Being polite is breaking the rules
I was wearing my headphones and listening to a podcast one April morning when I passed a woman walking her dogs. She dropped one of the leashes and her big black Labrador started running. Out of instinct, I reached out, grabbed the leash and brought her dog back to her.
The woman thanked me. But as I walked on, I thought about what I had just done. I’m usually so frozen with fear about getting everything right, but in that moment I broke all the rules: I forgot. I did something wrong. I felt guilty that I had gotten so close. I wondered if the woman was mad at me or if my mistake would put one of us in the hospital.
I’ve been attending online school for months now. At first, I made excuses for not doing my work. I needed a break and the pandemic was a perfect alibi, so I took advantage. But after a while, apathy became frustrating. I began to focus again on assignments, I exercised and I spent time with my family. I've been trying my best to learn how to exist in this strange new world.
It’s a lonely one. We are all separated by a screen. High school students like me are figuring out how to get good grades over Zoom while the rest of the world is fighting a destructive pathogen. I feel as if there’s a one-way mirror between my classmates and me and the rest of the world. I feel powerless, dismissed. I’m in a bubble watching the world freak out.
On my way home that April morning, I passed the woman again. I smiled politely and hoped I wouldn't have to grab that leash again, but she stopped me and thanked me for my help. Her dog licked my hand and I knelt to greet him.
In that moment, my bubble popped. I was reminded that students aren't the only ones who are learning during this time — the whole world has had to adapt to this chaotic situation. I find comfort in not being alone.