A Linden Series on Teen Perspectives & Experiences
By Madhumitha Somu Dinakaran
On March 25th we read the news: all of India is on lockdown. My family and I were hours away from our home attending a funeral and the highway roads were closing. We anxiously started our 8-hour car journey back to Chennai with no water, no food and no time for restroom breaks. We finally reached home, and with happy faces we went to sleep not knowing that this would be our last night out for almost b2 months.
Traveling to meet new people and hearing their stories is my passion. I thought this would end with the lockdown but I discovered beautiful stories from the past that I never heard in my 17 years of life. Staying at home brought me even closer to my family.
While I was still learning to adapt and grow in lockdown, I received an email from my school with a variety of assignments that I needed to complete in order to graduate. I felt suffocated and lost as I tried to find a way to process my thoughts within the four walls of my home. Luckily my school was supportive during this crazy time. Finding different activities became my daily routine. As I explored things to do, I felt the need to spread positivity during COVID-19 though a podcast! My day started filling up with different activities like art, crafts, piano lessons, painting, dancing, editing and interviewing people for my podcast.
If I knew the pandemic would happen happen 6 months ago, I would have appreciated every moment. Quarantine has made me learn to cherish the ups and downs in our daily lives; these experiences help us grow in different ways. I never knew I was capable of achieving my daily goals by being self-accountable. I never knew how strong my friendships were without physically hanging out. I never knew how self-care days brought happiness to my body and mind. I never knew how important cleaners, police officers, doctors and government officials were for society. I never knew how small changes in our daily habits can help bring our world back to life. I am grateful and appreciative for this unique phase in my life - the quarantine life.
It is important to cherish all the moments that we have during this quarantine. We know that all of this will come to an end until then: continue exploring and learning to grow.
And here is my podcast:
Madhumitha is a 12th grade student at the Think Global School.
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