Because of the coronavirus, around a year ago our rhythm of life stopped. We’ve stopped meeting our friends, hugging our relatives, going to school, watching movies at the cinema, eating at the restaurant: we’ve stopped living our life as we used to do.
At the beginning of the first lockdown all of us were shocked: doing online lessons was very strange, we missed our friends and we were terrified by this situation because we didn’t know when all this would be over.
Once we realized what was happening, we began to do something that could improve our days locked at home. We began to exchange long video calls with our friends, we started doing homework with them, and sharing some hobbies with them, too.
I talked with some students, teenagers like me, about this topic. These are some of their stories:
REBECCA M.“During lockdown it was difficult to understand all the new topics that teachers were explaining in video lessons, so it often happened that during the afternoons, I saw some of my classmates on video calls and we studied together. We usually explained to each other what we didn’t understand in class, comparing our notes, integrating things written on the book, and then doing some exercises. Once finished studying we stayed on call until dinner time. Sometimes we ate together, always on video call of course, and it was a new experience that I had never thought to do. It was very funny and it helped me to remain in touch with my friends.”
ALESSIA S.“Before lockdown I didn’t share so many hobbies with my brother because we used to spend time alone in the usual short time we were at home. When they locked us down, we began to spend more time together. For example, my brother, who plays the guitar, gave me some lessons, because I was very fascinated by this instrument. After the first lockdown, we were closer than before and we continued to do things together even during the summer, when we were allowed to go out.”
ELISA A.“Around a year ago I used to move a lot and I attended dance classes. Because of the coronavirus, I was forced to stay at home, and all gyms were closed. Unfortunately, gyms are still closed today, and my dance school doesn’t offer any online lessons. I was not motivated enough to practice at home by myself, luckily one of my classmates was in the same situation, so we began to practice together on video-call. Thanks to these training sessions we became closer than before.”
TOMMASO D.G.“During the first lockdown my friends and I had a lot of free time, and we spent this extra time on video-call, and we also got to do some physical workout together since unfortunately all gyms were closed. We would spend around three or four hours on video-call and we did our homework together, too. Staying at home I also played video games with my friends, on the play station online. All these hours spent together helped me make friends with some of my classmates with whom I had never talked and made these days locked at home run faster.
