It would be an understatement to say this is a crazy, difficult and scary time. No one knows how to prepare for an unknown future. As people’s fear gets the best of them, some have turned to throwing around anger and blame. But with everything terrible, frightening and undiscovered, people have expressed more love and courage than many have seen in their lifetime.
College students have missed out on vital parts of their experience, a valuable and irreplaceable part of life, but stopping the spread of this virus to save those who can’t fight it is so much more than the pursuit of a college experience.
Medical professionals on the frontlines are risking their lives every day while scientists search for the cure. Everyone else is doing their part in stopping the spread of coronavirus by staying home. As many work from home, kitchens and bedrooms have turned into offices and classrooms, and human interaction has gone virtual until further notice.
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Losing the ability to touch — or even stand closer than six feet to each other — has not put life on hold for a second. FaceTime and other applications, like Zoom, have become a best friend to all as they serve as the medium keeping everyone connected.
Last week, Jewish families all over celebrated Passover via Zoom to stay present and keep traditions alive. These new tools have enabled people to keep relationships strong and even facilitated reconnections with old friends. They may all live far apart, and while quarantine doesn’t change that, it has exposed them to a new tool they could use to keep in touch.
Along with all the sacrifices which have been made, silver linings have been and continue to be found. Anyone having trouble finding them can simply look to the internet and social media, where people are telling their stories and comforting others all around the world. Every night at 7 p.m., residents of New York erupt in applause and cheers for the frontline workers of the crisis. Everyone comes together, while remaining apart, to show their appreciation for those risking their lives in order to get ours back to normal.
To make the days go by faster, look to the love in your life. Maybe it’s from the family you’ve been locked in with for the duration or from friends over FaceTime. Or look to everyone appreciating or trying to help those who they have never met.
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Soon, University of Wisconsin students will get more time to sit on the terrace admiring the lake, to walk to the Capitol, to enjoy more of the college experience. But it will be a different world.
This world will be one of heightened caution and reluctant interaction, but it can also be one of unity and strength. No one knows how long this will last, but focusing on the positives and turning this into something which can change things for the better is the only way we will survive.
Elizabeth Ellick ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in political science.
