Top 10: What is something you struggled with in the pandemic that still affects you now?
- It is clear from the responses that the pandemic left a long-lasting impact on the mental health of Hong Kong’s youth
Our readers share with us the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic that they still feel. Photo: Edmond SoThis week’s question: If you could design a new school uniform, what would it look like?
To take part, drop us a line via this form or email us at [email protected] by 3pm on June 19. Tell us your name, age and school.
Here are the post-Covid aftereffects that our readers are coping with ...
This week’s Top 10 responses will receive a free copy of Kate Whitehead’s Pandemic Minds: Covid-19 and Mental Health in Hong Kong. We will email the students on the prize collection.
He Mujia, 11, St Paul’s Co-educational College Primary School: During the pandemic, I got the feeling that hospitals could never be safe. Most hospitals were used for Covid-19 emergency treatments. Hence, whenever I passed a hospital, I feared the coronavirus would leak through the doors and enter my body. Therefore, I would suck in a large breath and bolt right past it. Until now, a feeling has kept bothering me that a hospital is a dangerous place.
Lynette Tang Hin-liem, 13, St Mary’s Canossian College: Mental health and overall well-being. The isolation, stress, and uncertainty of those lockdown periods were incredibly draining, both emotionally and cognitively. As a student, I found it very challenging to maintain my motivation and focus on academics when everything around me felt so disrupted and unstable. The lack of social interaction and physical activity also took a significant toll. Even though life has returned more to normal now, I still find myself grappling with some lingering mental health challenges. Things like managing stress and regulating my sleep and energy levels don’t come as easily as they once did.
Hylia Chan, 11, St Paul’s Co-educational College Primary School: I wasn’t addicted to electronics, but I constantly used electronic devices during Covid-19. Along with my hours of online lessons, I stared at computers for half the day. I know this has taken its toll on my eyesight. Though I can now restrain myself from using electronic devices too much, I still feel I am using them more than before.
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Carson Poon, 13, Maryknoll Fathers’ School: Something I struggled with in the pandemic that still affects me now is taking off my mask. Back in the day, it used to be a necessity. But now that the pandemic is over, I feel like I still shouldn’t take off my mask. I feel good when I wear my mask, and I’ve never really taken it off in public. Even to this day, it is hard to shake off this habit.
Angie Leung, 13, King Ling College: Appearance anxiety. The constant self-consciousness about how I look, the fear of being judged, and the desire to conform to unrealistic beauty standards have been draining. It has been challenging to boost my self-confidence and feel comfortable in my own skin, especially in social situations. While I have tried various coping strategies, the lingering effects of this issue still impact my daily life and mental well-being. I am hopeful that with time and self-compassion, I can overcome this post-pandemic challenge.
Charis Chan, 15, Malvern College Hong Kong: During the pandemic, I immensely enjoyed the time that I got to do whatever I wanted to, such as watching YouTube or simply daydreaming. However, this resulted in me struggling with the irreversible habit of procrastination. After the pandemic, I’m still not able to change my habit, and I often procrastinate to complete tasks as late as possible, which worsens my time management skills.
Yip Oi-ying, 15, Pui Kiu College: One thing that still sticks with me is the feeling of loneliness and detachment I felt during the lockdown periods. Being unable to see my friends and family in person affected my mental health and sense of belonging. Even now, as the world has reopened, I am more cautious and picky in my social interactions. I am still trying to regain that sense of ease and comfort that I once took for granted. It is a slow process, but I am determined to rebuild those meaningful connections again.
Au Hei-yu, 13, Immaculate Heart of Mary College: During the pandemic, I struggled with the sudden shift to remote schooling and the feeling of isolation that came with it. The lack of in-person interactions and separation from my usual routine made it challenging to stay motivated and focused. Although I adapted to the new normal, I still missed the social connections and spontaneous moments that used to be a part of my day-to-day life. This experience has made me appreciate the value of human connections and the importance of finding balance in a constantly changing world.
Aries Wong Tsz-yan, 13, Pui Kiu College: I feel that my social life has been affected. Before Covid-19, no one wore masks unless they were sick, and people liked to go out. But after the pandemic, people got used to wearing masks. This made their facial expressions less varied as they could only see each other’s eyes. Some people were criticised after taking off their masks, which increased their anxiety about their appearance. People have lost their rich expressions, their confidence levels have fallen, and they like to hide at home. The pandemic has changed people’s social patterns, and there are fewer opportunities to socialise.
Leung Wing-sum, 13, CNEC Christian College: One of the critical struggles students faced during the pandemic, which continues to affect me, is the disruption to my education and learning. All students had online lessons at home, which made it difficult to concentrate and stay engaged in learning. Also, the lack of access to necessary technology, the internet, and learning resources at home has resulted in significant learning loss and widening achievement gaps, especially for vulnerable student populations. I am still working to catch up on missed content and skills.