BitterSweet Memories
Item
Title
BitterSweet Memories
Description
In my drawing there are two sides, one is a light yellow and the other is a gloomy grey. These sides showcase both good and bad things that have happened as a result of this pandemic. Additionally, throughout the background, there are Covid-19 cells. This is to establish an implicit time period for the people who see it. The top left box is the first positive experience to come out of this time: below it, there is another. On the right side of the painting, are opportunities that I missed out on. Although, losing them at the time was disappointing, looking back on the other insights I’ve gained-- they just feel like bittersweet memories.
Working chronologically, the missed opportunities I faced were the first to come. When the state went in lockdown in March of 2020, I was a senior in highschool. Many of my last memories of high school were stripped away from me. It was a hard thing to deal with. I no longer had class with my friends, work to see coworkers, my prom was cancelled and a few others. The main one’s highlighted in my piece were my graduation being postponed and my trip to New York cancelled. Originally, I didn’t know for awhile whether or not I would even have a graduation. Even though we did end up having one, it sadly wasn’t the same. It was at the end of July in our school parking lot to maintain social distancing. More than half of my class didn’t show up and we couldn’t have live music. However disappointing this was, my trip to New York was the biggest hit by far. In New York, we were going to see Wicked on Broadway, visit Carnegie Hall, taking a walk through Central Park and a plethora of other activities. The reason I was mostly sad about this was due to the fact that I’ve always wanted to go to New York. Although these bitter moments changed the course of my senior year, it opened up more opportunities that I believed helped me grow as a person to a greater extent than these events would have.
The opportunities I took advantage of during the pandemic helped me to frame a better future for myself. The top box represents my recent change in major. During the pandemic, I have had a lot of time to myself and therefore to reflect on what I want in these next crucial steps of my life. To be honest, it took a while for me to take advantage of these opportunities. I wanted to make up the time I missed before leaving school by having fun with my friends. This resulted in a lack of thought into my future that I eventually came to face when I got to college. Over time, I realized that I was really interested in starting my own business. So, I tried a few classes my second semester and came to enjoy it. Only a short month ago, I officially declared my major as Business- Entrepreneurship. My picture shows a cute little shop, similar to one I hope to own in the future. Although I don’t entirely know what the shop will be yet, the pandemic gave me the alone time I needed to map out my hopes and dreams. The other, most valuable thing I have gained from this pandemic is the strengthening of my relationships with the ones I love. Being able to spend more time with my friends and family showed me who I wanted in my life after highschool and who I didn’t. As a result, I did lose a few friends. When we were no longer in school, many people lost contact with me. Over time, I have come to realize that it was better for me. The people who truly wanted me in their life, kept me. As a result, I revived my bond with my sister, spent more time with my niece building forts and playing tag, got to build an adult relationship with my parents and made more valuable friends than I have ever had before. These experiences have caused me to build a stronger support system and also be a happier person.
Working chronologically, the missed opportunities I faced were the first to come. When the state went in lockdown in March of 2020, I was a senior in highschool. Many of my last memories of high school were stripped away from me. It was a hard thing to deal with. I no longer had class with my friends, work to see coworkers, my prom was cancelled and a few others. The main one’s highlighted in my piece were my graduation being postponed and my trip to New York cancelled. Originally, I didn’t know for awhile whether or not I would even have a graduation. Even though we did end up having one, it sadly wasn’t the same. It was at the end of July in our school parking lot to maintain social distancing. More than half of my class didn’t show up and we couldn’t have live music. However disappointing this was, my trip to New York was the biggest hit by far. In New York, we were going to see Wicked on Broadway, visit Carnegie Hall, taking a walk through Central Park and a plethora of other activities. The reason I was mostly sad about this was due to the fact that I’ve always wanted to go to New York. Although these bitter moments changed the course of my senior year, it opened up more opportunities that I believed helped me grow as a person to a greater extent than these events would have.
The opportunities I took advantage of during the pandemic helped me to frame a better future for myself. The top box represents my recent change in major. During the pandemic, I have had a lot of time to myself and therefore to reflect on what I want in these next crucial steps of my life. To be honest, it took a while for me to take advantage of these opportunities. I wanted to make up the time I missed before leaving school by having fun with my friends. This resulted in a lack of thought into my future that I eventually came to face when I got to college. Over time, I realized that I was really interested in starting my own business. So, I tried a few classes my second semester and came to enjoy it. Only a short month ago, I officially declared my major as Business- Entrepreneurship. My picture shows a cute little shop, similar to one I hope to own in the future. Although I don’t entirely know what the shop will be yet, the pandemic gave me the alone time I needed to map out my hopes and dreams. The other, most valuable thing I have gained from this pandemic is the strengthening of my relationships with the ones I love. Being able to spend more time with my friends and family showed me who I wanted in my life after highschool and who I didn’t. As a result, I did lose a few friends. When we were no longer in school, many people lost contact with me. Over time, I have come to realize that it was better for me. The people who truly wanted me in their life, kept me. As a result, I revived my bond with my sister, spent more time with my niece building forts and playing tag, got to build an adult relationship with my parents and made more valuable friends than I have ever had before. These experiences have caused me to build a stronger support system and also be a happier person.
Date
May 5, 2021
Coverage
Eau Claire, Wis.
Contributor
Anonymous
Subject
Home and family
This item was submitted on May 6, 2021 by [anonymous user] using the form “Contribute an object” on the site “Western Wisconsin COVID-19 Archive Project”: https://lib02.uwec.edu/Omeka/s/C19
Click here to view the collected data.