Corona Diaries

Belle

“It feels weird that school will start in September again because I’m used to staying at home but I am

excited to see everyone.”

Background Information

Female, aged 11-17, Secondary School Student, spending time in lockdown with her family.

Lockdown is starting to lift now and shops are opening again and we are allowed to meet up with one other

household as long as we are 2 meters apart. Also, schools are starting again which is good and things feel

like they are getting better.

Meeting up with family & friends

Lockdown has started to lift and we are able to meet up with another household as long as you stay 2

meters apart so my family and I have been able to see my Grandma and Gramps more. We used to Zoom

call them lots but it was great to see them in person again. It has also been very sunny and hot recently so

we have been going to the beach with my Grandma. We made sure that we went to a part of the beach that

not many people go to and we made sure to keep 2 meters apart. It was fun and great to be able to go to

the beach with my family again.

I have only met up with one friend so far because we took our dogs for a walk to the beach and it was great

to catch up with each other. I have also been Zoom calling and messaging my other friends which is nice to

keep in touch, but I can’t wait to see them properly in person.

School

People are starting to go back to school this week and my brother is going tomorrow. I wanted to go to see

my friends but the email that was sent out to families about going back to school was blank for me so I

didn’t know that I had to reply by a certain date to be able to go to school so I don’t think I am able to go.

My mum called the school and emailed the place we had to email but I haven’t had a reply so I don’t think I

am allowed to go. I am kind of sad that I can’t see my friends as they are going to school, but it seems

weird that I would be going to school because I’ve been off for so long. It feels weird that school will start in

September again because I’m used to staying at home but I am excited to see everyone.

Keeping busy

We have been trying to keep busy over quarantine by gardening and

fixing our drive. Well… my dad has been busy fixing the drive. We helped

a little with the concrete but he has mainly been doing it. We wanted to

make our drive bigger by making the entrance bigger and by making

more space for cars. My dad dug up some grass from the side of my

house and filled it with stone chippings so we could park a car there.

Then he dug up the side of our drive and filled it with concrete to make

the entrance bigger and to fit in more cars. My mum has also been

helping lots. She helped with the drive and she helps my brother and

sister with their online school.

We have been gardening lots too. We are growing tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, baby carrots,

strawberries, corn and sunflowers. They haven’t fully grown yet but they are getting there. My Grandma

and Gramps have also been helping us with our gardening as they garden a lot.

BLM

BLM is a movement that means Black Lives Matter. It is to protest against police

violence against black people. It started when a video of a police officer kneeling on a

black man called George Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes whilst he told

them he couldn’t breathe went viral. George was being arrested because he allegedly

forged a $20 note. He was killed by the police officers and the officers were allowed

to walk the streets freely. This outraged people and they started to protest against

this. More horrid stories of innocent black people getting brutally murdered by police came out and people

started to get really mad that the officers weren’t charged for murder and more and more people around the

world protested in the Black Lives Matter movement. Statues of slave traders have been ripped down by

protesters and people have been walking the street chanting no justice, no peace and more. I really wanted

to be a part of the protests because it is wrong that the police are killing black people and getting away with

it but I couldn’t because I had to be careful of my Grandma and Gramps as I don’t want to give them

coronavirus. People protesting are being safe and wearing masks but I still don’t want to take that risk. It is

horrid how many innocent black people have been killed by police for no reason and I really wish I could

protest. I have been doing what I can by signing petitions, educating myself, and more because I want to

help.