The list of problems that have arisen due to the COVID-19 outbreak currently taking over
the world seems to never stop growing. The news is filled with horror stories about
unemployment rates, the stock market, and best-case scenarios that just keep getting worse.
While the degree to which a person has been affected by this pandemic and the different
problems it has caused, there is one big question we are all asking ourselves during these insane
times: how can I feel like I’m not alone?

Most of us are blessed to be living in a family environment where we still find ourselves
in a community at home, but seeing our family doesn’t stop us from feeling cut off from
everyone else we care about in our lives. We all crave human connection, especially when we are
feeling lost or helpless. The notion that we can no longer simply wander over to our best friend’s
house and give them a big hug is disheartening at the best of times and heartbreaking at the
worst. To make matters worse, being physically cut off from those other than your immediate
family can foster feelings of paranoia and a sense that one is losing touch with their closest
friends.

Thankfully, we live in an age where meeting face-to-face isn’t the only way of
communicating with someone. Thanks to the wonders of technology, finding that sense of
community online is easier than ever. We are managing to stay connected as a school community
through applications like Zoom. Maintaining the sense of normalcy obtained by “going to
school” is essential during these strange times. Beyond simply facetiming, there are numerous
ways we can try to enjoy quality time with our friends. Programs such as Netflix Party, a free
service that allows people to synch up their accounts and watch something simultaneously,
provide new innovative ways to maintain communities.

Finally, this worldwide crisis is forcing us to rally as a global community. We can try and
find comfort in the fact that everyone around the world is connected by this shared experience.
We can only hope to come out of it more compassionate, more understanding, and simply
grateful to be able to go outside again.