"Watching my mum lurch for the remote whenever the pandemic is mentioned"
The coronavirus crisis has robbed her of the chance to sit A levels. We have asked Jenny to share her thoughts on the difficult times we are living through... Here is her latest contribution.
"I often wonder when writing these articles how much impact I am actually having. I know that people read, and for those of you who do I thank you, because I am by no means a professional. The prospect of studying Journalism at university this September is certainly daunting, constant questions flying around my head wondering if I’ll be good enough and what will happen when I’m placed in an environment with students I’ve never met before. I would regard this as my first stepping stone into the industry, which is an exciting yet challenging one. And so I should consider, in giving my perspective of lockdown in these articles, whether I am giving an opinion that I am not qualified to give. Of course it is just that, my perspective, so it often leads me to consider the extent to which readers are resonating with my thoughts and outlooks. At this time there are hundreds, if not, thousands of voices and attitudes that we can choose to listen to.
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Hide Ad"Not only is my social media feed bombarded with differing judgements often causing heated debates, but it seems that every day I am hearing contrasting news stories dictating when and how this quarantine period will finally come to an end. I don’t think I’ll ever forget sitting at the dinner table with my family stifling laughter whilst listening to trap music because it is the only radio station my parents can find that doesn’t repeatedly state the death toll of coronavirus victims. It’s a comical yet sad sight watching my mum lurch for the remote whenever the pandemic is mentioned, finding that the deep sorrow of the statistics does nothing to help her mood in this already frightening time.
"It goes without saying that government advice is the key source of information that we should be listening to and following not just now but at all times. If I’m being honest I am growing increasingly frustrated by individuals who are still choosing to ignore the guidelines and gather with large groups of friends despite the new guidance to meet one person whilst abiding by the social distance measures. Being told one thing by those who run our country and watching individuals do another can often feel like a one step forward and two steps back approach, as if some are listening to different statistics and directives to others. I have seen some argue on social media that the preventative measures are in fact a complete waste of time, whilst others suggest that this lockdown isn’t strict enough. I often contemplate whether I should take a break from Instagram and Facebook for fear of losing clarity in an already confusing period, but I have concluded that it is simply a case of using such apps as entertainment rather than a source of information.
"I can’t imagine it will ever be entirely clear who we should give our full attention to in this pandemic, and I would think that by the time we had finally figured it out things will begin to return to normal. As I have mentioned previously, I don’t believe we should be channelling our energy into anything damaging for our mental health during this quarantine period which includes the information we choose to digest. Knowing our limits with what we choose to believe online and following government guidelines is the healthiest position to be in, and I hope that I, too, will continue to remember this in the coming months."
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A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:
In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.
With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.
Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.
Stay safe, and best wishes.
Gary Shipton
Editorial Director