Lessons in the Time of COVID-19 By: Justine Uy

It has been months since our region has been under Community Quarantine and since Self-Study Program (SSP) was implemented in our school. I have successfully finished the SSP and have been promoted to Senior High School. Looking back, I am glad that the Self-Study Program pushed through because through it, we were able to gain meaningful learnings despite the limitations of interaction and time.

During this unprecedented time, I came to a realization of these other significant lessons. First, I was able to see more the importance and usefulness of technology. Technology helped me learn and accomplish all my homework and connect with my classmates, teachers, friends, and relatives despite the distance.

Second, I learned all the more of self-discipline. I do not know if you will agree with me, but I found it challenging to get the motivation to study and work when I cannot meet with my teachers face-to-face and talk or work together with my classmates. With the absence of time schedules and the long periods for me to complete our homework, it is very easy to get distracted and delay my tasks. Through this situation, I needed to discipline myself to apportion my time for every activity and make the most out of each day.

Lastly, I became more grateful. I learned to appreciate the little things that made me happy during this difficult time. I have my parents and sibling with me, we have food to eat and water to drink, I can attend online Bible study group with friends, and we have wifi connection, to name a few. These were a few things that helped me find joy whenever things get gloomy.

COVID-19 may have barred all of us to go to school, or to other places we have been used to, but we found ways to continually learn and move forward with our lives in the safety of our homes.