Dear Diary, Postcards from a Not-So-Far-Away Spring

“If we are very careful, we can imagine a much better summer, and a better summer is the payoff from the stay at home order and the vaccinations. But if we let up, we will with little doubt lose the gains that we've worked so hard for.”

- Adalsteinn Brown, co-chair of Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table

It is a time of hope, happiness, and double-digit temperatures. As spring turns a corner, the nation follows with hopeful news of vaccinations. As of March 25, 2021, 4,531,521 vaccine doses have been administered to older Canadians and front-line workers’ arms. And as we all shed our coats and start enjoying the blooming outdoors, we still need to remember that the pandemic is not yet over. There is a light at the end of the tunnel; we need to be sure not to confuse it with the evening, summer sun (thank you, daylight savings). We can see the finish line, but we haven’t crossed it yet. Kids still have not been approved for most vaccinations, and this constant pendulum of tightening and easing restrictions is not the kind of roller coaster we were expecting to get on this summer. But with the arrival of March break (April break for Ontario students—my sympathies), the youth of COVID-19 are hoping to make the best of the situation.

Last we saw them, Cara, Max, Marie, and Advik were enjoying their Valentine’s day and family day surprises. Cara got to see her grandmother (through a window), Max got a dog, Marie got a secret admirer (and a clock), and Advik spent time with his older brother. What is waiting for these kids in the melting snowbanks? Read on to find out!

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The following diary entries are works of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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Dear Diary,

Today is Friday March 26, the last day of March break! I had so much fun but I miss school and really wish Monday will be coming soon! Me and Mom went to the park every day! I played with my neybours on the monky bars. It was so COLD!!! But today was really hot! Mom said I could wear running shoes because the snow is melting. I love the park! My singing techer sayed I am really good at scales. La la LA la laaaa!!! I love March break! But on Monday when school starts again Ms. Kennedi sayed we are going to make slime! I LOVE slime! Mom says it is took sticky so I can’t make it at home. But I love how it is squishy on my fingers. My hands are weird because of the cold and the hand santizer Mom gives me after I play in the park. Mom got preety lotion called Coconut Cream and it smells SO GOOD! I am going to get some! Bye Diary!

Cara Weir, Grade 3

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Dear Diary,

I had the most boring March break in the history of March breaks. I did literally nothing. The only thing I did was vacuum dog fur from every corner in our apartment twelve billion times a day. I love Goldie, but she sheds like a maniac!

Baba still had work so we couldn’t go back to Ucluelet. So I was just sitting around all day because it was raining all week. We got math homework to do over the break. I did it all in one day. It was boring. My dog walking business is booming though. Everyday I walk at least four dogs apart from Goldie and I’m making decent money. I’m saving up for a Nintendo switch (if Baba lets me get one). The COVID-19 restrictions are easing a bit so Baba actually let me hang out with Josh a few times this week. But it was raining outside so we didn’t talk for long. He really likes Goldie. I’m thinking of hiring him for my dog walking business.

I feel like I’m turning into a cat. I sleep a lot, walk around, and act “grumpy” according to Baba. We at least Goldie still likes me, and she’s a dog so there is no way I’m a cat. Dogs don’t like cats.

Baba came home late last night and was talking with Auntie Jenny and I heard something about Auntie’s husband’s dad. I call him Grandpa since he is Denis and Lana’s grandpa. He likes fishing. He took me ice fishing once, it was freezing. I hope he’s ok…

Well I better get to sleep on time otherwise I’m never going to be able to wake up at 7:00 on Monday.

Max Zhou, Grade 7

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Dear Diary,

I already got into university. I already have my next four years planned out. I already know I’m leaving high school in three months. So why on EARTH are our teachers dumping work on us as if anything matters anymore! All I have to do is keep up my grades to what they were before but it's becoming impossible since all the teachers have decided to cram our brains full of everything from extra calculus to poetry analysis before we are sent off to uni. They know we are also going there to learn right? This was supposed to be a chill and relaxing time to hang out with friends until we split up in September. I haven’t seen some of my friends all break!

To be fair, Papa did send us off to Bubbeh’s for the weekend. Elijah and Daniel just spent the time running around outside with our little cousins, getting covered in mud, then coming inside and tracking that mud all over the house. I just hung out with Uncle Aaron’s wife Aunt Alya and she taught me to bake amazing pastries. We went shopping and I realized I hadn’t been in a mall in forever! It was kind of strange to be around so many strangers after so long… I bought a cute top thought. I spent the week working on calc, poetry, and chemistry. Leena and I called almost daily while we worked. She got this idea to have a Zoom jazz open house where we all can hang out, play for each other and watch movies. I can’t wait! But it’s in late April and I still have to get through semester two midterms and Easter holiday. Oh! And the whole secret admirer drama (I told Leena and she laughed so hard she cried). Wish me luck!

Marie Musa, Grade 12

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Dear Diary,

I’m regretting wanting to be a lawyer and I haven’t even started law school. The course work is starting to get heavy already and finals aren’t until May. I got a C on my Colonial Carribean history essay and the professor is not answering my emails for feedback. All I got was “further analysis is required, not detailed enough”. What is that supposed to mean! The essay was ten pages, what part of it required further analysis? The whole thing? University is hard…

But surprisingly my little knowledge of Spanish actually helped me in the coursework reading. I told Maya but she seemed...aloof. Amma just gave me the tutting noise of desi mom disapproval with the implied “told you so”. I talked with Kaylor for a bit and we went for a coffee walk together. They are really resourceful when it comes to this kind of thing. They’re also a good friend. But Kaylor’s roommate got COVID so I’ve been delivering Amma’s extra meals every evening, it’s the least I can do.

I’m meeting Maya for a walk later today, I’m going to try and make amends. It’s so warm I don’t even need a jacket! I hope that even if I can’t cheer her up, the summery weather puts her in a good mood. She always said she liked springtime. New beginnings.

Advik Shah, second-year undergrad

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References

CBC. (2021, February 27). Warmer than normal spring, vaccines point to better summer ahead amid COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-spring-summer-1.5930006

Article Author: Ria Patel

Article Editors: Stephanie Sahadeo, Olivia Ye