By: Asia Morris

COVID changing daily aspects of life such as washing hands, social media and especially online schooling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped a lot of aspects into our lives, from the ways we interact with each other to our own habits. As the virus continues to affect our routines we can take a look at the significant changes. 

One of the most important habits, hand washing, has found a new importance due to the virus. This new elevated importance was created to avoid spreading the virus making us more aware of cleanliness. Constant reminders were placed all over conditioning the habit, these reminders placed a heavy emphasis on how important being sanitary is.

Hand sanitizer was being used a lot more causing a alcohol-based hand sanitizer shortage throughout the United States. A lot of students agree that the use of hand sanitizer has increased since then and they even use it on a daily basis. Before, if we did simple acts like shaking hands or sharing drinks we wouldn’t think twice about it. These acts have changed due to us becoming more aware of germs awakening an inner germaphobe in some of us.

Brelyn Buck states, “I am more careful with sharing drinks since then, I used to all the time but now I usually only sometimes with close friends.” Simple acts can change without our acknowledgement, changing these tiny manners into a new custom.

With millions of people confined into their homes social media emerged. Creating platforms to be more active than ever! The rise of social media has increased so large to the point where misinformation is being led to teenagers and young adults. This usage of social media has reported to increase teenagers screen time since covid over 52%. Due to misinformation and “cancel culture” being further extended, the internet has become unbelievable, not knowing who or what is actually in the right.

Homeschooling is a term we have adapted to without realizing, recalling it now as online schooling. Homeschooling used to be looked down upon as very little people were involved in it.  During Covid 19 to isolate, the way of education deterred online schooling. This provided a new learning environment correlating to the differential responses. 

Ms. Stokes states, “Online Schooling is very manageable if you can convince yourself to sit down and do the work.” She furthermore explains the pros and cons of Online schooling stating, “The positive is that kids can do school at their own pace and also be involved in other things that take place during the regular school day.” 

Although Online schooling has been a more provided opportunity others take it to their advantage. Online schooling is at a students own pace, causing some students to procrastinate and do it at the last minute. Ms.Stokes adds, “On the negative side is that students create a lot of stress in their own lives by leaving it all to the last minute and really don’t spend the time trying to learn the material.”