It’s been three years since the pandemic began, and two since quarantine ended. We’ve all seen how it has affected the population and how it’s forced people out of jobs, out of homes, and separated families due to financial and emotional issues. 

COVID-19 has plagued the world for three entire years and has crippled just about every country in the process, economically and morally. People are still struggling to recover, and though due to vaccines, the virus is no longer deadly to most, its variants are still spreading relentlessly. The struggle to fight it emotionally is even more of a battle than the physical aspect because the virus emotionally affects friends and family, as well as surrounding peers. 

Students are struggling to get back on their feet, even after a full year in school, and are struggling to properly socialize and emotionally regulate themselves after the year online. It is difficult to regain social skills, self-esteem and connections lost, as they were not used nor refined for a long time. 

In order to spread awareness and help students out, schools, especially Neuqua, have implemented therapy programs and are attempting to further assist struggling students. Something that we as students can do is assist our friends and peers ourselves, directing them to places where they can help themselves and also allowing them to confide in us if we are available and in the space to do so. If not, again, direct them to a place where they may be able to positively improve their well-being.

The inability to function properly after the unexpected outbreak of the virus has inhibited the ability of students to keep up their grades, as well as their mental health. The best we can do as a community is to support those around us and help ourselves reach a space where we are not struggling so much to the point that it causes us to lack the ability to function.