R
GLOBAL PUBLIC SCHOOL 2021
66
I
look at myself in the mirror and see a skinny figure . A lot hasn ’ t physically changed since the past couple months but as I stare at the wall-mounted looking glass , I realize how much I have actually changed as a human being due to staying at home all day . I have started to branch out for opportunities I can do at home , I have learnt to adjust in such situations and I have realized that the world isn ’ t what it presents to be . I have understood that sometimes it leaves people behind for others , sometimes brings joy but at other times , turns a deaf ear to situations that really matter like the ‘ Black Lives Matter ’ movement . I have learnt to question if
How
Quarantine Changed Me
Sayyida Rania [ 9B ]
the majority is really right . These truly changed me as a human being , sometimes giving me examples of what I shouldn ’ t be like .
We all seek materialistic things all of which could disappear in the blink of the eye and because of this , we have lost the virtue of gratitude . No matter how much we surround ourselves with extravagant goods , we all feel empty on the inside and this is due to the absence of our past values . This lockdown truly helped all of us recognise this problem and perhaps , was a wake-up call for us to revert back to our old ways . Family movie nights , breakfast together and communicating with each other has inculcated such values , not just in me , but in everyone . Furthermore , having so much free time has taught me a lot about myself like my hidden talents and passions . I have started to write my heart out , explore the world of journals and colours and I am now using my voice to advocate for climate change and leading a movement on the same . Moreover , staying at home has given me a lot of time to reflect upon my past choices , which helped me to grow as a person .
Lockdown may pose as a challenge to most people , but being a forever learner , I prefer seeing it as an opportunity to learn , grow and inspire . In the past two months , I immersed myself in the world of innovation , ambition and cuttingedge technology for applying to a programme for curious , driven high schoolers . There was a rigorous admission process for this so I poured my heart and soul into this to finally get an application I was proud with .
Although I was satisfied with it , I didn ’ t expect an email the very next day telling me that I had passed the application stage and had to turn up for an interview . With prayers and hopes , I chose a date and time slot and tried to think about possible questions they would ask . The day was looming closer and I could feel more questions fill up my head . I knew there was a part of me who was confident and excited but I just couldn ’ t bring that out . The day that decided my fate finally came and with anxiety on one hand and with excitement on the other , I logged on to Google Meet and was greeted by a program director . I was asked the most indirect , trickiest questions so that they could get a glimpse of my thinking pattern and intellectual abilities but at the end of the day , I didn ’ t feel I had performed the best . I left all hopes of getting accepted and planned to apply next year . Two hours later , I received the magical email that I had been accepted . Words cannot describe the joy and contentment I felt at that moment as it was just incredible . I couldn ’ t stop reading the email over and over again ; it was too good to be true ! I believe it ’ s due to the amount of time I got in my hands because of quarantine and an optimistic mindset that enabled me to see the light at the end of the tunnel that I was able to achieve this feat .
A couple of months may seem like a very short span of time for any person to change drastically , but if we utilize our time properly , we can work towards being a better self and eventually , achieve our goals . Hence , let us all embrace change by remembering that every cloud has a silver lining and that perhaps , quarantine might just help you upgrade and become a better version of yourselves .