Good things that came from the pandemic
By: Raney Riddlebarger
With the struggle everyone has experienced with the pandemic over the last year and a half, it is important to find the positives in life. Quarantine and COVID-19 restrictions have changed the way people all over the world live and execute day-to-day activities. While this change has been difficult for many to adapt to, some good things have come out of it.
With most public indoor areas shut down last year, there was a flux of people experiencing nature. Whether it be hiking, swimming in new places, exploring state parks or just spending more time in their backyards, many people had time to reconnect with the earth.
Quarantine also had some benefits for the environment. Travel restrictions and lockdown had less cars on the road, planes in the sky and boats in the water. This significant decrease in emissions caused a reduction in air and water pollution. Moving on into the future, the world can learn from this effect by taking more consideration into our individual and public impacts on the environment.
The world was put on pause for many last year, as most companies and schools were temporarily closed for a time, or shut down. This created lots of free time for people to try new things or take a deeper look into themselves. With the focus on work in our society, many have never taken the time for self-discovery. Extra freetime during quarantine was the perfect opportunity to do this. Career and life changes ensued for some.
Another benefit of this increased time to think, was a new surge in the focus on racial disparity. Protests and marches for movements like Black Lives Matter gained more public attention. The need for urgent change on reducing bias in the justice system, occupations and the government grew with increased support. Justice was demanded for those affected, and while it wasn’t always gained, the recognition is important. Reducing bias and racism in America is something that needs to continue past our time in the pandemic.
Recognition for those helping fight COVID-19 was also a positive thing that surged over the last year and a half. The world took more time to appreciate the nurses, doctors, researchers, essential workers and others on the frontline fighting the effects of the virus. We wouldn't have made this much progress without them. Continuing with this trend of recognition, an awareness of our hygiene habits has improved. Wearing masks, washing hands and more awareness of the effects of large public gatherings were all things stressed with the virus. Hopefully we can take this trend into consideration in the future.
As everyone was stuck at home during the pandemic, a need for improved communication arose. Things like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other communication tools improved the world's accessibility. People can see and talk to others when factors out of their control prevent them from meeting face-to-face.
We should continue to find the good in the world while hardship is so prominent. After being isolated for so long, take the time to appreciate the friends and family we get to spend time with. Enjoy the benefits of in-person school, and take full advantage of the resources that we didn’t get to utilize over the last year.
Image Courtesy of ACSD Instagram
Athens City Schools 2nd graders created a thank you sign for Athens City-County Health Department staff earlier this year.