The COVID Knowns and Unknowns

The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.


For many people, including myself, thinking about the unknowns in the future may be a source of anxiety. Unfortunately during this COVID-19 pandemic, most of our lives are filled with unknowns. My mind races with unknowns about the virus- Are my loved ones and I safe? How and when will states reopen? Will a vaccine become widely available? When will this all end and our lives return to normal?

On a more personal level, we are also dealing with unknowns about our careers, our education, and our living situations. As a college student, I was scheduled to complete an internship this summer that is required in order to graduate. Now, I am unsure when I will be able to begin my internship or if my graduation date will be impacted as a result. Planning for my future career is made even more difficult as many companies aren’t currently hiring.

There are times when I find my mind racing with questions. I often try to distract myself by watching Netflix or mindlessly playing games on my phone. However, the questions still linger in my mind. Anxiety is draining, so I often choose the mindless option of distraction. Although it can be hard, taking the conscious effort to remind myself of the things that I do know in this situation has been helpful.

At this moment, I am safe and healthy. I have a roof over my head and food to eat. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to receive higher education. I have caring, smart professors who have worked hard to transition to online learning efficiently and provide extra learning opportunities while I await the start of my internship. I am lucky that I have my cats who always make me laugh. My family and friends are a text or Zoom call away.


What are you grateful for at this time? What “knowns” have made you feel better? Have you had a discussion about the unknowns and questions your child may have during this time? How do you think acknowledging things that they’re certain of can help them?

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