COVID-19 is awful, and quarantine has its ups and downs. While we are collectively experiencing our first global pandemic, everyone’s experiences are different. I interviewed some people asking what their thoughts on quarantine are to highlight both its positive and negative aspects. 

I began by interviewing my 8-year old sister, Aria Casaletto. 

“I’m not usually very bored in quarantine, because I personally think there’s a lot you can do indoors, but some bad things are you can’t visit your friends or go to restaurants, and when you go out you just have to wear an uncomfortable mask,” she said. 

“But some good things that have come out of quarantine are, you can just stay at home – you don’t have to go anywhere so you don’t have to worry about being late, I like being able to wear my PJs during school, and I can eat stuff during class.” When asked what things she never thought she would miss, she responded, “I kind of miss school a lot, and I miss the playground, and I miss eating lunch with my friends. I also miss skating, like the roller palladium and ice skating rinks. I never thought I would miss those. I guess it’s kind of weird.”

My friend, Sophia Arghavani (13), described how quarantine has motivated her to take up new hobbies. “This year, I started learning how to play guitar. I can still barely play a song, but it’s a really fun activity!” 

Like most, Sophia’s quarantine was not without its downsides. “The bad thing about quarantine is definitely not being able to see friends. I also really miss seeing my extended family. And I never thought I would miss going to the grocery store and getting groceries. I never really saw a situation that meant we wouldn’t be able to get groceries.”

Lastly, 9-year old Erin Bentley, shared, “I never thought I’d miss Rec. Rec is an after-school program for kids who need somewhere to go after school if their parents can’t pick them up by 2:30. I miss it because Aria and I used to spend so much time together there, and I would be so excited to do that again. We used to complain about it. There were lots of rough kids, loud music, and it was dirty. And now I miss it. I never thought I would be saying that.”

Ultimately, the typical quarantine has a pretty even balance of ups and downs. I miss restaurants and eating out, and I miss seeing my friends. Despite that, I’ve bonded more with my family, my sister in particular, an experience I am overwhelmingly grateful for. 

Although some may find quarantine to be boring, stressful, or even frustrating, it’s still possible to view things positively.