The New Normal
by Kaitlyn Sy (Grade 10)
During mid to late 2019, a past virus from China seemed to have come back and spread across the world, causing the distress and crisis the world is now currently facing. With the virus and its quick ability to infect others with even just the simple touch towards items used by those who were already infected, it causes a major uproar and an intense panic to everyone everywhere. And since then, people have been confined to their homes for days end, adults and children alike are trapped indoors, all working and studying at home with the help of our current technology, thus the New Normal was introduced. But does that really mean that humanity is ready to face a new normal?
The word “New Normal” speaks for itself, a brand new phase in the world that we need to consider as a normality rather than an abnormality, even if it does really sound like the latter. With everyone confined in their houses, face masks and shields needed along with passes just to get out of the house, along with the extreme sanitary measures needed to ensure everyone’s safety, its safe to say that the world has came to a point of extreme change due to just one virus alone. So to say that this may be a good change for once is a rather valid opinion, with our surroundings both high above and low on ground cleaner than usual, along with the unusual changes in our environmental resources, such as plants and waters alike, seem to have grew into a fresher and cleaner state now that less people have the chance in destroying them in first place.
Along with the good changes, this period of time also allows us to improve on our current wavering technology, especially since we are all now highly dependent on them in both school and work and many other cases that revolves around using technology. Another good thing to it is the chance to be able to get closer to family when living with them, and because of our current confinement, it is only normal that we find any chances to spend our time with, and some of our choices would include spending time and talking with the people in our respective houses and bond with them, which later on creates a firm relationship and brings a brighter light to the situation. But that doesn’t entirely mean that this New Normal is okay to most, especially with those suffering with bad cases of mental illnesses that can cause extreme struggle, not only to the person but even to the people around them. With some, if not many, people suffering with sever depression, bad anxiety and anxiety attacks and even some rare cases with bipolarity, it is difficult to say that staying indoors is a safe option for these types of people. Not only that but the pandemic itself is causing and immense stage of stress to everyone in the entire planet, and because of this even those with a healthy mental state can have their mental health deteriorate bit by bit as the pandemic worsens. This only proves that even with the slightest positive changes in the world because of the given New Normal doesn’t mean that it will be the best “normal” we will ever have. With people left and right falling to their lowest, jobs being lost along with an intense struggle just to gain money to live until tomorrow, I doubt that we can ever call this a normal way to live. Intense internal and physical struggles and pains such as these don’t ever deserve to be called normal, no matter how long a person has endured these types of suffering.
Because of this Pandemic and the New Normal, we have seen and learned a new angle in the world where we have now to prioritize things we failed to do before. One would include the generalization with cleanliness and sanitation, which is something, in my opinion, is meant to be a usual everyday thing we have to do that even infants would know how to keep at least a little clean. Another would include one’s honesty in the situation, especially when admitting that they are infected of the such ongoing virus. Because of general dishonesty and stubbornness, many people have died from diseases that are not only related to todays virus, but even many other cases different from today. But aside from the two painfully obvious things we need to do in our everyday lives, one addition to our daily living would be the requirement for face masks and even shields when outside. And though, wearing face masks are usually meant for the sick, now even those who aren’t are tasked to remain wearing them at all times when outside one’s household for maximum security, health-wise. One last thing I would like to add as a value to be acknowledged and prioritized would be the ability to further prioritize and acknowledge your own self and your mental health. This is an extremely important factor as we generally push ourselves aside for the sake of others, but now that we have the pandemic constantly pulling on our strings, it is no longer an option to put ourselves aside, as this will only lead us to our possible deaths on this crucial moment.
As such, my encouraging remarks should be fairly obvious and overused as of now. Of course, we must stay strong and positive despite the outrageous changes and struggles our world has come too, even when it is extremely difficult to stay put and be positive at times like these, it is also important to take note that dreading and crying over the pandemic will solve absolutely nothing and will additionally only increase the stress and fear to those around you. Another would be to have faith on those who work themselves in the frontlines for us, also our so-called Front Liners. And though humankind has no ability God can only create, they have served their rights to be highly respected and trustworthy ever since from before, for they have risked their own lives for the sake of our own even before this pandemic has even started, so if this pandemic doesn’t make them worthy of your respect, praise and trust, then I don’t know what will. Lastly, I would like to add is to just stay safe at home, as there is nowhere safer than a nice place in our beds and a clean and secluded area. And though staying indoors may cause infinite hours of boredom, never forget that there’s also infinite ways to have fun by yourself and with those around your house.