During the break induced by COVID-19 that canceled about one-third of the 2019-20 school year, many Bear River students have found it highly beneficial to stay in contact with family and friends while stuck in quarantine.
The cancellation of the remainder of the school year took a toll on many students mentally and emotionally. Seeing friends on a daily basis is something most of us took for granted, not realizing how nice it was until it was taken away. For some people, seeing friends is the best part about school, and without it, it can get fairly lonely. However, many of us found a remedy to this problem through texting, phone or video calls.
Counselor Cindy Henry-Grimm explained that it is important that students stay involved with their friends during quarantine in safe ways.
“I think it is very important to stay in touch with your friends and family during this time, the caveat being how you do that,” she said. “Following social distancing and quarantine rules is essential not only for your safety but that of your family. This unique situation has created a conflict over our rights versus the right thing to do. It’s hard but learning to see the bigger picture and beyond our own wants and needs is an important developmental milestone.”
Junior Geneva Hemmert had been staying in contact with those she cares about, and it has benefited her.
“I’ve personally been keeping in contact with all of my friends and family over the break, and personally, that’s brought me quite a bit closer to a few of them, and has helped me cope with being alone at home all the time,” she said.
Sophomore Lana Raper said she also has been keeping in contact with friends.
“I have been in touch with my friends through texts and emails,” she explained. “It has affected me positively in order to not go crazy.”
Junior Noah Dunhower had utilized not only social media, but school-related activities to stay in touch with friends.
“After the closure, each of our music groups have had weekly video chats since our events got cancelled,” he said. “We’re also continuing these meetings into the summer for a couple weeks to plan things out for next year. I’ve pretty much just used that and social media to stay in contact with friends in band, choir, and Starlite. It’s been fine, but it doesn’t make up for the great times we usually have in person.”
Ms. Henry-Grimm explained that she has also stayed in contact with friends and family during this time.
“We use either Google Duo or Google Hangout to chat a few times a week with my kids and grandchildren,” she said. “And my best friends and I have a standing Girls Night In on Saturdays on Google Hangout to keep up with each other’s lives!”
She went on to explain that staying in contact is beneficial mentally.
“I think the human need for social experiences is inherent,” she explained. “Talking, … texting, and video chatting can help alleviate some of your stress and feelings of isolation. And it just feels good to have someone that is experiencing the same situation to vent to … It is important to realize that everyone around us; parents, siblings, teachers, everyone, is feeling that same loss of normal which includes social contact.”
Several students shared why they felt staying in contact with friends is important.
“I do think it is important to stay in contact so that we can ask each other for help and just to keep in touch,” Raper explained.
“I think it’s important to stay in contact with those who really do care about you,” said Hemmert. “Sometimes it’s great and super nice to go out of your way to check in on certain people in your life just to see how they’re doing and such, but you should be spending the majority of your time with people who truly want to talk to you. That’s especially important for me right now.”
“I think everyone should be their own judge of how much communication they want with people in this situation,” Dunhower said. “For a lot of people who’ve been through a lot of stress lately, it could help to talk to people, or not if you feel like you might just have to take some time for yourself and chill for a bit. I’d say that’s entirely up to you.”
Hemmert expressed that her relationships with family members have improved during the coronavirus break.
“I’ve been in more contact with a few of my older brothers and sisters,” she said. “Being a bit younger than them, our relationships have changed since they’ve moved out, but with staying in contact with them I’ve felt those relationships becoming stronger.”
She also had a parting thought for students who may not feel the need to be in contact with friends.
“I think it’s important to address that not everyone has people they feel comfortable contacting or being in touch with in their lives,” she said. “We don’t need to rely on socializing with others to feel happy, and that’s because we are the only ones who can decide that we will be content [with] and seek out happiness for ourselves.”
