Day 134 of Isolation

As July draws to a fiery close, specifics about the impending school year hang still in the humid, stagnant air. In-state vacations provide a temporary escape for many, trading out one air-conditioned pod for another, beach-adjacent one. Summer assignments are reluctantly begun, Zoom camera setups are tinkered with, and friends meet outdoors, having faraway conversations over lawn chairs or watering holes. In March, we hoped life would be back to normal by April. Then, we begged the universe to let us have a normal summer. It's nearly August now, and the thought of the coming school year being online or some clunky hybrid is, to put it lightly, stressing a lot of people out. This is a time when we have to find comfort wherever we can - a friend's laughter on the phone, trips to Costco, summer sunsets - to try to distract ourselves from worrying about the future.

I'm still thinking like an APUSH-er, so a continuity in this time is that news headlines are absolutely bonkers. Protests against police brutality continue throughout the US. The president (ew) sent federal troops to Portland so he could seem all law-and-order-y, despite most of the protests being peaceful and local officials wanting the badly-trained, tear-gas-shooting feds to leave. Civilians were even arrested in unmarked vans by camouflaged officers, edging our current reality closer and closer to that of a dystopian young-adult novel. 45 finally recommended mask-wearing, so hopefully the anti-maskers that I see not only ridiculed on Facebook but stubbornly standing in stores in my hometown might stop their stupidity. In good news, Taylor Swift dropped a surprise album, which I recommend you go listen to for top-notch folk-y vibes. Mail-in voting, though potentially increasing turnout, will also mean voters will need to make sure to mail in their votes by October 20th (vote!!). Although the first semester of this year is going to be VERY experimental and objectively pretty weird, I still have hope for a normal second semester if (I will restate), we vote for leaders who will actually listen to science and get this country back on track.

The numbers in the United States are still rising steadily, as they have been since reopening. Since data is no longer being sent directly from hospitals to the CDC, the infection and death counts could be under-reported now, so keep that in mind the next time you go out without a mask or hug a group of friends. We're all tired of boredom and masks and shuffling around every stranger we see in public, but we have to keep following the rules. Some of y'all aren't doing your part, and I worry about going back to school with people who, realistically, haven't properly stayed away from others.

With the new school year swiftly encroaching on our minds, schools have announced more reopening plans. Many colleges are going back in-person, because how else would they charge hapless eighteen-year-olds exorbitantly for food, parking, and simple existence? The way infection numbers are still increasing, it's clear that most institutions going back in-person are doing so because of money - most private schools in my city are opening physically in some way, and it's not hard to put two and two together. This pandemic was called a great equalizer, but in actuality, it's going to widen the achievement gap between poorer students stuck struggling through schoolwork at home and wealthier kids getting to see their teachers and classmates in person. My own school delayed its announcement about who would be going back when, so I could be moving out of my house in less than three weeks, but I won't know it for another few days.

For high school seniors, college application season is approaching, contributing even more stress to life on the wild ride that is living through a worldwide health crisis. I can't imagine having to think about a decision as huge as which colleges to apply to and how to write an essay right now. When thinking about the future, I occasionally try to conjure some idea, some interesting story about myself, that will neatly advertise me to higher institutions. Trouble is, I have none. I haven't been covered in cockroaches, defended anyone in court, or been left in an airport, Home-Alone-style, so how will I demonstrate in writing that I am cool and interesting and worth accepting? As is, all teenagers are, or could be, preparing for the inevitable question to be asked on college essay prompts for many years to come: "How did you spend your time during the COVID-19 pandemic?" Most of us will grimace and rack our brains for some accomplishment to mention that isn't "Watching the Hamilton movie three times in one week" or "successfully becoming nocturnal". If you're worried about this, I urge you to remember that you've probably learned something during this pandemic, haven't you? You've probably taken an online class or learned how to cook or even gotten to know yourself a bit better. It's all going to be okay, eventually, even if this whole situation is not what anyone had imagined would happen squarely in the center of high school.

Apologies for the late post, by the way - lately, I've been sacrificing productivity and even my precious sleep schedule for that sweet, sweet social interaction. At this point, it's like trying to make friends who live in a different time zone - the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Even if it is ruining my sleep schedule, I urge everyone to reach out to your friends if you're feeling lonely. Seeing other people after so many months alone will be awkward at first, but I promise, you'll end up happy. Plus, The Kissing Booth 2 just dropped on Netflix, so there's a movie ripe for mocking (or genuinely enjoying, I guess) with your own friends.

Tl;dr: Talk to your friends, wear a mask, and keep your mind on the current day. The pandemic isn't over, but I have hope that our words and actions and votes will eventually end it.

XOXO, Quaranteen