Covid-19: coping…and hoping (a collection of e-mails from Italian students)

Content

• Fragile, Chiara L. page 3
• Order and Chaos, Alice N. page 6
• The virus that kidnaps body and soul, Carlotta B. page 8
• Quarantine, Gabriele P. page 12
• The mysterious Pandemic: Coronavirus, Nawal I. page 14
• FACETIME TO FACETIME, Letizia Md. page 16
• I don’t know how I feel, Giulia B. page 18
• Is it all negative or is there something positive?, Sara B. page 20
• CARPE DIEM, Miriam R. page 23
• A NEW SCHOOL dominated by Technology, Ilde C. page 27
• See you soon, Chiara C. page 30
• Dear Virus, Noemi P. page 32

• A tough time, Aurora B. page 34
• In need of positiveness, Serena J. page 37
• A punishment?, Adele O. page 39
• A text of 200 words, Diego M. 42
• Spring contagion, Chiara C. page 44
• A different daily routine, Lorenzo B. page 46
• Everything is changing, Maddalena M. page 48
• ​Corona Virus: a dark period for Italy, Erika F. page 50
• School in the time of the coronavirus, Letizia Mg. page 52
• Segregation at home, Beatrice B. page 55
• HOUSE ARREST, Clara C. page 57
• EXILE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD, Elisa P. page 59
• If everyone behaves as a good citizen… , Maria M. page 61
• Open your eyes, Andrea P. page 63
• These moments of my life, Giulia C. page 65

Fragile

So many people, over the years, have talked about how human beings in our modern society are psychologically fragile; so many others have tried making excuses and proving them wrong, but now it’s the moment of truth and it’s obvious that we are, and we shouldn’t be ashamed.
The spread of the Coronavirus has shocked everyone, and the measures applied to our everyday life have had even a worse effect: at first people didn’t acknowledge the danger of this virus, and everyone kept going with their normal activities; but when a consistent number of Italians turned out to have contracted it, and we’ve seen the quantity of people dying increase day by day, only then people started going crazy.
Although everyone seemed to be hypochondriac and

supermarkets and pharmacies were suddenly empty, that still didn’t stop people from going out, catching fresh air, staying with big groups of friends.

This obviously had an impact on an even wider spread of the coronavirus and the result is that now everything is closed (schools, restaurants, pubs, shops) and most of the Italian peninsula is a “red zone” from which anyone can’t escape.

Everyone is worried and frightened, and many don’t even know what to think: they just trust the government and scientists who are trying to find the cure to this dangerous, and sometimes deadly, virus.

The only positive thing about this tragedy is the solidarity which people are showing: everyone is in the same situation, everyone is helping each other out, everyone is scared but united with their fellow citizens.

Italy right now is shattered in many pieces and fragile, but all these pieces are still kept together by the love and the support of every single person.

My favorite book, “The art of being fragile” by Alessandro D’Avenia, has taught me that being like a crystal glass doesn’t mean that you are less than somebody else, it means that you’re more sensible and pure: anything can break you, but you are more resourceful and understanding.
Italy is fragile now, but it won’t underestimate the danger of a virus or of any other problem ever again because, from this tragedy, it has gained sensibility and solidarity.

Chiara L., 4 T

Order and Chaos

Italy is upside down because of covid-19.

People must stay at home. Schools are closed and so are the shops. It isn’t a very good time for the economy and neither for us. We are Italians, we can’t stand being in a cage like animals, we need to go out and meet other people. We can go out only for buying food. It’s a strange situation for the whole country.

It’s been only four days since the government said that we are in quarantine, but it feels like weeks.

I like being alone, just me, myself and I, but I live with my family and sometimes things aren’t easy. Every morning we have to do video lessons on Hangouts Meet and it’s hard to stay focused when you have other three people in the house that do whatever they want. I can’t believe what I’m going to

say, but I really miss the school sometimes. I miss my everyday routine, even taking the crowded bus.

There are some positive things though: I can organise my time better. During these days I watched movies that I had never the time to see, I spent great moments with my family and I realized how much important technology is. Without a phone or a computer I wouldn’t be able to remain in touch with teachers and friends.

Alice N., 4 T

The virus that kidnaps both body and soul

The Ministry has closed schools in Lombardy for three weeks, which might get even longer, for preventive purposes due to the spread of the covid ~ 19 virus, which, started from Lombardy and then spread throughout the whole nation all over the peninsula. It has already infected lots of people taking some of them even their lives.
Underestimating the severity of the virus and its infectivity, I interpreted this first period of school closure, as a holiday time, even though thinking of doing the right thing, I took only the minimum precautions indicated, How to wash my hands or avoiding crowded places like disco and bars. After the month of February, very intense at the level of school work, I thought in fact that this “vacation” would have served me to slow down

the pace of partying and carry on with the study but above all give myself some time with my friends, even though virtually, to the ones who because of the study I can hardly ever see.

The teachers, during the first week, did not assign us anything, so, I decided to go ahead with the study for the tests of the following weeks, convinced that everything would pass, but I was wrong, totally wrong.

In fact, due to the increase in the number of people infected, the government has ordered the closure of the schools for another week and so I did the following week, until they finally imposed the reopening in April.

At that moment I realized the seriousness of the situation. I was panicking, my state of tranquility immediately clashed with the deep fear for my health and the melancholy of not living

my daily life anymore, of which school is an integral part.

I am really looking forward to having back my school

mornings, although they are mostly made up of not very pleasant moments such as tests or tasks, on the other hand they are mainly made up of social relationships with my classmates, with whom, thanks to these four years spent together, I developed a beautiful relationship, sharing with them emotions as well as fears. It is thanks to this unity that we are able to give ourselves strength and face hard jobs that involve efforts and sacrifices.

Unfortunately, all this has been taken away from us with the closure of the schools. The video calls with the teachers, who are part of distance learning, in fact, do not allow us to help each other if we are in difficulty, we cannot elaborate and discuss things together and not less important, laughing

around and joking which is quite often, it was just a way to face the hard mornings of explanations.

The containment measures of Covid-19 have therefore allowed me to understand how important physical school is, Regarding our learning process, both for the development and deepening of human relationships, and for our education are fundamental .

C. B., 4 T

Quarantine

Quarantine is something that until a few weeks ago we felt like something distant and difficult to imagine. Yet here we are, experiencing for the first time the terror given by an epidemic and the distance teaching methods organized by the schools. Remote teachings have always worked poorly, and these days I have had definitive proof. A little ‘because the teachers are not always able to adapt, but we students also have a part of the blame because we do not feel distance teaching like that in the classroom, as many of us experience this emergency as a vacation and others simply are not able to adapt as externally as our teachers.
It should also be considered the limitation given by the media themselves since the line is often lost during lessons, forcing

students and teachers to sip the already short time available.

The human factor must also be added, since being at home it is not common for students to do the small hours and consequently facing the morning lessons is always difficult (teacher, I swear, it is not my case), moreover each teacher uses substantially the method he prefers to carry on the programs by forcing students to alter the already numerous study methods.
For this quarantine I have only one hope, that is that we will be given a hard lesson so as to learn to appreciate everything in our daily life, including school, and also that the methods of fingertips now tested in this period will not return to the forgotten at the end of the emergency but remain an integral
part of the program so as to favor different approaches both of students and teachers who aim to develop the relationship and mutual respect.

Gabriele P., 4 T

The mysterious Pandemic: Coronavirus

Our situation is now uncertain. I’m scared. People are dying  for this.

It seemed to be inside a movie or a book. All this reminds me of the plague written by Alessandro Manzoni in “The Betrothed”.

It happened suddenly, no one was expecting this virus. Coronavirus. A new and mysterious pandemic that even doctors don’t recognize or know how to cure.

It seemed to be so far away from here, but now it’s in our Country.

Suddenly everything has stopped, the rythm that we had before began to disappear slowly.

All schools have been closed, but not only, we’ve been in quarantine for weeks now.

I feel a void inside me, I want to know when all this will end.

The situation is only getting worse, and that scares me a lot.

I started hating television. Every time I turn it on, all they talk about is the number of infections.

The first week when my school closed I was still working so I did’t feel completely locked in the house, then when the governement said that everything has to close I’ve started feeling what I feel now.

I found something positive about this quarantine, staying more with my family (even if sometimes it’s difficult).

I even started reading more, now I have time for that and for all the things that I like doing at home but didn’t have time for.

I can’t wait to come back to my usual routine, my school, my job and all my friends.

Nawal I., 4 A

FACETIME TO FACETIME

When it became known that we wouldn’t go to school for the virus I was quite happy, sincerely. A week off would have been good for everyone! But when the week became a month I started to worry. It was difficult to get used to the new way of organization… and although now it goes better, I realize that videolessons cannot replace my class. It’s true that we appreciate things only after we no longer have them. The time I spend in school is almost the same as I spend at home: It’s like having two houses. My companions are my roommates, too. Indeed I feel better when I see teachers and students do all they can to keep in touch, even just to greet and support each other in this difficult moment. I am hopeful, despite everything,

because it’s from these moments that we can learn new things and rediscover forgotten values.

When everything will be resolved we’ll get up in the morning to go and take the bus… and it will seem as special as the first day at school. We will find unique the way each professor has to gesticulate and move around the class, and we will listen to their finally non-robotic voices. We will return to speak with the deskmate and to distract ourselves looking out the window. Until then, let’s feel free to finish hall the jigs of our computers, that’s okay!

See you soon!

 Letizia Md., 4 T

I don’t know how I feel

I don’t know exactly how I feel in this horrible period. I can say I’ve finally found the peace I’ve been looking for: I have a lot of time for myself, for thinking about my life and also about what I’m going through or rather, what we’re all going through.

This virus seems to have possessed all our forces, is showing us to be the opposite of “a simple influence”; months ago we joked about it, underestimating it… I was the first.

But now, that he has taken the lives of many, too many people, the situation has become serious.

We must follow the rules that have been given to us, such as staying at home: it is extremely important to stay at home, in respect for themselves and others.

All of us now would like to go out, but we have to be patient; the expectation increases the desire, but waiting is worth it; think about how good it will be to hug the people dear to us after all this time.

I think that this period of “solitude” that everyone is living serves to understand many things like how good it is to have friends, how good it is to feel loved by someone, how nice it is to miss someone… or also how good it is to spend time with your family.

We live in a society accustomed to doing always big things, a society that always runs, a nonstop society; I hope that after this period everyone learns to value the little things, to stop sometimes and to enjoy simple moments which are now fundamental for not getting bored.

Giulia B., 4 A

Coronavirus: is it all negative or is there something positive?

Good morning Mrs Divino, 

How do I feel during this whole new experience? I don’t know. Or maybe it’s just really difficult to explain. I must admit that for the first two weeks I was not truly alarmed about what was happening in Italy, especially because everyone underestimated the severity of what this Coronavirus could have been. Everyone says that it’s the first pandemic of the digital era, so maybe we’ll be in the history books, or maybe someone will write a novel about what we’re experiencing. Like Manzoni did with the plague. Well, the feelings expressed in The Betrothed could describe what I feel now personally, on my skin, and what I never expected to feel.

Mainly fear and anxiety.

I’m not worried about myself, but about the people around me. I think I’m afraid about what my wrong behavior could involve for others, who may suffer because of me. I never thought we’d come to this situation of complete isolation. It’s not what we were born into, it’s like a new world and it will be definitely changed after this virus. Sometimes I also think we’re overreacting with all this press information, but maybe I’m just saying this to reassure myself just a little. I mean, within a week, the alarmism has gone up a lot, also inside of me.

I spent my eighteenth birthday locked in my house, but anyway surrounded by the people I love. Although I had to give up to my birthday party, I have experienced that those people who really care about me were close to me, even with

a simple video. So I rediscovered the value of love, the true one; the value that physical contact can have in moments of difficulty, when we feel powerless towards life; I even rediscovered the value of time, that I had completely lost in everyday life. In this tragic and negative situation, however, I have above all discovered that social media do not make people feel close: certainly they can illusorily approach them a little more, but they cannot prevent us feeling lonely, at this moment, that we do not feel the lack of a hug or a handshake. I don’t know if I managed to explain how I feel, because I am actually very confused about the new situation: on the one hand fears of all kinds dominates me, but on the other the positivity of rediscovering things that we thought were lost makes me feel a little better.

Best Regards,

Sara B., 4 T

CARPE DIEM

We are all aware of the drastic situation that has now seriously spread in various countries, including Italy. Cause to the circumstances, we found ourselves forced to establish safety standards that have affected everyone’s daily lives. Being at least three weeks out of action, losing the school program would be a serious problem for all the students like me. For this reason, teachers are sending materials to study and practice daily. The mornings are usually occupied by video lessons.

Initially, none of us was enthusiastic about the idea of having to study even during these weeks, but soon we all realized the need for them. I am experiencing this aspect well enough. Teachers were to insistent on the assigned tasks but slowly

we managed to help each other.

Now, that a week has passed, we all have learned to organize the study from home and to assign the right material respecting the school hour. This method certainly isn’t up to class lessons, but I think it’s a good temporary substitute. I must admit, however, that, so as not to fall behind with homework, it’s necessary to work hard, with the teacher’s help in the morning and independently in the afternoon. In fact, now much work is to be done alone.  I’m afraid to change my mind as the days go by. Next week I could be more tired and unable to keep the necessary commitment anymore.

The seriousness of the situation is perceived in the air. The emptiness that can be seen in the town streets begins to exist even within the houses themselves. During the day I am

always in contact with my companions by social media, and I realize that everyone of us is suffering in the same way from this distance from society. I also feel the need for apparently simpler things, such as going out for walks, breathing clean air, going to the city, and yes, it’s strange but I also miss the bus trip I take with my friends to go to school. I feel like an energy flowing throughout my body, which I can only get out of with physical exercises. Fortunately, I have a sister to share moments of the day with, to make it less boring, watching a movie or cooking something.

I think it’s better to consider not only what this break takes away but also what it gives. It allows me to stop the time, that perhaps I have never given enough importance to, notice what surrounds me and understand the true value of what we can no longer do.

I think the most correct way to face the problem is to “seize the day” and learn from what we are experiencing.

Miriam R., 4 T

A NEW SCHOOL: completely dominated by Technology

It is the first time that we have the epidemic and that we live in a state of social isolation from our schoolmates, from our teachers.

Precisely for this isolation, we students are making distance learning: between some professors who choose video lessons or some who decide to record his lesson. In these moments, so particular, I feel a little lonely, because I have always been used to being surrounded by 20 people, to be at the centre of a confrontation between the students and the teacher, or to look at each other in the face, instead I found myself catapulted into a new school, where technology dominates because it is its rules that we must follow.

So I suddenly feel turned upside down in something different,

where I am alone at home to follow the lesson without having my classmate close to me who I can ask for something or where you can follow the lesson without being well dressed, even in pyjamas.

For a moment I was also afraid of not being considered because in a video call it is more difficult to be seen and noticed instead, I must say that I felt quite immersed in this new and very technological school.

But I also feel a strange feeling of being able to compare more with your classmates.

Despite these rather negative impressions, I must say that we are very fortunate today because we have the opportunity to keep in touch with different communication tools while our grandparents, when the war was underway, did not even know if their closest relatives would ever return.

However, I have the hope that we will return to look at each other in the eyes, to relive our lessons in our classrooms, to feel the explanations of our teachers live.

Ilde C., 4 T

See you soon

Good evening Mrs Divino,
How are you? I’m quite well… All I do is thinking about this situation that now influences every single action of ours. We are locked in the house, we are forced to live 24h/24h with our family, which then, come on, is not so bad. We are six in my family, so it is improbable that you’ll get bored. But this doesn’t justify the fact that I’m well. To stay well I need to go back to normal, to stay in school, to take lessons and study regularly, to live my weekly routine as I used to do, I want to go back to being with people, I want to talk to them and commit my days.
Until a month ago, I took a hug, a kiss or a goodbye for granted. In fact, in this situation, getting a hug would be the

greatest victory there could be. I miss everything, I miss being in contact with people, I miss my grandmothers, I miss all my close immediate family, who unfortunately with the distance I can’t see… I can only repeat it, I miss normality. When this will be all over, and it will be just a bad memory, we’ll realize how the little things are really big.

I hope I didn’t bore you,
See you soon, Mrs Divino!

Chiara C., 4 A

DEAR VIRUS

When on January 30, television stations all over Italy gave the news of the first infections, I immediately thought: “How alarmist!”. As the days went by, however, the coronavirus became an increasingly serious problem.
Then they told us that the schools would be closed for a week, and I said, “great! I’ll have more time to study but also to have fun”, but that week became a month. A month in which it is forbidden to leave the house, except for important and necessary reasons (for example do the shopping).
I took the situation more seriously, so now I’ve been locked in the house with my parents for two weeks.
Do you know the saying: “not all evil comes to harm”? I think CODIV-19, has done, is doing and will continue to do very

badly, but if I try to look at the situation from another point of view, I feel like it’s doing people a lot of good too.
All shut in the house, we are rediscovering the charm of our land, the value of freedom, the usefulness of dialogue and the power of collaboration and solidarity.
So, dear virus, everything will be fine.

Noemi P., 4 A

A tough time

We are having a tough time… the Coronavirus outbreak is spreading all over the world, in particular in Italy, and surely this influences us, and consequently we all are scared. We are scared because even scientists know very few things about the COVID-19 virus, so they haven’t come up with a cure yet to stop the contagion, so the number of the victims is increasing.

Personally, I feel scared but also angry, because there are people that don’t understand the seriousness of the situation, and they act like it’s an ordinary flu, also because the symptoms are very similar, even though they should trust the experts that are warning everyone and giving useful advices to slow the spread of the disease. The government is taking

measures to achieve a common awareness of the problem, for example suggesting people to stay at home, instead of going out to restaurants and cafés. However, since these measures weren’t taken seriously, the Italian prime minister Conte informed the citizens that they would be punished legally if they don’t respect these decrees, and that the public circulation will be authorized only to workers, increasing the number of roadblocks in order to fine people that break the law. The problem is that these people don’t understand that acting like that, they are putting in danger, not only their safety, but also the others’ one.

In addition to that, I’m worried about my grandparents, so I try to spend more time with them, for example using videocalls.

To sum up, I’m very hopeful that all is going to be fine, we just have to respect the rules, stay at home and not panic.

Good evening,

Aurora B., 4 A

In need of positiveness

The outbreak of the Coronavirus left me – among others – with a varity of mixed feelings such as fear, uncertainty, hope and the constant need to know how to protect myself. Schools and universities have closed and my daily routine has changed since and we all have moved onto online classes. During my spare time at home after my school homework I relax, I do enjoy taking care of myself with beauty-treatments, I like listening to music, watching a good movie or reading a good book on the sofa ( I am actually reading “Roots”by Alex Haley at the moment) and most of all I do listening to the radio for the latest news. Sometimes I do get quite anxious and I feel totally powerless expecially when I hear about people rushing to buying masks, the limit of public gatherings or when

listening to the radio they might talk about the epidemic’s peak. Nevertheless I want to remain hopeful as we are in need of positiveness as positive emotions is more than smiling: it is the ability to remain optimistic and view one’s situation from a constructive perspective.

Serena J., 4 A

A punishment?

Dear teacher,

I’m writing to let you know how I’m dealing with this tragic situation…

These days, I found myself thinking about everything that in this quarantine situation I am forced to do/ not do. In recent years, unknowingly, we have come to be part of a truly individualistic society, where everyone thinks of themselves and their own interests, and for this reason it seems that we have been sent a “punishment” a stop that allows us to understand what is really necessary in the life of each of us. I am living these days with so many deficiencies, I am a person who cannot be alone, and today I realize how much I miss the people I love, But at the same time I’ve realized that I actually

have the essential people in my life here under my own roof, so we have to be able to wait for each other and hug each other like it’s the first time, the moment it’s all over. I have always been an extremely positive person and with the desire to make others smile, in fact, those who know me know that even when I am unhappy I do not show it and i raise the mood anyway; so, even in this situation I try to stay the same and bring positivity even at a distance, but I’m human and the fear that all this can last months and I won’t be able to see everyone for long is there and scares me. Just stop to reflect that our grandparents were asked to go to war, while we were simply asked to stay at home on the sofa and on the one hand is what we young people have always wanted, although said as a joke. At this point, in all this chaos one positive side must be found: it’s time to rediscover yourself, the value of the family and

understand what really relevant relationships are developed outside the home because sometimes distance allows you to strengthen what is beautifully created.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Best regards,

Adele O., 4 A

A text of 200 words

Good morning teacher,

this is my homework.

These days closed at home are very long, but I spend my time in different ways.
I don’t go to school but I watch the video-lessons of my teachers that coordinate them from their home. Everyday there are these lessons for one-two hours a day, the teachers communicate with us and so we can go on with the school programs.
I spend my days in different ways,for example after the end of lessons, I read, I play my playstation, I watch tv and I spend my time on the computer.

I always stay at home, I never go out. My mother stays with me because she works at home with smart-working, so she needs not to go to her office.
I am not very worried for this situation because I think that government is making all this for our health. I’m afraid because I can’t visit my grandparents, I do it for thei health.
I hope that this situation will go better as soon as possible and we will be able to return to our life, to our routine; now I can’t go to school, I can’t play my drums with my teacher in the music school, I can’t train with my friends and my teacher Ciceri every monday afternoon and I can’t spend my time in Centro Civico in Tavernerio with my friend. I miss my routine but I think that “all will be well”.

I hope you will have a good day,

Diego M., 4 A

Spring contagion

Coronavirus scared at first, but it seemed like something that could be controlled. It was supposed to be just a simple flu, perhaps a little more serious, but nothing more. Now instead, it keeps us closed at home every day, all day, making us stay in the company of our doubts, our fears. We find ourselves even more alone: even hugs with people we share the same roof with are not allowed. The fear also arises when it’s necessary go out, even just to go shopping. We don’t even know how to protect ourselves anymore. It’s like someone or something is constantly following you: always and only behind your back; and you can’t wait to go home, that place where you’re safer. Many, however, don’t even bear the idea of ​​not being able to go out, therefore, despite everything, they do it anyway, and it’s not known

with what courage. In fact, it almost seems that certain people are scarier then the virus itself, since fear often makes us do wrong, unreasonable actions. It’s true that, as experts also say, we should stay at home, but all of us: only in this way we would be able to reduce cases of infection. What frightens me most is to see that there are also young people who have been infected. This pushes me even more to stay in these four walls, with the fear and the awareness that I could be one of them too. Personally, I don’t even mind staying at home all day, I’m used to do it because I hardly ever go out, I’m almost afraid of the world outside my window, my bedroom. It’s nice to feel safe sometimes and “get distracted” from what is outside: immersing yourself in reading, making cakes and listening to music, rediscovering those values ​​that had been lost, spending time with family.

Chiara C., 4 T

A different daily routine

During this government-ordered quarantine period due to coronavirus and which will last for at least another 2 weeks, staying indoors becomes quite complicated and difficult when boredom starts to be felt.

Personally I am adapting to a different daily routine, alternating different activities to spend the time, in the morning in addition to video lessons, I help prepare lunch and this is making me more and more passionate about cooking, the rest of the day I deal with cleaning, watching TV, being in the garden, carving out a space to follow updates on the situation, which continues to degenerate every day.

Personally, I believe there is too much individualism and indifference in the world, it is not possible to understand how this is slowly leading us to a point of no return.

Adhering to the provisions and collaboration of all at this time it is fundamental to be able to get out of it.

Lorenzo B., 4 A

Everything is changing

Everything is changing. At any moment. You can’t go out anymore, you can’t hug each other, you can’t kiss, you can’t do anything, except to the rules given about a week ago. All this happened because of a virus, the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This is a situation that certainly brings anxiety to all Italian citizens, since Italy entered in the red zone. I think this moment of pause serves all of us not just because you’re home from work or school, but because we can dwell on ourselves, taking care of our own person, spend some time reading a book or even just standing on the couch to rest. For us guys I think this break can’t really be called a break because we have a lot of work and a lot of it. Personally I am living this situation quite well, despite the desire to go out with friends, the desire to go

to school and the desire to embrace the people dearest to me! if we all collaborate, we can do it together.

But I believe that at this moment there is a beautiful thing, the hope, the hope that everything will go well, because you know … at the end of a tunnel there is always light!

Maddalena M., 4 T

​Corona Virus: a dark period for Italy

At the beginning I underestimated the Corona Virus probably because I didn‘t want to accept the fact that I had to stay at home, couldn‘t hug the others and have fun. But then seeing what happened I understood the gravity of the situation. Unfortunately there are still people who don‘t respect the imposed rules making everything harder and improving contagions. I‘m not handling in the best way because everything happened after my grandma‘s death and staying “locked“ at home doesn‘t make me feel good because I think constantly of her. I‘m very worried of what‘s happening but at the same time I‘m sad because all the people who died didn‘t deserve it. This virus created lots of discomforts in the whole world because people aren‘t working and they have to survive

with what they had put aside. We young people feel “caged“ because we can‘t go out and it is really hard for us.
The fact that schools are closed is a problem because, even though there are videolessons we have a program carried on by our-selves.
At this point I‘m realizing how what we‘ve been asked is nothing compared to what who put their life at risk to save ours is doing to overcome this emergency.
I hope that this situation will end soon and Italy will be able to make everyone feel its warmth again.

Erika F., 4 T

School in the time of the coronavirus

I may seem crazy, but I have arrived at a point when I can say: I miss school.
We’re lucky because thanks to technology we can keep in touch and have lessons online, but it isn’t the same of seeing classmates and teachers every day in person.
Honestly I’m not so bored at home like many teenagers are saying, because I’ve got a lot of stuff to do. In the first days of quarantine it seemed cool not to have timetables (except those of the video lessons) and tests (at least so far) and to be able to manage the day as I prefer.
The downsides are obviously more: because of this new didactic, I have to check constantly if there is new homework and dates, so I can’t relax and detox from the Internet

for one afternoon. I’m also confused because each teacher contacts us in a different way, so I have to use many platforms (Google Hangouts, e-mails, the electronic school register, voice messages on WhatsApp, Google Classroom) and to change my study method. Also, I’m upset because I often have connection issues.
How am I feeling? Of course like never before. It scares me not being able to control the situation and it makes me angry that some people are completely ignoring the rules and are keeping their normal life, like nothing’s happening, saying “I am stronger than a flu!”.
But there’s something good: during phenomena like this, we’re called to question everything that we had taken for granted until now; it’s an unexpected shock that awakens us from the routine, that risks to cancel out our humanity.

Not only science will cure us from this evil, but altruism, sense of community and respect for each of us.

Letizia Mg., 4 T

Segregation at home

In my quarantine period I find myself quite in trouble. Staying at home on my own is not the hardest obstacle that I should face, due to the fact that I have a quite large garden, where I can spend time and breathe clean air sitting on a chair to take a few minutes of sun.

The thing that proved most difficult to bear is not being able to see my friends, in order to spend time together between a chat and a laugh. Altough we have found a solution, that is video calls, obviously is not the same; the only good thing is that at least we can see each other in real time and therefore also have fun. Another difficulty that I have encountered and that generates me constant anxiety is the management of school work; preparing part of the program, in a way, alone is a

totally different thing and obviously difficult. I regret the explanations I sometimes called “ interminable and boring of teachers!! ☹. Besides, do I have to say it all?

FORTUNATELY that my mom is still forced to go to work because there are already too many of us at home : me, my sister, my dad and we also add my two grandparents who live below us and with who I am spending pleasantly – at a distance – time together. As for the cause of this “segregation at home”, that is the virus, I am rather concerned and I think I understand the real danger of the virus (which not everyone has understood yet). I sincerly hope that everything is concluded as soon as possible.

Beatrice B., 4 T

HOUSE ARREST

The situation we have to deal with has changed everyone’s daily routine. In my case it has changed more from a school point of view: going to school is better than doing lessons online because there is less contact with people; the wi-fi connection doesn’t always work properly; some teachers are giving us many assigment to do in a short period of time, so we have to be more organized. This radical change has instilled me with anxiety, confusion, school melancholy, stress but also hope for a return to normality and confidence in the measures that are being taken.

As for the rest, I am very sad that I can no longer go swimming and walking in the mountains and hang out with my friends. But I’m learning how to play the ukulele,

watching movies and TV series (never done before) and listening to new music.

I am lucky that both my parents and my brother go to work, otherwise our love and hate relationship would turn into a negative one.

I hope that all this will work out, because it feels like we are under house arrest and, even if we are just at the beginning, I am already tired.

Clara C., 4 T

EXILE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD

The epidemic was so sudden, nobody expected it, it caught us unprepared. Till the virus was only in China it didn’t scare us, while when it has arrived in Italy too, it has started to arouse anxiety and fear in people.

For the school it’s a mess, I feel very confused. We have tried to make everything as normal as possible through the video lessons on ‘meet’ in the morning or the audio recordings so that we can go on with the programs, even if this will never replace the feeling of being in the classroom with classmates. It is not easy for us students to have to get used so quickly to new teaching methods, but I think for the teachers too. I’m afraid of how it will end, making school in this way is difficult and I have no idea how it will be on returning and having to

recover all the ratings. I’m learning to manage all the tasks they assign us daily and to organize my time.

I must say that I can keep my emotions under control and not degenerate into hypochondria. But I feel very limited in behavior and oppressed by the constant ad on hygiene… as if people have understood the importance of washing their hands only now. However, spending so much time alone helps me to think about myself and makes me understand the importance of the small actions that I was used to do. I don’t see isolation as a negative thing, perhaps because today’s technology allows us to stay in touch with people and not to feel alone.

I hope all of this will end as soon as possible.

Elisa P., 4 T

If everyone behaves as a good citizen…

I never thought we’d get to this. Not being able to leave our house, to see friends, to go for a walk, to go to school. It’s a new situation which I’ve seen only in movies before!

I’m trying to keep in touch with my friends through the Internet and video calls, so I feel lucky to live in a technological era because I use all the technological devices I want. Sometimes I get so bored that I spend my entire day doing homework and watching TV series. Although I’m young, I’m scared of this situation beacuse anyone could get sick. Now I have more time to do all the things that I couldn’t do before because of the commitments: I’m trying to cook new recipes, tidy the closet and the room, help my mom with the housework!

I’m trying to spend as much time as possible with my mom and my brother, because I usually don’t do due to the commitments.

I’m following all the rules they’ve established hoping for an improvement of this difficult situation. However, It’s just a bad period but if anyone behaves as a good citizen this situation would be better and better.

Maria M., 4 T

OPEN YOUR EYES

The virus has disrupted the habits that characterized our days. we’ve had to adapt, as never before. We have found ourselves having to respect new rules, both for our own good and for the good of others. These are rules that I was struggling to respect at first, but now they’re getting into my routine. We had to change the way we learn, starting with online video lectures. At first it seemed a bit uncomfortable, but after a while you get used to it and you can easily take the lesson. When the virus had just arrived in Italy, I wasn’t worried and I was getting on with my normal life. But as the cases increased, I was more and more worried about my grandparents and my parents. Today I get up every day thinking that from one moment to the

next my grandparents could get sick and I try to distract myself. To do this there are video lessons every morning and homework and auditions in the afternoon, which usually take the time until 7 p.m. on the other hand I also have some extra free time that I use to practice at home, since you can’t go out, or cook. Time seems to pass more quickly, even though I’m locked in the house, and it seems like not a second of it is wasted. During this time I’ve also been able to catch up and get back to sleep, and spend more time with my parents. Today, I’ve learned to appreciate things I took for granted, to value what’s around me more, and to love what I have.

Andrea P., 4 T

These moments of my life

These moments of my life are indeed really weird for me, and for anyone else. Here’s the reason why: because of the expansion of the Corona virus, it feels like life has stopped. Since the number of infected people has been increasing more and more, everything is closed, we have to stay at home and go out as little as possible. If we want to go out, we have to fill in a certificate that attests that we are going out just for very few specific motivations, like work or buying food or medicines. I’ll admit it, it’s a little bit boring staying at home all day every day but wether I thought it was going to be worst, it’s really relaxing. But I always miss my friends. One of the biggest change is the suspension of the lessons, meaning that every student of every school and grade is forced to stay at home.

But in these periods teachers have organized online lessons to continue giving lectures and not to waste time any more. Right now I have mixed feelings about all the things that are happening in our lives. Doing online lessons makes me realize how stressed I am by school: now I feel better just because I am not going to school and I am seeing my teachers not in real life but behind a screen. Yes, of course we have a lot of homework anyway, but I feel a lot less pressured. So, first of all I’m happy that I’m feeling calmer, even if I know that I shouldn’t be so stressed about school. But I’m also worried about my future, because nothing is sure and there are a lot of gossip. It is confirmed that schools are closed until the 3rd of April but maybe they are going to open later. I’m also worried about all the tests that we have to do and I’m worried about

getting debts if I don’t have time to recover a subject in which I took negative grades. But only the future will tell what’s in store for us. The last thing is, I feel like it’s impossible to step aside from the reality these days: you always have to be informed and prepared for everything and so, you have to become good at using technology, because in this period it can only help you, and you always have to watch the television news.

Giulia C., 4 T