There are so many different ideas in the world, especially in this challenging time, so I looked for people with unique perspectives who are willing to share with maybe not the world, but at least with our readers.

Considering COVID-19, people have had some very thought-provoking ideas. One of my interviewees, 9th grader Nathan Gratch, even said, “We need to clean up our act and stop destroying the environment, so this is kind of like nature’s punishment to us.”

Nature is striking back! I guess that Gratch’s point is that we have killed the environment and now naturally we are dying too. It is so sad that people are dying, so I’m not really sure that COVID-19 can ever be looked at as a good thing, but maybe we can look at it from other people’s perspectives. It is a very sad event taking place, but maybe there could be a reason? Maybe it really is like karma?

On a more positive note, something I’m sure we can all agree on is an action that one anonymous interviewee thinks we should do more: “Say hi to random people because it’s a generally nice thing to do, especially in COVID because so many people have been so stressed.” This really made me smile because it really reflects the idea that we are “alone together.” But it’s always good to remember to social distance and wear masks for safety, because a hi can be deadly if said unsafely.

When asked about what she believes people may only do because “it’s what everyone else does,” Kilee Whiech said, “Go on walks. Before COVID-19, everyone used to sit in their houses all day and then people started walking, and so everyone else felt that they also needed to do it because it’s what everyone else was doing to get exercise.”

The bike paths around my house really were never used, and then when a few people started using them to get in exercise during COVID, everyone else decided they wanted to do that too. They wanted it to look like they also take care of their bodies in and out of COVID even though if COVID-19 never happened, they never even may have considered even going to the gym. Then again, it’s very possible that people simply don’t have much else to do and are simply walking and exercising more because there are fewer options.

Some of these ideas I may never be able to completely agree with, and some of them I completely understand and support. Either way, these perspectives are what my interviewees believed people should hear, but it’s up to you whether or not you may agree.