Submitted by Will Tyler from Mountain Lakes High School in Morris County, New Jersey.
Quarantine has been undoubtably hard, and I'm finding that it's been difficult to be open about my mental health in this time. People tell me that i'm being dramatic or that I shouldn't cry, but its just not helpful. I think a lot of people are struggling right now, and I really hope i'm not alone. I'm writing this post in the hope that it reaches someone like me, somewhere in the world, just in case someone needs to hear it.
Hi, I'm Will, and I'm 17 and I'm from New Jersey. I love painting, going outside, and walking my dog goldie. But i've also been having a really hard time in E-learning. It's hard to accept the fact that my senior year may be entirely online. I have family members with health issues too, so even if we do go hybrid, I would have to stay home full time.
I've decided that I want to set some goals for the rest of my online quarter. I want to stay positive, try and and learn something new, and do something that challenges me. I know that sounds cheesy and overused, but I do think it's helping me get through the online learning.
For example, here are the main parts of each of the goals i'm working on:
Staying positive --- trying to find silver linings, looking for bright sides, choosing to see the good in each situation.
Trying/learning something new --- I've decided that I'm gonna try and learn how to skate. A lot of my friends have been doing it and it sounds cool, especially with all my extra time.
Doing something challenging --- this is kinda crazy, but I hate watercolor. I just never seem to do it right. I'm going to try and work with watercolor in the next few weeks and challenge myself to work with a new material.
Anyway, I know we hear these things a lot, but I hope by sharing my story someone else who is struggling just like me feels a little bit more normal.
Peace,
Will :)