'I was doing my GCSEs when the Covid pandemic paused the world - and learned one important thing'

I was in my last year of secondary school, King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy in Frankley, Birmingham. 

The tension and stress of GCSEs was the first time in my life that I was overwhelmed, which, ironically, has become routine now that I am going into my 21st birthday. Being repeatedly told by my teachers that these exams would "dictate your future" was a statement that made few of us lose one or two nights of sleep.

I remember it like it was yesterday. In late August and early September, there were hints about a virus going around in China and living 7500 miles away, you naturally don't think much of it.

Then January came, and the Chinese government officially announced for the first time that it was cancelling its Lunar Year due to the spread of the virus. Suddenly, these rumours became louder and louder, eventually creeping into homes, schools, workplaces, and the general public.

Weirdly, people's attitudes shifted. They became more awkward and, at times, even aggressive towards things deemed normal before the news broke out, such as giving out hugs, handshakes, and any regular human interaction. Suddenly, we're in March, and at this point, the virus had spread well all over Europe and most of the world.

My football games started to get cancelled; people refused to go to work, shopping malls became quieter and quieter, and hospital cases became more and more. It was like life suddenly hit an emergency break.

March 23, 2020. It is a historic day that the people of this nation and I will never forget. "Good evening.

The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades – and this country is not alone. From this evening, I must give the British people an elementary instruction - you must stay home", Boris Johnson. It suddenly dawned that this was way bigger than I had imagined.

The next day, my school carried out an emergency assembly. None of us knew what to expect from this assembly except that it would be about Covid. I had mixed feelings of confusion and curiosity to see what would happen next.

Then suddenly, my headteacher shed tears before even uttering a word. My fellow students and I looked at each other in pure perplexity. About a minute goes by, and he finally finds the strength to speak.

That's when he informed us that our GCSEs would not be going ahead, and we were due to stay home and wait for further instructions from the government.

Life came to a halt, but simultaneously, it was one of discovery. My usual routine stopped and I felt like a massive chunk of my life was missing. I couldn't go out with friends, play football on the weekend, or stay out for more than an hour, so my family became my most prominent place of refuge.

Spending more time with my parents and siblings than ever before, I realised that I missed so much time out on family time and had to learn new things about my siblings and parents that I never knew before because I'd be busy with my 'own' life—not realising that the most significant gem was right in my grasp. Family.

Covid taught me many things, it made me rethink some of the decisions I was making in my life and most certainly brought me closer to my loved ones.

At times in life, we need a period of solitude to find ourselves. Find the missing pieces we ignore or run away from because of our busy lives, and face them. As the saying goes, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die".

For many, the pandemic was distressing. For me, it was a blessing. As you are reading about my experience with Covid-19, think back to yourself: how did this event affect your life, and how has it shaped you reading this five years later?