Looking back at the three years since COVID shook education in isolated directions, my middle school students reflected on the ways distance learning, social separation, and new norms affected them. Although all lost in some ways, whether it was passion for a school subject, the passing of family members, or making pivotal memories with friends, most also gained a new appreciation for golden moments easily taken for granted, such as the taste of candy, hugging a loved one, and following a school routine.

For my seventh and eighth grade reading students, writing and art have been powerful coping mechanisms that allow reflection, processing, and the creation of honest ideas to replace what was taken or destroyed. As these students focus internally on their own experiences, I hope readers are able to connect in meaningful ways to their stories. The underlining theme is one of hope and optimism; that while these chapters come to a close, the entire story isn't finished yet, and there is plenty of time to rewrite the ending in new directions.

Angel Dwyer, Reading Teacher, Franklin STEAM Middle School, Minneapolis

Instead of hugging, I texted, I love you

By Ja’mari Robinson, Eighth grade

When I first heard about COVID, I really did not feel any type of way. I didn’t understand COVID. I just knew that you could get it. I worried that my family would get it. I wondered if animals could get it. I wondered if I would get it. Then I got it.

At first, COVID separated me from my dogs. I missed my dogs playing with me. I felt like a prisoner in my room. All I wanted was to play with my dogs.

Over time, COVID also took my family away. Not like dead, but like hugging them. I missed hugging my mom, my dad, and my sister and brother. Instead of hugging them, I texted them, I love you. It was painful when I had to lay in my bed all day. I felt helpless when I just had to play on my TV instead of playing with my dogs. I just wished that I never had COVID. COVID did make me appreciate spending time with my dogs. I realized I took things for granted such as my family. I didn’t mind having COVID, but I still want to play with my dogs. I actually enjoyed playing with my family.

I remember hearing I had COVID.

I remember looking outdoors and noticing the smell of pool water.

The taste of candy for a while was also a memory. I tried to eat chocolate but it tasted like nothing. This made me sad because it was how I knew I had COVID. This memory is important to me because I had COVID three or four times.

Because of COVID, we had to lay in our beds and wait to feel better. I learned that no matter what, never give up on life. You should keep going. You have more time to live. You still got power. It’s easy to feel mad and sad. It’s harder to feel happy or kind. Everyone needs a better life. It is 2023, not 2020.

A chance to show love to grandma

By Rayeona Peoples, Seventh grade

When I first heard about COVID, I felt like I didn't really care because I didn’t know what COVID could do to people. I didn’t understand how it got here or how you can get it or give it to people. Now, I worry about people being healthy. I wonder if COVID will ever get over. Is COVID going to get bigger, bigger than what it is nowadays? I didn’t know so many people died from COVID.

At first, COVID took my freedom, like going where I want to go and seeing the people I want to see, and going to my sister's house. I missed that. I couldn't see my mom and sister and my friends and family for about two months. Also, I missed going to the mall with my friends and going places with my mom and my grandma. Instead of going with my friends, I had to stay in my room for one month. I felt like a bird in a cage that couldn’t fly and go nowhere. All I wanted was my family and friends and to go places with friends and family.

On the other hand, COVID made me appreciate not having to go to school with all the kids and drama. I didn’t mind helping my grandma. It gave me a chance to show her some love.

I actually enjoyed helping my grandma and being in the house with her and knowing that she was good. Going through COVID has made me realize that many people died from it and lost family members.

COVID took the freedom that I used to have. However, COVID also made me appreciate my Grandma’s care and help. At times, I felt sad because I didn't get to see my friends daily. I think seventh-graders have had a hard time getting up and going to school. Because of COVID, we had to stay in the house and not see people. I learned that no matter what, you should help your elders and anyone who needs help. Treat people how you want to be treated.

A soft pillow for comfort

By Tasheanna Roberts, Eighth grade

When I first heard about COVID, I felt sad. It was summer. I didn’t understand what COVID was. I heard it was like a disease. I worried that my family wouldn’t be safe, especially my little baby cousins and my brother and sister. I wondered if everyone was going to be ok. I didn’t know how people could get the sickness.

At first, COVID took my freedom to go to school. I missed spending time with my family. I missed hanging out with friends. Instead of being sad, I was happy because I could spend time with my brothers, my sister, and my mom. I felt like a tiger in a zoo because I got my freedom taken away. All I wanted was to go back to school and spend time with my grandma.

On the other hand, COVID made me appreciate spending time with family, talking, and playing games together. I realized I took things for granted such as eating meals together with my family. Thanks to COVID, we got split up. I didn’t mind spending time at home because when I was at school it was rough. I was getting picked on. I actually enjoyed staying home and getting more sleep with the soft pillow in my room that I share with my siblings.

Going through COVID has made me realize I should not take stuff for granted. You should always be grateful for whatever you get. COVID made me appreciate how much my mom does for us.

COVID took a lot of peoples’ freedoms. At times I felt sad because I couldn’t see friends. It was lonely even though I had my brothers and sisters. And other times I felt mad because I couldn’t get space away from my brothers and sisters. We all had to stay at home and do nothing except for picking up and cleaning. I think eighth-graders have had to overcome their fears and fight harder because a lot of kids were taking their anger on other kids during COVID.

Because of COVID, we had to stay at home to do school over Zoom and it was really loud in my house so it was hard to focus. I learned that no matter what, never give up and always have hope that COVID will go away.

The loss of a father
By Whitney Holley, Seventh grade

Teenagers these days need to mature and realize right from wrong. They need to do the right thing. Teenagers like me feel depressed, damaged, trapped, controlled, and hurt. Sometimes being depressed makes it hard to eat, sleep, go outside, be active, express how we really feel, and vent to others. For me, it's the opposite. I want to get outside to clear my mind.

I think most teenagers struggle with a lack of attention, love, and support. I struggle with depression, built-up anger, and heartbreak. When I feel depressed, I sleep all day and don't leave my room. I hate it when people ask me if I'm okay over and over. It only makes me think about whatever made me not okay in the first place. Sometimes it helps when I eat food and go to sleep, but not all the time.

I really started this depression phase when I lost my father a few years ago. When I got the call, I just broke down. I was supposed to go see him in a few days. My dad and I had some good memories. Ever since then, I haven't seen my mother the same. I try to stay strong for her because I don't like seeing her cry or sad, so I always do my best and watch over my siblings.

When I need to clear my mind, I go to my room and listen to music while cleaning something. Sometimes it helps me when I talk to someone with the same emotions as me. They will have a better understanding of where I'm coming from. But it isn't always easy to trust others. People might make you feel welcome but they could be using you. That's another reason why I like to be alone.

I don't trust most people. It seems like you are there every time somebody needs you but as soon as you need someone, nobody's there for you. I had to learn that the hard way. Whenever someone needs someone to talk to, I try to listen. I don't want any more kids killing themselves because of depression. I try not to do anything that's going to leave me dead or in the hospital because I know the impact it's going to have on the world. It's easy for me to feel sad because everything in my world is falling apart and it's starting to get harder to keep a smile on my face.

I think if teens have more love in their lives and more attention they would be happier. Everyone needs someone to remind them why they are on this Earth, to tell them why they are worth it and that they are loved.

Teens need self-care
By Noemy Zhanay, Eighth grade

It can be difficult to be a teenager. A lot of them have difficult times with their feelings. Teenagers like me feel stress and depression. They feel bad about themselves.

I think most teens struggle with body image and do not like the way they look. In my life, I struggle with feeling good about myself. Sometimes I don't like how I look. When I feel this, it makes it hard to care about myself for who I am. I hate when people change who they are for someone or to fit in, but I understand sometimes you have to to fit in.

Recently, I’ve been stressed about going to high school. It can be difficult to feel safe nowadays. There is a lot of violence out there. A lot of families lose their children to violence. I’ve learned to handle stress by drawing or talking to God about my day or how I feel. I also talk to my cousin.

I want people to have better days since there is a lot of struggle, especially for those who come to the United States. I hope people do not make others feel bad about themselves. Coming here is not easy and they’re already having difficult times.

It’s easy to feel insecure about yourself. Sometimes you can feel like people are looking at you, judging you or talking behind your back.

It’s hard to trust people. You worry others will tell your secrets. Everyone needs someone that they can trust and feel safe to talk to. We all need ways to make each other feel good and not make others feel insecure.

Eighth-graders deal with family stresses. For me, I have good parents that support me in every way. I'm thankful to have supportive parents.

Me, Myself, and My Life

By Sade Comer, Eighth grade

The start of my year of 2023
Needs improvement.
My uncle died
And I was the one to find him
In his bed just laying there and

Every time I looked at him or walked Past him, it broke my heart

That I had to stay in that house alone
With no reason to wake up.
I had been trying to help him for a long time But he is to rest now.
With all that happening to me
I was so sad and i’m sad to this day.
That man was the reason i did not leave My house. I stayed because i knew
People had it worse than me
And i knew my uncle needed my help
So i stayed in my house.
And now i am trying new things
With my life such as self care and
Making art and different patterns.
And on the plus side, I’m getting two jobs That i might like in the summertime.

And what i say to this is if someone died In your life, keep pushing

Because they are looking down on you And they know

LIFE GOES ON.

‘I just want to be happy again’

By Alyssiah Davis, Eighth grade

My life before COVID was way different than it is now. In school I was really good at math. Then COVID hit and everything changed in the worst way. I loved math, it was my favorite class. But after COVID arrived, I got angry at everything. Math was not fun for me anymore. I started disliking it to the point I would cuss out my teachers. Did I like that for myself? No, no I did not. That was ugly. Being ugly is being mean to everyone and everything. That is not who I am. Online learning was really hard, too. I didn't get any work done because I just couldn't learn from a computer. I needed some real help.

From the time I left my fifth-grade year to seventh grade, I was not in the mood to do anything. Everything was changing, even myself, and I hated it. It didn't feel right at all. My mindset changed, my mental health changed, and I started to feel really lonely. For me, being lonely was never the case. I always had someone to go to and express how I felt. Then COVID happened and it was gone within a snap of my fingers. Anxiety and depression kicked. I still have depression. It feels like it will never go away, and I hate it. I just want to be happy again.

School was really hard because nobody really did the online work. But I tried. I did try, but it got boring. All the mixed feelings I was having didn't make it any better.

Not knowing everything you thought you were going to know was hard. Going to a place you know nothing about was hard, too. This was my starting middle school year. I didn't do any work; that was a big problem for me. I missed out on having a fifth-grade graduation and everything included with that. I was so heartbroken. It wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to see all my friends one last time.

My feelings about math are not the same as they were back three years ago. Math is not hard because it's just a bunch of numbers, though everything is out of place for me. My focus, my mindset, just everything. Because I had to focus to get my math work done, I just gave up. I want my love for math to come back, but I don't think I can focus anymore with this depression I have.

Time has gone by fast, and now that I'm in eighth grade. I'm starting to kind of come out of this dark mindset I've been stuck in for a minute. I love the feeling so much. I know I have people who love and care about me. Not feeling angry really makes me come out of that dark place even more. Knowing you can be loved this much will really open your eyes.

Never again

By Brian Gross, Eighth grade

I think every 100 years
There’s been a virus.
And me thinking about it,
God might be telling us something
And it might come out one day.
And we’ll know what we’re doing wrong.

When I had COVID it was the worse
Because I was puking and had a bad cough.
And COVID-19 was the worse because
I barely got to see my family when that happened. When my Papa got COVID, he passed.
However, he’s in a better place now.

I never want to go through COVID-19 again.

About the cover art

Ny’Ana Morgan, eighth grade, decided she could best express how she felt during the pandemic with the illustration that kicked off these essays.

Coming of age during COVID