One touch of a button away

Blaga Maria, Clasa a IX-a B

“Global Pandemic” – two words I had only heard in History Class and Science-Fiction
movies, not for a second thinking that I would get to experience such a thing in my
lifetime. I can still recall the beginning of the year 2020, when school courses were put
off due to a so-called “Coronavirus”, a virus presenting itself as a mystery to both
scientists and medical experts, as well as everyone else. I remember telling myself “I am
sure it will all go away soon”, while trying to shake off the brand-new feeling of worry
that had stuck to my senses like glue which wouldn’t dissolve. As time passed, each day
bringing news about more and more sick people, I had to finally face the fact that it was
no longer a matter of shutting myself out from the world, but rather of learning to adapt
and make sense of the gloomy and confusing story fate had prepared for myself.

As autumn approached, the month of September brought on the beginning of 9th grade,
more specifically a new cycle in my life – high school. Mentally, every adolescent
prepares himself for this special moment, trying to grasp the type of person they could
become in the future or the memories they would happily add to their album of
experiences. The first thoughts that crossed my mind, however, were rather more cynical:
Will I even be able to attend school? Am I going to meet my new classmates? Will I be
deprived of a normal high school experience? Setting foot into the classroom for the first
time as a 9th grader and finally seeing the room filled with people, managed to put a smile
on my face, despite it being covered by a mask. Those few days, ever so short taught me
the importance of human contact, how much of an impact it can have on one’s wellbeing,
especially in such difficult times. I no longer could notice the emotions plastered on
someone’s figure and it was in those moments that I realized how much I missed it. I got
especially skilled in reading the eyes of a person, since it was the only way I could get an
insight into where their minds were wandering. Any glimpse, no matter how insignificant
or quick, spoke to me much more than it had ever before.

Soon after those weeks, the switch to online school was made. For almost 6 months, we
have been viewing the world of either school subject, through the tiny screen of a
computer. It still manages to amaze me how pushing just one key can open up an entire
world in front of one’s eyes so similar to reality, yet so much different. The power and
value of technology have been tested to the fullest extent during this pandemic and I am
grateful as well as lucky to be able to attend my classes safely at home, to be able to
communicate clearly and honestly with my teachers, to see and talk to my classmates, no
matter if only through a web application. In spite of the physical distance, our hearts,
spirits and minds are closer together than they have ever been.

After all, we are just one touch of a button away…