When my eyes open the sun is relatively low in the sky. I lie in bed for a few minutes, waiting for my sleepiness to subside; then, I get out of bed and pull on a jacket because the morning is chilly, and the brisk morning air breezes through my open window. Before leaving the house, I pick up my laptop and a donut. With these in my hands, I head into my backyard where I have set up my personal study cave. Last weekend, I pitched a tent among my wilted flowers and spread out all of my work materials on the ground. This is my sanctuary; this is where I live during the quarantine.
Typically, I would rise at seven and be in the classroom by eight (sometimes a little later if I got distracted by the vending machine). But with the onset of coronavirus and the resulting lockdown, I find myself getting up at progressively earlier times. Maybe it’s because the morning is all mine now. Nobody to share the rising sun with. I’m pleasantly content as I eat my donut, power up my laptop, and prepare for school.
Quickly, I go over all of the assignments that are due this morning, crossing my fingers because I have no idea what classes I’m even supposed to log into today. I have a vague idea of the passing of time, but before I know it, it’s 9:00 and teachers begin updating their websites.
There isn’t much that needs to be done. I finish all my work within a matter of fifteen minutes and then wait until the next hour for the next subject to be updated. As the morning progresses, the sun rises higher overhead, and the brilliant light filters through the thin fabric of the tent. When I’m done, it’s just past noon, and I lay back in my tent, asking myself what else I can do before lunch.
This is a day in the life of a quarantined high schooler: sitting in my backyard with my coursework all on a laptop on the ground in front of me, waiting to see which way my life will go, wondering since when this became a norm.
Discussion Questions:
Describe a day in your life.
How is the day described in the passage similar or different to your day?
