Student Voices in Remote Learning: Ramona's Story

Ramona Ferreyra is picture above. (Photo Sandra Ferreyra)

Hi, I am Ramona Ferreyra, and I will share my story about my experience during this pandemic in Chicago. There has been a shelter in place order for quite a while now. People from all around the U.S. are getting frustrated from being stuck at home, and not being able to go out. Since I am one of the many young people staying at home, I feel we are all frustrated. We all had plans with our friends and family that we aren’t getting to experience now. As a young person, it is scary to be living through this moment. It honestly makes me sad, because there are people who do not care. People don’t care until they actually get it, and It makes me really sad, because my grandpa might have it, and I am scared because I do not want him to get sick and die.

I want him to see me accomplish my dreams. I hoped he didn’t not get it, but my grandpa got tested in May and the test came back positive. I don’t want to lose him. I want him to see me grow as a wiser and better person, and now it is getting hard for me because I have so many thoughts and I am starting to think too much and I get distracted from school because there are so many thoughts on my mind all at once. Like even as I am typing this I am getting so many thoughts. My experience of this CO-VID 19 pandemic is kind of different from others, because people I know do not have the virus, and their family doesn’t have it either, so it is harder for me, because one of my family members has it. I feel that people I know can not really relate to me, so it’s hard to talk to someone that might understand.

All us young people or young adults had plans for the summer, but most of it is canceled. We wanted to go to festivals now we can’t because of the pandemic. We can’t see our friends in person anymore. Like I was saving money to go, and meet some influencers and to go to a concert, but now I can’t do any of that. I had school trips to attend and now I can’t go. I just wanted to spend time with all my classmates and Ms. Paz that didn’t involve work. Now, I probably won’t even see people next year because some might move schools, or move cities, or even states.The one thing that I will say is life is too short, appreciate the little things, appreciate your family, appreciate your friends and teachers, appreciate everything before it is all gone. I am trying my best to stay strong for my parents because I see that they’re doing their best to make my sisters and I happy and to have good lives.

Overall, I am very upset as a student that is working from home; it is really difficult. I have to manage what to do and to choose my time wisely. It is hard for me, because sometimes I wake up late, and then I will be late to my classes. Since I babysit everyday, including sometimes weekends, it is very hard because I have to watch my siblings, and do my work at the same time while not getting distracted. If I had to give any advice to people younger than me I would say that everything will be okay as long as we stay careful, and don’t hangout with others who do not live in your home. Because if you could get the virus and pass it to your family. Also, do your work so you can pass the school year.

Currently, this pandemic is still just rising and rising. The rate in Chicago still has not reached its highest peak, and by now it was supposedly meant to already. So we have to wait until the number of people infected can go down, so we can go out. I saw that in Texas, and other states, it is starting to open up again, so people can start going out, and do normal things. I do not know if that is a good idea, because I think that even more people can get the virus. Yeah, it is fine to hangout with people if their state is opening, but at least wear masks, because there are people in the hospital suffering, and fighting to survive.

One hundred percent I think this was all planned, because it is weird how one day randomly on the news it just said there is a virus happening. How can that randomly happen?! Why weren’t we told about it sooner?! I feel like our president doesn’t even care. To be honest, I wouldn’t even call him our president, because he disrespects us latinxs and other cultures. One thing I would say to him, the government, and his supporters is “ Did you forget what humanity and equal rights are?” There are kids in cages, and Trump still does not care. How would he feel if that was his kids? We did not steal their jobs or whatever they say. Immigrants came to America to give their kids a better life. People say Christopher Colombus discovered America, actually no he didn’t, it was the Native Americans and the indigenous peoples who discovered it. They had lived here for hundreds of years before the colonizers came. After Trump got elected, America just went downhill from there. It is just really sad that America has to be like this.

Ramona is pictured with other students in 6th grade and 2nd grade. Ramona was among the 6th grade students who chose to teach 2nd grade students a get to know you activity in a circle. (Photo by Jerica Jurado)