Covid 19 was first announced on January 10, 2020. On March 15, 2020 we went into our first lockdown. At first, people thought it was not a big deal, thinking we will come back and everything will be fine. Most teens were confused, thinking they were going to see their friends again and go back to school and go on with our regular lives.  Most of us were wrong.  Our lives were happy and normal until Covid shut everything down. 

It started with mandates of staying 6 feet away from people and wearing masks for your safety and others. Having people only see your eyes made it difficult for some to see your identity. Many stores were closed for a long period of time and some were closed for so long that they lost so much business that they had to sell it. Grocery store hours were changed due to the lockdown. Many places like ShopRite, Costco,  B’Js, King Kullen, Target, Walmart, and any type of grocery stores were out of stock of hygiene necessities, food, and anything people needed in their house.  

People were going to the store and seeing every aisle empty, toilet tissues empty, the milk refrigerator with nothing left. People wondered when they were going to restock the store.  They were left to wonder how they were supposed to feed their family.  Many adults were worried about how long they were going to be stuck in their house.  How long can people last without human interaction?  People were scared of catching Covid and most people were in a panic.  During that time, many lives were taken. There were 71,435 deaths in New York alone, as well as many more deaths in other places in our country and around the world. 

It’s a relief to know that we got through the lockdown. We are in the Year 2022, but the world is still not the same from what happened in 2020. Thankfully, we got through it together. Unfortunately,  Covid is still around and vaccines are still being administered. Covid is still a risk,  and we do not know the long term impact of all of its effects.  Some people would say the lockdown helped them mentally and physically.  However, most would say that the lockdown had negative effects on their emotional well being. Society will never forget the year of 2020 and how it opened a new window.