Day 5 of quarantine.
Day 135 of student voice
Student voice provided by Emyly, Raphael, Becca, and Michelle
Emyly
I’m barely waking up. It’s 11:30. I went on Snapchat and I’m sure that a lot of my friends had an all-nighter just as I did. I also read the posts from today and I definitely agree with Conrad. I went through this with my parents, I got mad at them cause we went shopping three days in a row for really unnecessary things. Okay maybe taking precautions is good to be safe but come on I see some people stocking up like it’s an apocalypse. Maybe it is, but when I went to a little store and saw them selling a roll of toilet paper for four dollars. I was in awe, especially seeing people BUYING IT.
Since I’m Mexican, tortillas are essential for our household so when we went out to buy them, of course, there was a shortage. There’s a specific brand too that apparently every person who buys tortillas wants, it’s called El Milagro. I was watching the local news (in Spanish obviously) and people were literally lining up to buy tortillas at the factory they’re made in. Yes, you can buy them cause it’s like a restaurant/ tortilla factory that’s in La Villita.
My dad also came back from a shopping trip saying the owner of the store himself was laughing at the people being exaggerated. My dad said that a lady with a cart with just boxes of the same item passed by and the owner pointed at her and said “ You see her right there? Yeah, she’s stupid.” My sister said when she went shopping with my mom that there were people at the exit of the store checking to see if you got too much food/ necessities.
I’m currently watching the news and Mexico’s ignorance is frustrating. They know that like half of the population lives in poverty and if they get sick where are they gonna go? Who are they gonna turn to? Not the government. It’s the same as it always is. When the devastating earthquakes happened in Mexico, what did the politicians do? Go take photos helping and leave it at that.
I remember the president was gonna give everyone who was affected by it cards to buy food but they were almost worth nothing. Some small towns are taking it seriously others think nothing of it and even travel in large masses thinking they’re safe because of their faith. Don’t get me wrong I’m a religious person but we all know that this is highly contagious. Another thing that this virus has affected is seniors in schools. I feel so bad for all of them losing so many experiences that they deserve. My cousin is a senior at wheeling and she talked to me about it and said that her whole graduating class is completely devastated. Some states have canceled the whole school year. I really really hope that that doesn’t happen here.
Raphael


Becca
I really thought I would have more fun this break. I know I need to social distance myself, but I miss my friends so much. I miss seeing them five days a week. I miss going to class and actually doing something. This break has taught me one thing. I need school. Not only for the educational value but for the social value as well. I had to take twenty steps back and look at how school has shaped me. I always had something to do at school. I was never bored at school(well, most of the time). I really need to go back to school.
Even though I have been away from school, I recently read up on social distancing, and let me tell you, it’s very interesting. The article I read was by Johns Hopkins Medicine called “Coronavirus, Social Distancing, and Self Quarantine” To be quite honest, I have never heard of the term “social distancing” before the Coronavirus. Now, I feel like I hear it everywhere. I have never been one to distance myself, but I feel like I have to.
At the end of the day, I just want to go back to school. I hope this pandemic ends soon, but for now, I’m living in what will be history later on.
Michelle
Now just as I thought things are getting better, IL might go into a lockdown. Which, when that happens, people will see this is a bigger deal than we thought. If we do, teens everywhere will be very bored. I already see teens doing stuff because they’re so bored. A lot of girls have been dying their hair, I will be as well.
I am kind of upset that I’m not swimming because I can feel myself getting out of shape. Swimming was the one thing that would get my mind off this stuff and that’s gone.
But the world is still spinning and kids are still being born. On the bright side, pollution has decreased and certain animals, such as the whale, are being found in places they havent been since the 80s. While this virus is bad, it might just save us from global warming. We had 12 years to reverse the effects of global warming before it was too late. Did this extend that time?
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I feel like this is the most important writing being published right now. I’m a school principal but also a mom to a 13yo girl and 16 yo boy. I’m trying not to freak them out, but I know they are getting information from other places too. Someone at my son’s school has a parent diagnosed with COVID-19. I just have to stop and acknowledge what a crazy time this is. No one knows what to do and writing like this helps us process. You all are amazing! And probably typical and that’s where the beauty of all of this lies! Wishing you the best from Houston, TX!
Thank you for the message. My students are going through it right now the same as we are. Unfortuneately, they don’t have the same voice nor resources. Message like this that help me keep posting!