Dear readers,
We hope that wherever this issue finds you, you and your loved ones are healthy and safe.
The Covid-19 pandemic has left millions feeling uncertain about their futures and disconnected from their communities. Amid the closures of schools and businesses and government orders to adhere to social distancing, people have quickly turned to the virtual realm, relying on platforms such as Zoom and FaceTime to learn, work, and connect with friends and family.
Choate has not been spared in this process. The administration’s decision to transition to remote learning for the remainder of the academic year was necessary, if dispiriting. Especially for those who were preparing to spend their final months on campus, the loss of a traditional term has been heart-wrenching. At Choate, we are accustomed to our personal and academic lives being intertwined. Our classmates are also our dormmates, and our teachers live down the hall. We study Shakespeare with the same person who teaches us how to spike a volleyball. In this close proximity, we almost unknowingly forge the personal connections that compel us to consider this school our home. Unable to be together, we now find ourselves missing the crowded dinner tables and awkward greetings on the paths, yearning for Dr. Curtis to remind us not only to use the crosswalks but to wave as we do.
The drastic disappearance of our daily routine has left many feeling lost. Those of us in the Choate community, accustomed to the rapid pace of life on campus, have had to adjust to the sluggish rate at which days seem to be passing in social isolation.
But for those who have been personally affected by the virus, boredom and a change of pace are the least of their worries. This pandemic has seeped into every part of our society, from those who are unable to return home to those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus. In hospitals around the world, medical workers are battling to keep our communities safe. Grocery store employees expose themselves to dangers so that we may have food on our tables.
For those who are able to stay at home and self-isolate, seeing others fighting on the front lines in the face of harrowing statistics can make it easy to feel helpless and alone. On page 5, Opinions Nation/World Editor Bianca Rosen ’21 discusses why it is now more important than ever to show up and be there for one another, to offer compassion and support. This is our way of showing up for you. As poet Lynn Ungar has urged her readers to do, we are reaching out with our hearts, with our words. Despite our physical separation, we at The Choate News hope to provide a tether to our community.
We cannot do this without you. As a masthead, we would love to hear your stories, whatever your current situation may be. During this time of such uncertainty, we hope to keep us all connected by featuring the experiences of those in our community, highlighting each person’s unique situation. Reach out to us however you are able; you can email us at thechoatenews@choate.edu, message us @choatenews on Instagram or Facebook, or even tweet us quick updates @choatenews on Twitter.
