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Ashlee Smith '22

Give me a Hand.

Reflecting on your life pre-COVID-19, you may realize that most of your days consisted of school, home, and after-school activities. You may even start to recognize that many of these activities are held in the confinement of a building. Humans aren’t biologically meant to stay inside, yet 90% of our lifetime is spent indoors. With the rise of a global pandemic and an emergency shut down, many people may believe that the population is more inclined to stay inside. For certain factors such as living and health conditions, this may be true, however, various interviews with Mayfield students, albeit a small sampling, seem to indicate that the population has a stronger connection with nature now, as opposed to that of pre-COVID-19, thus allowing quarantine to act as both a blessing and a curse for our society. 

“Going on walks daily has helped to keep me grounded when I feel overwhelmed,” said Avalon Dela Rosa ‘22, a rising junior at Mayfield and practicing yoga instructor.

“Hiking is never something I thought I would get into but my mom and I have gone on a couple in Santa Barbara and Idyllwild. I think it is really important to be spending time in nature more than ever amidst this pandemic,” Dela Rosa said.

Likewise, other rising juniors at Mayfield believe that they have been staying outside more during quarantine as well. 

“I have been more connected with nature because I had a field biology project for AP biology, which ensured that I got out of the house to search for certain things such as “chemoheterotroph(s)”, explained Mia Maalouf ‘22 

Both Dela Rosa and Maalouf seem to reflect the experience of many Mayfield students who are trying to make the most out of a global pandemic by appreciating the world around them, and becoming more connected to nature.

Enjoying the beautiful Southern California weather outside can help decrease negative feelings during quarantine while keeping people healthy and active. With the increase of students participating in long walks with their dogs and spending time with their families outside, COVID-19 seems as if it was a sign to society to settle down and appreciate the world around us, deepening our connections with nature.