Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

A lot of people are feeling very frustrated, stressed and upset at the moment - and with good reason. The coronavirus pandemic has affected so many people in different ways. Whether they know someone who has had the virus or whether the national quarantine has affected their day to day life, it's been a difficult six months so far.

Some people have lost loved ones during the pandemic - whether they have died to the virus or not, funerals have been limited and there may have not been a chance to say goodbye in the way people wanted. For  many people the most precious thing that has been lost is time. Those leaving school have missed out on that experience and saying goodbye to friends. No one can get back time to those who haven't been able to see elderly relatives and family. We've all lost something in that sense.

Even if 2020 has been quite disappointing up to now, there is another side to the quarantine. Everyone has shared this common experience and we've seen people come together to support each other. Whether it's as simple as chatting to a friend to check they’re okay or going to get food and supplies for those who can't leave their house, lots of people have shown they care. We have also all been reminded that everyone matters and work that might not have been seen as important before is getting the praise it deserves for being essential. We've also seen the country rally behind the NHS and support the amazing work that they do.

I know you feel frustrated, sad and angry but what's happened can’t be changed. The question now is what will you do next? You have a lot of worries about the future and that’s understandable. We're all not  certain about what's going to happen next. Things might take a while before they’re back to normal - there will be reminders of the pandemic everywhere for a long time to come and that’s going to be difficult. But things are going to carry on - you will still be going to secondary school, you'll still be making new friends and having new experiences. I know it's hard but it helps to try and stay positive and make the best of the situation we face.

To help you to do this you could try to get into a routine of starting each day by writing down something you feel thankful for or something positive that makes you happy. If you focus on these things it can help you to feel better during the day. At night time, before going to bed, write down something that worries you or has made you sad. You can then put this away somewhere or rip it up, to help take your mind off the negative side of things.

Thanks for writing in, I hope this has helped. You can go to the Calm Zone for tips and exercises to help you our calm down, and you can get support from other young people on our message boards. You can also talk about your worries to one of our counsellors whenever you need to.

Take care.

Sam