Getting sick is never fun. Navigating a school day while constantly having to get up to blow your nose in class is awkward and annoying. But we’ve all done it. Usually, being sick at school is just an inconvenience. But in the COVID era, feeling even a slight sniffle is terrifying. It’s no longer just annoying to have cold symptoms — there’s fear, guilt, stress, and everything in between. This past month, symptoms I normally wouldn’t have given a second thought  sent me into a tailspin of emotion and stress.

When I first felt symptoms of a very mild cold, I immediately panicked. Everyone told me I was “probably” fine. But, “probably” wasn’t good enough. “Probably” wasn’t going to keep my friends, my high-risk family members, or the Montrose community safe if it was more than just a cold. Days went by and my symptoms slowly seemed to disappear. Soon, I hardly even thought about it anymore. Then Monday morning, as I walked into my first period class, I reached for a wipe for my desk and a pump of sanitizer. I braced myself for the intense odor of the school hand sanitizer but quickly realized it wasn’t there. I smelled nothing at all. And suddenly, I was struck by absolute terror. 

Normally, I wouldn’t even notice something like that since I had no other symptoms. But once I noticed it, I couldn’t focus on anything else. I immediately rushed to the nurse, expecting her, like pretty much everyone else I told, to dismiss it as a nervous overreaction. But instead, I was rushed out of the building and told not to return until I had been tested. Two days later — SURPRISE — a positive test! Followed by hours of drafting a text to my class group chat to give everyone the ~good news~.

The next few days were anxiety ridden. I wasn’t just nervous for myself. I immediately started thinking about all the people who I could’ve passed it to. The thing with COVID is that it’s so much bigger than yourself. We all, of course, feel a responsibility to social distance and wear a mask for the wellbeing of our community. With all of these precautions in place, getting a positive test feels like your fault somehow. I started second guessing every move I’d made over the last two weeks. “Where did I slip up?” “How did I get this?” Quarantining in your room gives you a LOT of time to overthink stuff. 

Here’s what the next ten days looked like: I stayed in my room, Chloe in her room, Dad in the basement, and Mom in the downstairs. No contact — no leaving our designated “bubbles” for 14 days, food left at the top of the stairs for us, and LOTS of Facetime calls from downstairs. Luckily, nobody else at school or in my family caught it, but everyday I woke up wondering if today was the day someone would start showing symptoms. 

The one thing that helped me get through those 14 days, aside from binging a lot of Netflix, was the support I received from classmates, teachers, and family. So many people reached out through text and Facetime to let me know that I wasn’t alone. Spending even just a few minutes on the phone with a friend laughing, and feeling normal again was so comforting. Everyone started asking how they could help. I even got a card and a box of homemade muffins in the mail (shoutout to Anna Sheehan ‘21!). It was those acts of kindness that made my experience not only bearable, but meaningful. 

As scary and frustrating as the whole situation was, going through something like this taught me the strength of the friendships I have made at Montrose over the last four years. Those who reached out demonstrated the character and leadership values that are so central to our Montrose education. It was so heartwarming to feel like people genuinely cared about my family’s and my well-being. I never knew how much a single phone call could change someone’s entire day. It made me want to emulate that same care and kindness that I was lucky enough to experience in the next instance when I have a friend going through a hard time.

So, while I’m certainly happy that my COVID experience is behind me, it allowed me to experience those around me come together to support me and help me through this challenging time. I am so grateful that my symptoms were so mild and even more grateful that my family, friends, and loved ones all stayed safe. While I will unfortunately never forget the stress of my family’s and Montrose’s first positive COVID test, I will always remember the kindness and care that I experienced as a result. 

My experience last month is set against a current backdrop of reports in rates of COVID cases throughout Massachusetts. You can keep up with the statistics and check town ratings for COVID through the Mass.gov state website. Massachusetts Governor Baker has instituted new regulations that went into effect on Friday, November 6, that limited indoor gatherings to 10 people or less, outdoor gatherings to 25 people, a restaurant curfew starting at 9:30 PM, and a stay-at-home advisory from 10 PM to 5 AM. In addition, the Governor has also advised people to wear masks outside, and he reminded people that mask wearing requires covering your nose as well as mouth. Montrose COVID safety protocols have been reinforced with weekly video presentation reminders about social distancing, mask-wearing in public (except for brief mask breaks throughout the day), sanitizing desks and hands throughout the day, and reminders to stay home with even the slightest of sickness symptoms. So far, Montrose has had one positive test, with no spread. We can try our best to keep it that way, but if others get sick, remember to reach out and offer support. 

Lucy Stefani ‘21, Arts & Entertainment Editor

21lstefani@montroseschool.org