It was March 13th when I woke up 5 minutes before I needed to leave my house for the school day, this was quite typical of me. I remember feeling quite stressed on the way to school because I had a couple of quizzes and tests that day. As per usual, I was dropped off at the main entrance of my school with just 2 minutes to sprint to class. Exhausted and out of breath, I made it to first period on time. From there, the school day played out as it always had, 3 classes in the morning then lunch, and then 3 classes in the afternoon. I left my high school at 2:50 pm, ready to walk home like I did every single day. I had no idea that would be my last day of normalcy for a very, very long time.
Try and remember what your day looked like on March 13th, 2020. Maybe you were in the office or perhaps working from home. You might have had a couple of appointments to get to. You could have been out running errands. Maybe you were making spring break/vacation plans, or even planning a party. Yoga, pilates, shopping, even hanging out with friends! Regardless of what your day consisted of, were you worried about or even aware of the severity of coronavirus? I’m assuming that was a no; however, Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, who has a duty to protect the American people, did know.
Trump was fully aware of the severity of COVID-19 in February of 2020. The only thing the American people were told was “the coronavirus is very much under control in the USA” (Trump’s tweet 2/24/20). Not that I ever believed a single thing that came out of that man’s mouth, thousands of Americans did, and now with October of 2020 right around the corner, we are about to hit 200,000 dead Americans due to coronavirus.
Angry is a severe understatement. I am infuriated, fuming, apoplectic with rage, pissed.
It is the 21st century and it is normal to be walking around with a surgical mask on. It is normal to walk down the street and not be able to smile at someone because a surgical mask is covering your mouth. It is normal to see 3-year-olds wearing masks as they head to the playground. It is normal not having human interaction for weeks on end. It is normal not being able to give your grandparents a hug. I am only 16 years old and living in a society where this is all normal. Why is this normal?
Our world will never be the same and I am devastated. Politics are no longer politics, it is a matter of life or death. Our social crisis is no longer about equality, it’s a matter of life or death. Science is no longer science, suddenly you’re either a “coward” or a “patriot”. Significant milestones have been lost. The respectful deed of shaking hands may never occur again. What is happening to our society?
This new reality has been persisting for exactly 6 months, 184 days. Nothing has gotten easier. I can and will admit that I have struggled with this new normal. While this has taken a severe toll on me, which I’m sure you can all relate to, I have realized that doing something about this situation has made me feel better about it. From phone banking to volunteering I have dedicated so much of my time to helping others feel safe and informed during these times. Yes, aiding others makes me feel better but I shouldn’t have to spend my childhood worrying about the future of our country, that is Donald Trump’s job, so yes, I am angry and you should be too.
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