For the first 10 minutes of each school day, the Provincetown Schools Middle Years students — grades six, seven, and eight —write in their journals about their experiences living through the coronavirus crisis that is keeping them at home. Their English language arts teacher, Amy Rokicki, offers brief prompts to get their thoughts and words flowing. Here, with the students’ and parents’ permissions, are samples of their morning reflections. —K.C. Myers
Anger
I can’t get angry at a time like this, because this gives me more time to play my video games and spend time in my bed, also spend time with family. Being angry just makes it worse. By being angry you will do less thinking. Less thinking will make you do stupid stuff. —Rushawn White, grade 8
Gratefulness
Last week I was grateful for my parents. I couldn’t ask for better parents. They always try to work hard and take care of each other and my sister and me. My parents barely get a moment to themselves, especially with a boy who’s turning 14 this Saturday and 4-year-old girl who WILL NOT STOP MAKING NOISE FOR TWO SECONDS. It’s near impossible to get my dad to stop working even for half a second, and my mom always pushes me to do better. She’s the glue and my dad’s the foundation, she holds us together and he holds us up. —Khalil Green, grade 8
Gratefulness
Last week I was grateful for being in my bed all day, texting and making new friends. This quarantine has been an eye opener. I’ve got time to think about stuff that has been going on in my life more deeply. It’s not that I really enjoy quarantine, but we’ve got to make time for ourselves sometimes. People on a daily basis forget about themselves, but this quarantine is forcing them to try. I was grateful for things like understanding myself a little bit better. What I mean by that is, relationship-wise and things that I’m interested in. Things that I don’t want to do or be. —Jemone Rose, grade 8
Peace
Moving
Praying
Tocante
See Mr. C
Smell roasted meat
Hear wind
Feel bike chain oil
Taste roasted meat
Think going to Honduras
—Ronaldo Espinosa, grade 7
Happiness
I kind of love “coronacation,” because it’s also bringing my family close together because we are home together every day so we kind of have to be. I love making TikToks with them. I love being in the living room and having laughs and watching movies. I love how if and when we go back to school, I don’t have to be fake anymore. I can be me and express myself. I can’t wait ’til it’s summer so my family can go to the pond like we always do, plus with the babies this time. And in August my brother turns one. I’m happy that at least now I can learn at home and teach myself stuff that my dad wants me to learn. I can’t wait to see all my friends again. —Toni-Anne Fraser, grade 7
Fear
I fear that I’ll get it and spread it to my mom and Wyatt. Since he has heart problems, he is more capable of getting it and my mom is not really elderly but she could still get it and die. I fear that we will not be able to go to school for a really long time. I fear that I am going to die and my family, too. I also fear that I am going to have a crappy birthday and not be able to go go-karting that I want to do really bad. —Andres Vida, grade 6
Fear
I am afraid about how this is so uncertain with tons of fake news and conspiracy theories and I am afraid about how this will end. Also, I know that it is human nature to be afraid of the uncertain, which is probably why we have conspiracy theories. —Jack Hopkins, grade 6
