Here’s a point of view you don’t hear or read every day (unless you have a teenager in the house). Read this young woman’s account of how it is to be a teenager in Singapore amidst the pandemic.
In her story, you’ll read:
- A teenager in Singapore during the Covid-19 pandemic
- How she and her peers were able to cope with the changes in their teenage life
In a blink of an eye, two years have passed since the outbreak of Covid-19. While the situation may seem more stable and everyone seems to have gotten used to living with this pandemic, this definitely was not the case when it first broke out.
During the initial outbreak of Covid-19, I was a year 1 in junior college (JC) and was very excited to experience the orientation programme and a new environment. However, due to the instability and uncertainty of the virus, our original programmes were scrapped and replaced with staying in our own classes majority of the time.
While the overall experience was still rather enjoyable, I still felt that I was robbed of certain opportunities, such as getting to know my peers from other classes and going on treasure hunts outdoors. Well, my JC life did not kickstart the way I had envisioned it to be.
In April of the same year, Singapore entered the circuit breaker period in order to pre-empt escalating COVID-19 infections. During this time, schools shifted to full home-based learning which meant that our lessons and co-curricular activities (CCAs) were all done online.
Image source: TheStraitsTimes
This was a very tough period for many of us and our teachers, as it was a learning experience completely different from what we were used to. There were times when many of my peers and I broke down because of the loneliness and stress that were engulfing us, and this was a prevalent issue among youths islandwide.
The incidence of suicide among young people aged 10 to 19 rose in 2020 from 2019 as part of an overall increase in people here taking their own lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, former Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said.
The situation had aggravated existing stressors for us, including severe disruption of regular routine, increased interpersonal conflicts at home or academic struggles. All these led to heavier tolls on our mental health, and I found myself psychologically distressed more often as the days of uncertainty carried on.
How HBL period was to me
PHOTO: LianHeZaoBao
Thankfully, the Home-Based learning (HBL) was not all that bad. Being surrounded by supportive family members, teachers and friends (virtually) definitely helped me through my darker days.
Because of our increased flexibility in schedule, my friends and I planned more activities online. I am sure some of us will find HouseParty, Scribble.io, and Animal Crossing familiar!
Additionally, my school also planned multiple virtual school events and challenges for my cohort to bond. I found myself more actively working out and stepping into the kitchen as well, as I tried to ace the Dalgona Coffee recipe (which I finally managed to make after packets of instant coffee and a very sore arm).
This HBL period also allowed me to focus on myself as I picked up self-journaling to cope with my emotions and read the books I have left dusted on my shelf for some time.
Drawing games we played online during HBL
Meeting up with friends virtually!
Fast forward to July when things were more stable, I finally got to go back to school and met my friends after a long time. The situation did not differ much as lessons were mostly online lectures recorded, and we could only have lunch in our own classes. However, many of us were still glad that we could finally be in school (while there were some that dreaded waking up earlier).
A year into Covid-19, while many of us were still trying to adapt to the constantly changing Safety Management Measures (SMMs) and restrictions, this also implied A-Levels drawing nearer to me.
This was certainly not the most ideal time to face a National Examinations that could significantly affect my future. I noticed my peers and myself starting to get progressively burnt out as we attempted to juggle between a heavier academic workload and hefty CCA commitments (since we are now seniors).
It was extremely daunting and I slowly found myself devoid of motivation regardless of the tasks. Moreover, it also frustrated me with how persistent the virus is. Knowing that I was not alone in the “war”, however, was reassuring, and made the entire journey more bearable.
Attending graduation online as I was issued a Health Risk Warning
Studying for A Levels
Looking back at the past two years, I am still endeavouring ─ and I believe many of us are as well. Being the “Covid Batch” whose two years in JC got affected by the pandemic, as ironic as it may sound, I am very thankful for some positive impacts it had in Singapore and its education system.
This situation had brought heightened awareness to the struggles youths face, mainly their mental health ─ which was previously a topic not frequently conversed about although it already existed a long time ago. There was always a stigma surrounding this topic as well, which made it more difficult for youths to openly talk about.
Comparing today and 2 years ago before Covid happened, mental awareness is definitely more prominent and actively discussed today.
There are also more government grants and community funds going to programmes addressing these issues that were integrated with mainstream mental health and well-being programmes, which is definitely a step in the right direction for Singapore.
Coping with the entire situation may not be the easiest, especially for youths around my age, where we have hardly any financial resources and independence.
My main takeaway from a teenager in Singapore amidst the pandemic is that it was normal for me to have negative thoughts from time to time. That’s a way for us to cope. There is only so much a human can take in and do.
Aside from consulting a trusted adult or talking to your friends, I find that journaling is a really great way for me to organise my emotions and moderate them. It can be overwhelming at times, but do remember that you’re not alone in this journey.
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