So amid the crisis that we as a humans globally are facing, people are having to make sacrifices both big and small. Some sacrifices were done by people’s initiative, and others were implemented by the government etc. However, no matter what sacrifice you’ve had to make, you are allowed to feel disappointed and upset, because it’s all relative. Yes it’s important to put it into perspective, because the truth is people are dying. People are losing their mothers, their fathers, their grandparents, friends, colleagues, husbands, wives.
What we are facing is extremely horrific, there is no doubt about that. But people shouldn’t feel guilty or be ashamed by feeling disappointment surrounding what they’ve had to give up.
For me, I’ve had to stop going to school like the rest of the nations children. But not only that, I’m a Year 11 student which means I can’t sit any of my exams. When the news was announced last week, on Wednesday, that exams wouldn’t go ahead I was gutted. I was so upset and just felt like I had been robbed my chance to “show off” and prove myself in the exam. I sat my English Literature exam last year and I worked so incredibly hard for it and I achieved a 9, so I knew I was capable of doing this for other subjects this year, but I honestly felt like I had been cheated of my opportunity to do so. Like previously stated, I am aware that this is not the worst thing to have to give up as there are parents who have separated and can’t see their children to try and prevent them from spreading it to their kids. I understand that. I also understand that GCSEs are not as important as the A-Levels which have been cancelled. I appreciate that. But nevertheless, I am disappointed that I can’t sit them. I understand the reasoning for this, and I do agree that cancelling them was the best option to keep it fair, as some people could’ve been infected during exam season or have lost people so would not have been the the right state to sit an exam and some people would have been fine. I am aware of the way that we will be given results and it will go through schools and there is an option to re sit any exams at a later date if the result you get isn’t what you know you could get. I have left my secondary school two months early and instead of getting weeks to prepare for this and come to terms with it, we had two days to understand and get to grips with the fact that we’re leaving, because even if schools do reopen before summer, it is highly unlikely that Year 11’s would return because what would be the point? The only reason I could think would be to start our next steps earlier e.g. college, apprenticeships etc. We didn’t get a leaving assembly (I know it’s trivial but it’s something we as a year group were looking forward to), but instead we did get shirt signing, pictures, our head of year even wrote us a poem. And we did get something completely different to other years. We were allowed to leave early and our teachers who had free lessons clapped us out as we passed through the gates for a final time.
Like many others I have given up seeing friends and my boyfriend. Again I know this isn’t the end of the world, yes it’s upsetting and annoying BUT we are so lucky to live in a day and age where technology is extremely advanced. It isn’t down to relying on a landline, letters or even email. We can text, call, facetime! We can technically still see them via video call. “Social distancing” doesn’t mean we have to stop communication or stop talking to our friends, it just means physically we shouldn’t and we must keep our distance from each other while we’re not on mandatory lockdown. We have to put our own needs and wants to the side and stop being selfish, because the sooner we do, the sooner we can go back to normal life. Except it may not be the same normal, we’ll have experienced history and it will have affected everyone in one way or another. No one has been through anything like this. I see a lot of people online comparing it to war, and I do agree. Obviously no one is going to fight in trenches or anything, but we are being restricted, and rightfully so, to basically our houses and only going to shops when necessary for food and medicine.
What I am trying to say is stop being selfish, if you’re my age and your parents have stopped you from seeing friends/significant others don’t be mad at them, they’re enforcing government recommendations, yes be disappointed, I know I am, but we must look at the bigger picture, people are dying. You may know someone who is infected, or lost a loved one or maybe you don’t but going outside to meet your friends could result in you becoming a victim to this disease or you spreading it to other members of your household. Please take a minute to think. Is it worth it? Go outside for a walk yes, but keep your distance from other people. Wash your hands before and after going out. Wipe your door handles, and disinfect surfaces in your home. Yes it seems like there is no end in sight, but it will end. We will come out of this. Yes we will lose people and that is something we have to prepare for, as awful and as upsetting and as catastrophic as it is, we must prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Don’t be stupid. Stay home if you can. Wash your hands. Stay in contact with your friends and family through your phone/social networks. Stay safe.
Speak to you soon,
SaloNevella