With all the depressing news and statistics all over the world, and maybe even in your family, it’s very easy to lose hope. Even though it’s been under 2 months since this began, all of our worlds have been flipped upside down. However, despite this chaos, there are some good things coming out of all of this! To help you see the light in this dark time, I’ve compiled a list of good things – despite the COVID-19. 

Pollution

As traffic stops and factories slow, air pollution is decreasing around the world. In China, there is a significant change that you can see in the sky. (read more here!)Even where there’s not much pollution, like in my little town, there is a noticeable difference. I found that I could tell that the sky was much clearer by going outside and looking at the stars at night. Try this, when it’s not cloudy of course, and tell me in the comments if you can tell a difference!

Animals

Another environment-related fact as a result of quarantine is that animals are coming out! While that might not be too convenient in all places when this is all over, it is certainly heartwarming to see the animals taking the place where humans were. For example, Yosemite National Park shared a video of various animals such as foxes, deer, bears, and bobcats wandering the park, with a lot of them near places that are usually populated with visitors. (click here to read more!) Other animals have even been seen in towns on streets and sidewalks all over the world!

Time

Staying inside is tough and boring, but can definitely be beneficial if you play it right. You have a lot more time to do the things you’ve been procrastinating about (hint, hint). You also have more time to look at your future. If you’re in high school, you might want to use this opportunity to look at colleges, scholarships, or whatever goes along with what you want to do after school. If you’re not in high school, or this doesn’t adhere to you, you can try learning or doing something new! From redecorating your room to learning a new instrument to finding a new hobby, there really are a lot of things you can do while stuck at home, contrary to popular opinion. 

Unity

From New York to Italy to India, a new sense of unity can be seen all over the world. Everyone has something in common now and can sympathize with those around them no matter what their ethnicity, race, gender, etc, is! This unity can be seen in people singing together on balconies in Italy, to people cheering for health care workers in New York, or even just venting to whomever about problems we’re all facing right now. Many celebrities have donated money and supplies to help fight this pandemic, because even though they’re rich and famous doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling too.

Conclusion

All of these examples of good things coming out of a bad event serves to show us that not all hope is lost. We are going to get through this, and until then, we can find a new normal. We can’t let one virus take all our joy away. This to say, while you need to take care of yourself, be kind and gracious to others as well. They need kindness as much as you do! We’re all victims, but we’re all in this together! (*queue high school musical song*)