Pandemic Albums: Holding on to the good old days

Melissa Dai

Since the beginning of quarantine, my family has taken many necessary precautions regarding the pandemic: one of which includes having masks ready and accessible for use at any time.

Melissa Dai, News Editor
June 1, 2020

At this time last year, things were very different. The warm weather put everyone in a good mood. I could go out to eat at any restaurant. My classes were going great, and I saw my friends every day. 

I almost feel nostalgic thinking about it.

With the current situation, the three-hour AP exam for U.S. History that I had registered to take in the fall was shortened significantly to one 45-minute essay. I’m not exactly complaining because this exam was certainly easier, but I was robbed of the normal exam experience that I had hoped to have for my next few years of high school test-taking. (Melissa Dai)

So much has changed since then. Adjusting to quarantine has been difficult, to say the least. Although my family began preparing for a nationwide shutdown at the very beginning of 2020 by stocking up on food, masks and toiletries, I still sometimes feel ill-prepared for dire repercussions of the coronavirus. After all, how can one effectively prepare for the effects of a  global crisis like this?

I truly feel for the class of 2020. All over the world, the pandemic has robbed seniors, such as my older brother, of their high school graduation. Signs like these acknowledge seniors’ completion of high school, but they hardly do justice to how vast the accomplishment of graduation is. (Melissa Dai)

This pandemic has deprived me of school, sports and seeing my friends in person. Worse, it has deprived high school seniors of their graduation. However, none of these losses are even remotely comparable to those who have lost their loved ones, homes and jobs. During these terrible times, my heart aches the most for these people.

Although we’ve planted small gardens in the past, this year my family really stepped it up. With more free time in quarantine, we’ve expanded our garden to include flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers. To me, the buds on this flower represent hope, which we all desperately need during these difficult times. (Melissa Dai )

It may be difficult to discern, but there is some silver lining to this whole situation. Quarantine has forced us to slow down and think about everything in our lives. It has allowed us to immerse ourselves in family and in nature.

In this blurry picture (I didn’t want to disturb them too much), a few tiny baby robins are nestled cozily under my porch, probably waiting for their mother to return. Although it seems that the entire world has screeched to a halt, it’s important to remember that life in nature always continues. (Melissa Dai)

Above all, it has given humankind the opportunity to unite, virtually and emotionally (not physically) against this worldwide crisis through mutual empathy and hope. 

For now, all we can do is hold on to this hope that things will somehow return to the way they were before, or at least something similar—the good old days.