Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Coronavirus infection numbers are reaching an all-time high in the United States, and things definitely don’t seem to be getting any better. At the time this was written, the number of cases in California has reached 1.24 million, with 13.6 million cases in the US as a whole. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer referred to this time as “the most difficult moment in the pandemic.”
While most establishments do their best to maintain social distancing rules (including limiting customers to online-shopping, shortening restaurant hours, or enforcing mask mandates), many citizens are not taking the right safety precautions or taking this issue seriously. As a result, case numbers are only rapidly increasing.
It can be incredibly difficult to stay hopeful and positive in a time like this. With students already busy with online school and teachers still adjusting to teaching over Zoom, the worsening state of the pandemic is only adding to everyone’s stress.
So, how are people making an effort to try and stay cool under pressure? Putting together puzzles? Binge-watching a new TV show? Picking up a new hobby? Many look for distractions to draw attention away from the declining state of public health.
Christina Zhang(12) says, “Aside from Youtube and Netflix, I like to go out for walks in the evening with my family so we can breathe some air, and I also draw and paint when I am bored.”
Senior Maggie Mackenzie says she’s been “trying to set aside time to call friends and be outside in order to get a break. I’ve been much more cognizant of what I need in order to stay mentally well, and taking the time to recognize and put those things into action has been so beneficial. It is such a challenging time, and I think everyone knows that but remembering that there is another side really gives me hope for the future.”
This type of mindfulness practice is a good idea if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the isolating nature of quarantine. You can recognize that you don’t feel well- it’s completely normal and human to feel this way. We’re all in this together, and don’t hesitate to reach out to a friend or family member if you’re feeling especially down and need some advice.
