Essay Example: The Impact of Covid-19 on High School Students

A highly contagious and lethal pathogen is released from a foreign lab, its exact origin is unknown. That statement itself almost sounds like the plot of a blockbuster movie. Like a movie, the idea of a deadly virus affecting someone on the other side of the world seemed quite fictitious. Growing up facing no real hardships, coupled with previous instances of deadly diseases (such as ebola) supposedly becoming pandemics created a deadly ignorance as the Covid-19 virus slowly crept throughout the world’s population.

The first time Covid really affected my life was just before the spring break of my junior year of highschool. At this point, the virus was all over the news, with new cases in the US springing up day after day. Despite all this, daily life continued as usual. This was most likely due to a combination of reports of low mortality in young/middle aged people and comparisons with the influenza virus. Having never been vaccinated against the flu, yet never contracting it only added to my personal ignorance. Just like any normal year, spring break eventually came. As I left the school premises for a much needed break, I mentally prepared myself for the barrage of social media posts depicting my peers sprawled out on beaches. All that preparation was all for naught, as almost every spring break trip planned was canceled due to the rising Covid cases around the world. My somewhat cheery attitude in response to my friends being forced to stay back in Iowa was quickly diminished as the government and CDC (Center for Disease and Control) promoted everyone to quarantine to help prevent the spread of the virus. Being the naive kids we were, quarantine procedures were broken in favor of a normal and eventful spring break. After all, how much longer could a “non-deadly” virus last. As reality closed in and quarantines were extended and mandated on a federal scale, our spring break kept accumulating days until I soon realized it was technically summer. 

Throughout the entirety of my life, summer break was perhaps the peak of serotonin production for my body, as it was for almost every kid growing up. All one's hard work throughout the school year was finally rewarded with a substantial break dedicated to having fun and being stress free (in theory). Keeping this in mind, one can assume that the last part of the school year being forgotten and combined with summer break was all a kid could hope for. This was simply not the case. First off, there was no real sense of accomplishment in my junior year ending the way that it did. All the classes I struggled so hard to succeed in were immediately granted passing grades. The ACT that I studied for days on end for was no longer required for college admissions. In the end, it felt as if everything was swept under a rug as we quarantined for what seemed like an eternity. Secondly, my track and field season was completely abandoned without a single meet occurring. That is a whole season of competitions simply gone. Also, I knew that after high school, I would most likely not pursue any scholarships or opportunities to compete further in track and field. So four years of the sport was all I got, and a fourth of those opportunities ceased to exist with the arrival of Covid-19. In all, these problems were quite insignificant when compared to the death that occured on a daily basis around the world. Deep down, I knew this, but a part of me refused to allow such a large portion of my life slip away. Naivety and the refusal to want to grow up and face the harsh realities of the world prevented me from seeing the bigger picture. 

At the time this “letter” was written, the Covid-19 pandemic was still ongoing. Daily life has resumed to a certain degree, thanks to mask mandates, social distancing, arrival of vaccinations, and the perseverance of mankind.. I hope you will not have to experience anything such as this throughout the entirety of your life. However, that would be simply idealistic to hope for. Whatever trials or tribulations your generation has to overcome, whether it be war, plague, famine, or something far worse. Persevere through it all, and do not let the naivety of youth make you regret past actions. Lastly, enjoy every second of life and live within the moment, as you never know when disaster might strike.