JOURNALING THROUGH QUARANTINE

If you're one of our English students, you know that we've been recommending (okay, in some case requiring) that you keep a journal during the stay-at-home order. Not only is this a great way to continue working on your writing skills, it's also a smart way to process what is happening in your life and in the world. As you journal, you think through everything that is going on - how it impacts you and your family, what you're seeing in the responses of friends and neighbors, how to think about new and different stressors, and also maybe what you have to be thankful for right now.

We actually recommend this activity not just for English students, but for EVERYONE - math students, AP Computer Science students, siblings, parents. You are living through history, and there's a good chance that one day you will want to remember exactly what this period of time was like for you. Or maybe you will want future generations to know. 

You might want to record the trivial and mundane - what did I have for breakfast? Am I eating the same foods for breakfast? Did we run out of cereal and couldn't get to the grocery store to buy more? Or you might want to discuss the bigger picture. What do you think about the government's response to the pandemic, good or bad? What about the activities and people you've missed?  What did you discover that was important to you?

There are many different ways to journal; you don't have to write in an old-school diary to keep an account of what is happening or how you're coping. You could also keep a digital journal - one that's private, or you could write a public blog. 

Or you could consider doing something more creative. You could keep a photo journal, with pictures cataloging life at home. Or you could be even more creative, with drawings or art projects that express what you're feeling right now. It looks like the person in the picture with the laptop might be combining two of these ideas - creating digital drawings that are both personal and extremely meaningful.

My sister Sarah recently came across journals written by her grandmother, many during WWI. They are a priceless look at not just her personal life, but events throughout that important time. Just think, in 100 years, your descendants could be reading about how you and your family existed during the pandemic! If someone were exploring your thoughts and ideas 100 years decades from now, what would you want them to know? 

This blog is sort of my way to journal about what we're living through and how we're coping. What's your way? Tell us or show us below!

Until next time,

Ms. Nan