Name: Wayne

Assignment Name: Resilience Essay 1

What did I do? (Looking Back)

I wrote a narrative essay on a time that I was resilient in a given circumstance.

How is it significant?

It was significant because it shaped the way I view myself and the way I view the world.

When have I done this kind of work before? Where could I use this again?

I’ve done this kind of work before in High School AP courses and in writing for scholarships. I could use this again in future assignments for other classes or for future scholarship opportunities.

Do I see any patterns or relationships in what I did? (what’s happening now, Present)

I do see some relationships to what I did, for example I still participate in my hobbies and live for myself not other people.

How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I believe that I did well. My choice of the event for the narrative was a great decision. I could improve on my expression of feelings in the story, allowing the audience to really get a grasp on how I was feeling in the moment.

What should I do next? What’s my plan? (Looking forward, Future)

Next I should practice expressing feelings in my writing, when necessary. My plan is to get back in the flow of writing, this being my first time writing in a couple of months.

Wayne Cole

Comp 1 993

9/10/21

“It’s Only for Two Weeks”

These last couple of years have been rough times for a lot of people, including myself. The first pandemic since the 2009 swine flu, but with a graver impact on individual life and societal interactions. Not knowing whether family members, who are at risk, are going to be okay and getting thrusted out of our daily routines for a virus we knew nothing about until weeks prior to lockdowns. To say the least it was frustrating.

I was only in the 11th grade when Covid was initially discussed in the news and other various media outlets. Maybe it was just another ebola, we do not have to worry about it, it will stay over the waters. However, that was the wrong assumption. Soon this virus became the talk of the media, one case being reported in this county another two over in this county. It is contained, right? Why are they trying to close schools for 10 people who got it in all of Arkansas? It did not make sense to anyone at our school, the teachers and staff were just as confused from what they were hearing from the district. They were closing down schools early for spring break.

Initially I was indifferent about them closing school early, but at least we get some more time for spring break and we get to come back refreshed. Over spring break though things started to come to light, people were dying all over the world from a virus called SARS-CoV-2.

I remember feeling disconnected from it all. In my own bubble, people were not dying around me, nor were people I knew getting sick. It was just surreal to hear that people were contracting the virus and on ventilators, with healthcare professionals still not clear on what the virus exactly was. I remember going over to my girlfriend’s house and us just discussing getting out early and her Dad showing us articles of what was happening all over the world and feeling that this can not be real.

Reality quickly set in when lockdowns began to arise. Only two weeks to stop the curve, the hospitals were at capacity. Going from just slowing down infection rates to shifting into a new way of living. Small businesses, gyms, and all non-essential services being forced to shutdown. Being advised to wear face covers while indoors and to socially distance from family and friends. It wreaked havoc on my relationship with my girlfriend and friends, being on lockdown and not being able to see one another, puts a strain on any relationship. My best friend and I stopped talking, friends were starting to slowly stop talking to one another, and I broke up with my girlfriend. Everyone was just in a slump. I’m the youngest of my family and my siblings are all adults, so it was just me and my Mom in a house meant for more than two people.It was a lonely experience, even though I was in a big house I felt confined by the walls around me. I was cooped up in the house for nearly 5 months! Coupled with not having access to a gym and being regulated to home workouts, my mental health took a sharp decline. Depression quickly began to set in, being alone for so long caused a feeling of isolation that felt as if it was entrapping me.

In hindsight, I know that I was saved by books. My love for fantasy, science fiction, and horror really allowed me to escape the four walls of my room. During the last nine-weeks of doing school online I was reading up to five to six hours a day. My routine mainly consisting of school in the morning, workout directly after, then reading the rest of the day. After finishing school, reading and working out just consumed that free time. Taking valuable lessons from the stories I read and implementing new fitness goals to keep myself motivated and healthy. I learned to rely on my hobbies and venture deeper into them, which helped me learn more about myself and how I think. Learning new skills and topics as I enjoyed my hobbies allowed me to look toward the future of what life might bring.

After having some of my best self-improvement during the initial lockdowns, I learned that life is not just about the relationships you have with other people, but it is also about the relationship you have with yourself. I know now that I do not need others around me to bring fulfillment into my life. My interests, hobbies, and personal discovery is what fulfills me to keep pushing myself toward a better future. Not only for myself, but for others around me as well.

The struggles of the pandemic that many had to undertake have been instrumental in how I go about life. I have discovered so much about myself that I probably would have never known if it had not been for this pandemic. Loneliness is not something that I fear anymore, it is just a part of life. The same as enduring sadness and enjoying happiness. I am stronger for having gone through the hardships that I faced and came out with a more experienced outlook on life.