Brentwood School - Brentwoodian 2020

7 A whole new world Firstly to those who have lost family members or friends due to the coronavirus my heart goes out to you; to those who have kept two metres apart from people outside their household to stay safe, well done, don’t stop now. Lastly, the key workers who have worked tirelessly to help the current worldwide situation we thank you, yet those two simple words are not enough and I don’t know if our gratitude can ever fully be expressed. No matter who you are or where you are COVID-19 has affected us all. Gen Z is a generation that heavily relies on technology for survival! So, everyone aged eight to twenty-five who falls into this category will have struggled with the uncertainty that their future holds. Social media is a driving force behind our generation, and as we spend more time indoors, screen time averages will increase. Unfortunately, it is inevitable as this generation is already known for their lack of face-to-face communication as Facetime is preferable due to it being the ‘easier’ route. I hope that this changes, as now the option to see your friends has been limited, people will be more grateful for those social gatherings that have previously been taken for granted. Personally, I cannot wait to be able to hug my grandfather who lives on his own and has had no human contact since the beginning of lockdown. I can’t imagine how lonely he must feel even though we have still seen each other, but two metres apart. Everyone's itching for the lockdown to be over, to see their loved ones again, and this time can be really isolating for individuals who feel a great sense of anxiety from what we hear about the virus. The media has highlighted and focused on the negative sides of the disease, and although it is important to convey to the public the severity of the current worldwide pandemic, to ensure the safety of not only ourselves but our key workers, the vast amount of fake news stories sold, which only heighten people’s fears, are detrimental. On googling the coronavirus, one was first met with various statistics commenting on the number of deaths in the UK and confirmed cases, horrifyingly large numbers, yet what isn’t shown now is how rapidly those figures, of hundreds of thousands, are dropping. The other most frequently asked question about the coronavirus is the symptoms one could have if they have caught the illness. The media has not only enhanced the paranoia the public feels about contracting COVID-19 but also created it. There are a vast number of articles written about the devastation the coronavirus has caused, yet the positive stories that provide hope, not only to our nation but globally, are overlooked, as newspapers and magazines need that scare factor to sell copies of their publications. I have to bring to your attention, to highlight there is a light at the end of the tunnel, the uplifting story of a 103-year-old Italian woman who beat the coronavirus despite being a member of the critical age group who are most at risk. Ada Zanusso is her name and she survived in a country that is the second-worst affected country in Europe from the coronavirus. At 103 years old, I believe she should be a symbol of hope, Zanusso said her ‘courage and faith’ helped her survive. Therefore, I encourage you all to have the same courage and look forward to life once out of lockdown. In a world where there is so much sadness and despair we owe it to, not only ourselves, but the world to look forward with a positive attitude and be grateful for today and tomorrow as we never know what can happen. By Bethany Linnell (Head of School)