligently to keep the world safe during these times. Even outside of pandemics, our societies are held together by medical workers who keep us healthy, so hopefully, their efforts will teach people to appreciate them more.

  This pandemic has been hard on all of us. Every student here has never experienced anything like this throughout his or her entire life, and sometimes it can be terrifying to the point where it’s hard to get people to be cheery just by saying “Stay positive!” However, there are still positive side effects to these strange times, and if you look out for them, maybe you’ll be able to smile through the hardships.