From a Week’s Suspension to a Two-year Isolation

       I don’t believe in superstitions, like how black cats bring bad luck or how one can make a wish when the clock strikes 11:11. Most especially, I don’t believe in the superstition about Friday the 13th, or at least I didn’t until two years ago. It was March 13, 2020, when it happened, a 13 and on a Friday. I vaguely remember how thrilled we all were about the announcement of the week-long suspension of classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little did we know that that week-long suspension would turn into a nightmarish two-year isolation.

    The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis declared by the WHO. It has affected everyone and everything in society, changing our daily lives. The virus spreads through bodily fluids and airborne droplets, restricting physical contact. This restriction has affected various sectors, such as health care, transportation, business, and, most significantly, the educational sector. 

    The isolation brought by the pandemic has been a significant disruption to the educational sector. As a result, the government has introduced several measures to help schools and colleges cope with the impact of the virus, intending to continue education despite the breakout. In the Philippines, the Department of Education implemented four modes of learning: modular learning, online learning, radio and television-based instruction, and blended learning. These modes have been used as a substitute for the usual mode of learning: face-to-face classes. When classes started in the middle of the pandemic, I opted for modular learning. This mode involves picking up the modules from school, answering the given tasks, and submitting the answer sheets, only to be given a new batch of modules again, so the cycle repeats itself.

    The first months of 8th grade with the new learning mode were relatively easy to adjust. Introductions were made, relationships with classmates and friends were rekindled, and the lessons were pretty easy to learn with the help of my sister and teachers. As time passed, instead of learning, passing my answer sheets and other requirements became my sole goal. I also crammed many of my outputs, resulting in sleeping at 1 or 2 AM. Fortunately, things eased during the last quarter of that academic year with the help of some friends. When it finally ended, I vowed to learn from that experience and not to repeat it the following year.

    I am in 10th grade, and it feels like time passed in a blur. I can now understand the lessons thoroughly and am eager to learn more. I can manage my time wisely, with spare time for my hobbies, which I have been unable to do for the past two years. Now, I also tend to have enough sleep, which is already a significant achievement. I am motivated and aim to be consistent with what I am currently doing. Moreover, I set specific goals to achieve to stay motivated, as well as to prevent past events from happening. Lastly, I plan on enjoying studying, a thing I also couldn’t do back then. 

    The pandemic was both devastating and life-changing for many. It left me physically unharmed, but I couldn’t say the same for my mental state. It took a massive toll on me, which affected my ability to perform daily and academically. But with determination, perseverance, discipline, time, and support, I regained my footing and eventually got better. I started to feel like myself again and could even do the things I previously couldn’t do. The years may have passed in a blink of an eye, but the time spent during the two years of isolation dramatically helped me to where I am now. 

References:

white sheer curtain on window, Retrieved Oct. 18, 2022

https://unsplash.com/photos/Ft5BPktEZeE