For many, the coronavirus pandemic has left us with a feeling of helplessness. For my student peers and I, this is especially true. We lack the professional credentials to be allowed out and perform essential services, and having our semester disrupted and being sent home was a harsh dose of reality that many of us weren’t ready for. After all, our college years are supposed to be our preparation for the real world, our last time in a controlled bubble before venturing out into the world. Yet here we are, sitting at home, only able to watch the spread of the disease through our screens. No wonder we feel so helpless.

As much as this sentiment makes sense, I find it to also be rather puzzling. Our generation has been faced with dire situations before. The climate crisis means that we will probably live on an Earth very different from the one our ancestors lived on, and our children and grandchildren definitely will. We have been told that the point of no return is coming closer, all while our own leaders refuse to acknowledge the science behind these claims. Despite all of this, we have not lost hope. The youth voice has unified across the globe through strikes and marches, and there continues to be hope that one day, drastic and necessary action will be taken to address the threats we face.

The difference is that, right now, we are all isolated from each other and physically uniting to advocate for change is counter-intuitive (and in many states, against the law for the time being). However, through conversations with political organizers and health advocates, I’ve learned that hope can be found in this situation. While the illness and loss of livelihood that have caused all this despair is tragic, the energy and emotion that has been cooped up in all of our homes can be channelled into change as we begin to emerge from this pandemic. Yes, we must accept the fact that there may not be much we can do to change the events of the present, but we can also have hope that we will never let this happen again. That’s why once it’s safe to go out again, I am going to register as many people as I can to vote and encourage everyone I know to play a more active role in our democracy and our health care system. When I feel helpless in the moment, I can focus on the potential change I can make in the future. I can imagine a society where our leaders at every level of government do more to keep us safe and where our healthcare system is more prepared to handle disasters like this one. Everyone may have a different thing that they need to focus on and envision for the future, but I encourage everyone to find whatever that thing is. Let’s learn from the climate movement that so many of us are a part of and find ways to give ourselves hope. Even when it seems like there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel right now, find the spark that will guide you through the dark until we reach that end.