Debate – Outlooks on Quarentine

Maybe Quarantine Isn’t too Bad

By Adriana Rubio

From trying out new recipes to spending more time with family, many of us have learned to live within this new “normal” and make the best of what we have. We’ve picked up on so many new trends and are branching out from the usual. 

Staying in this lockdown within the solace of our homes may tend to be… mundane, at times. I agree. But, I’m going to make a couple points that may leave you thinking, “maybe quarantine isn’t so bad after all.”

Now at this point, I can already imagine what you’re thinking: “there is absolutely nothing Adriana could say to make me rethink this pandemic.” I hear you, but let me offer a focal point: this quarantine has allowed us to discover so much about ourselves. 

Within truly the smallest things from being able to explore and enhance your appearance and personality to being able to recognize and treat unhealthy habits, this quarantine has benefitted so many in numerous ways. They’re learning to let go of societal standards a bit more. And as mentioned before, people are beginning to branch out from their normal routines! Many are learning that they’re capable of so much more than what they once were when life moved too fast. 

Maybe this quarantine was also a wake up call, as well. “What do you mean by that,” you ask. Well, lets ponder on it. I mentioned before, the phrase, “life moved too fast.” 

This stay-at home lockdown has caused the days to slow down, don’t you think? Although time is, obviously, moving at it’s usual pace, many feel as if our lives have slowed down. We’re taking this time now to realize what we really took for granted and spend our moments, given with what we have, to open our eyes to our family and community around us. The creative ways students have come up with to keep our world safe and happy has benefited us very greatly. Time doesn’t control our lives as much as it once did. 

With that, from things like making banana bread for the first time to realizing that your 3am-12pm sleep schedule maybe isn’t the healthiest, I hope this has made you ponder whether or not quarantine isn’t that bad. Because for me, I know I did. 

Where are the Memories in a Pandemic?

By Bella Porras

It has been very apparent to see that this year has come with many challenges. One that no one can overlook, however, is distance learning. We all got a taste of it back in the spring, but that’s nothing compared to what we are experiencing now. 

Being a senior, this is definitely not what I was hoping for as a senior year. I was expecting football games, lunchtime drives with friends, and days full of memories with peers. After eleven years in the public school system, this is the year we’ve worked a majority of our lives to be able to enjoy.

However it seems like excruciatingly long days on zoom, fatigue, and sore backs are what we can expect for this semester. 

Much of our time these past few months have been spent on our laptops. From attending classes, completing assignments, and studying for tests, it may feel as though you can’t take your eyes off of the screen. It has been studied and proven that the blue light from our devices can consequently lead to headaches and an inability to maintain a good sleep schedule. Having a functioning mind is essential for learning, but when all of the content we need for that is online, that’s getting harder to come by. 

I understand that this was never a first choice, and our state has been doing everything they can to flatten the curve in California, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to be a little bit upset. Overall, it appears that mental health among students is declining as well.

Personally, my own mental health has taken a nosedive during quarantine, and through distance learning it hasn’t been made much better. Staring at the screen all day trying to comprehend material when there is no teacher to guide me is definitely challenging. 

Some may say that this time is one for self reflection, introspection, and new ideas on how to tackle this collective new experience. This is an unprecedented time where the ultimate priority is to stay safe, and distance learning is helping us do that. However, there are moments where we as seniors should be able to voice frustrations and to mourn the hopes we had for our last year in high school.