The First Two Weeks

The First Two Weeks
by Tania

The first two weeks were the most challenging because everything happened so quickly. I didn't have time to process the idea that the world is facing a pandemic. When my university decided to close, the dean said it was only going to be for two weeks, but I knew that two weeks was not reasonable, so I packed some clothes and took all my books. It takes the world more than two weeks to create a vaccine, it takes humanity more than two weeks to overcome a pandemic, it takes us more than two weeks to return to "normal". At first, I was just concerned about my classes. I am a biology major, and taking the lab class online is not the best way to learn. It took me a week to figure out how my online courses were going to work, but I'm glad my professors were very flexible and made my transition easier. However, the second week hit me with reality, and I had to face the fact that this pandemic affects all of us in one way or another, whether physically, emotionally, or economically.  In my case, financially. Being a student during this is like a nightmare because it is impossible to focus on doing well in school when no one knows what will happen. I already failed my first exam, and I'm not trying as hard as I always do. It is impossible to worry about school when I see my mother stressed about not having a stable job due to current circumstances. My mother is a single mother and the only one who provides for my siblings and me and she pays my college tuition. Seeing her snap her fingers at not knowing how to pay the rent and my education breaks my heart. But there is nothing I can do but pray that this nightmare ends. I feel so overwhelmed every time I open social media because something that used to be my source of entertainment is now a source of pain. After seeing how other people are being affected by the virus, I realized that I am in a better position than many people, and I should be grateful that at least I have the most essential things to survive this pandemic. I have a house, food, and, most importantly, a healthy family. Being an introvert made it easier for me to transition to this new lifestyle. Still, I can't find joy in anything because I can only think of my mother when she's working a few hours, I'm not only worried about money but also about her health because she is a cancer survivor. Therefore, she is very vulnerable. In these two weeks, I have learned that in times of crisis, it is when we value the most insignificant moments and focus on the present only instead of the future because the future is just an illusion.