An eight-letter, three-syllable word that everyone in the world has come to know far too well: pandemic. Before March 13th, 2020, I had never understood the word ‘pandemic.’ Sure, I could have heard it in history class occasionally. Still, other than those few and far between instances, ‘pandemic’ was a foreign concept that I never thought would become so relevant in my life. Excitedly ready for an extended spring break, I exited the back door of the C building at New Trier’s Northfield campus for one last time on that unforgettable March day. Nonetheless, that excitement quickly faded away after I heard: “because of the pandemic, schools, sports, and all other public activities will be shut down.” After that dreaded announcement, I didn’t get to see my school peers, closest friends, teammates, or even my grandparents for a full six months. However, there was one individual that I did get to spend an exceptional amount of time with: my older sister. With that said, the pandemic has affected my generation by altering lifestyles in a way that has allowed us the unique opportunity to spend time with family that we, as teenagers, otherwise would not have.
With early August came the return to college. After six months of living at home, my 21-year-old sister, Amanda, packed her clothes, school supplies, and apartment essentials into the car. Three hours later, we arrived at the University of Illinois, where Amanda was to begin her senior year of college. We spent the day unpacking the car and setting up her kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. After trips up and down the stairs, runs to Walgreens, and many trash bags later, the apartment was finally ready to live in. As the time to say goodbye quickly approached, my stomach turned into knots, but I didn’t know why. I had dropped my sister off at college three times before, so why was this time so hard for me? Despite my hesitation, I gave my older sister one last hug, and my parents and I left the apartment building for the final time that day.
As I settled in for the three-hour car ride, I began to dread the night ahead of me. For the past six months, Amanda and I sat in her bed and watched TV on her computer for hours before falling asleep. While I did thoroughly enjoy watching the dramatic reality TV shows my sister, and I became addicted to, I have now since realized that wasn’t actually what I looked forward to; it was the time that I had the opportunity to spend with Amanda. As she is six years older than me, we have always been at very different stages of our lives. When I entered my first year of middle school, she was taking her ACT. When I passed my driving test, she began her search for her first real job. These ‘right-of-passage events were consuming both of our lives so much that we never stopped to appreciate each other until we had to.
I, along with thousands of other teenagers living through this pandemic, was forced to prioritize new aspects of our lives. Instead of playing sports or hanging out with friends on Friday nights, we had family dinners and watched movies with our siblings. In many school districts, especially New Trier, there is an expectation that every minute of our day is filled with something. Whether that’s homework, spending time with friends, or participating in extracurricular activities, the average teenager has no time for family. However, with this pandemic, my generation has learned that family should be a priority and should not be pushed aside for later acknowledgment. So, while COVID-19 is definitely a curse, it is also a blessing in disguise for those teenagers, including myself, that did not realize how important family truly is.
- United States