Frequently Asked Questions

What was it like to be quarantined in China?

Although I was not in China when the coronavirus situation was at its worse, my family was. My mom is a professor and had to do online classes for her students. During that time, she did not go one step out of her doorstep for an entire month. Since China is so densely populated, there are not a lot of houses. We do not have our own yards as everyone lives in apartment buildings. Everyday, someone would deliver food for our family (someone who does not have coronavirus) instead of us having to go outside. The positive side of the lockdown is that you can learn many new things since you have a lot more free time. For example, my brother learned how to bake during the quarantine and made lots of delicious pastries. 

What is the current situation in Australia?

The current situation in Australia is not as bad compared to the US but things could get worse. Cases are decreasing right now but have not yet approached zero, which means that we must remain cautious and alert. Some Australians are taking this very seriously, which is good, but I still want to strongly encourage everyone to wear masks when going outside as it will help block the virus to an extent. Even if the virus is unlikely to kill you, you may have elderly family members at home, for whom the virus can be much more dangerous. When I happen to go for a walk around the streets, I barely see anyone wearing masks, so I think we could be doing a lot more to improve the current situation. 

Do you think Australia should have taken stricter measures? Is it too late to act now?

Although cases in Australia are currently decreasing, I do think Australia could have taken stricter measures. I still feel that people are not taking the virus as seriously as they should. Many people see the lockdown as a no-school-break or vacation and are acting as if they were on holiday. This pattern of behavior can only increase the number of cases and put more of us at risk. There are of course many people who have acted responsibly and, besides, Australia was not hit that badly by the virus. Yet if we had been more cautious from the start, then it wouldn’t have spread to the extent that it has now. If we continue to seek accurate information and strive for individual accountability, I believe the country will recover and the lockdown will end very soon!

What is it like to be quarantined away from your famliy in China?

Being quarantined away from your family is certainly not the best case scenario. It is much more relaxing and fun to be with your family during quarantine. As a middle school student, I am used to being away from my parents because I attend a boarding school. I am also very lucky to have good friends who let me stay at their house during lockdown. My friend’s family is very kind to me and I am very grateful to them for their hospitality. Naturally, however, everyone would still miss their parents especially if you are young like me and also have this awkward situation where you can’t really go anywhere else. I text and call my family nearly everyday, which has really helped me cope. I am also very fortunate to have a host family who is so nice to me. 

How do you feel about online classes?

We take online classes because our school shut down due to the virus. For me, the online classes are really similar to real life school except just less physical interaction between your peers. Since I am already adapted to online learning because I take online tutoring, I feel like the online classes are working pretty well. I also get a lot more free time during online classes because many things are unnecessary in online classes like driving to school and after school activities. I still interact with my friends online everyday which helps me during this period of social isolation