Dillon Okyere
Professor hood
English 230
20 September 2025
Pages From The Pandemic
The pandemic felt so unreal and crazy to me when it started. One day, Accra was filled with
honking trotros, neighbors shouting and laughing, and children playing football in the dusty
streets of community 25. At first, the coronavirus felt very far away. Then, all of a sudden, my
life felt like it was slowing down, and the area I lived in grew quiet, unlike anything I had known
before. News came from China, then Europe, and people argued on the radio about whether it
would ever get to us. Some people laughed and said Africans were too strong for the virus.
Others were already scared, but everything changed the moment the first cases were announced
in Ghana. Suddenly, schools closed, churches stopped meeting, and the busy streets of Accra
became silent.
When my school shut down, I was excited for what I thought would be a short break. I imagined
more sleep, more time with friends in the neighborhood, and no homework. But it did not turn
out that way. Weeks passed, then months and Online classes began, but they were not the same
and it didn’t feel like I was able to learn like the way I would in an actual classroom. Some of my
friends did not have steady internet or even laptops, so they missed many lessons. Even when I
managed to join, the lessons felt far away. I missed raising my hand in class, I missed the sound
of chalk on the board, and I missed laughing with my friends during break time. School no
longer felt like school, and I started to lose hope for my future.
Life at home became the same every day. I would wake up, sweep the yard, help with chores,
and then sit around most of the day. My parents were very serious about safety. We washed our
hands so often that my skin felt dry. Veronica buckets stood outside, and sanitizer bottles showed
up in every corner like quiet guards. Masks became part of our daily clothes, and I remember the
strange feeling of wearing one the first time I stepped out of the house.
What I missed most was the social life of Accra. Normally, evenings are filled with talking,
music from shops, and children playing, but during lockdown, the roads outside looked empty,
and the silence was heavy. I remember standing at the window just staring at the quiet street,
wishing life would go back to normal.
Even though it was hard, there were small times that made the days special. My siblings and I
spent more time together. We played board games, argued about chores, and sometimes just
laughed at silly things to kill the boredom. My parents prayed more often with us, and that gave
me peace. People around the neighborhood found smart ways to cope. Tailors started making
masks with bright African prints, and suddenly even protective gear carried style and identity.
I also began to see how much I had taken for granted. Before, I never thought much about school
or about being able to move around freely, but the pandemic made me value these things. I
realized how important it is to sit in a classroom, to learn with others, and to enjoy simple
moments like playing football after school.
Watching the news made me think a lot too. Seeing how the virus spread in big countries as well
as smaller ones showed me that the world is truly linked. Something that began far away ended
up changing my life in Accra. I started asking questions about fairness, about why some
countries got vaccines faster, and about how we could all be better ready for problems like this.
When schools finally reopened, stepping back into the classroom felt like a blessing. I promised
myself to take my studies more seriously. The long break had shown me how valuable school is
and how easily it can be lost.
Looking back now, the pandemic was both painful and meaningful. Painful because of the fear,
the silence, and the long months of being stuck inside. But it was meaningful because it brought
my family closer, taught me patience, and gave me a new sense of thanks. Even now, when I
smell sanitizer or see a handwashing bucket, it reminds me of that strange time.
As a kid in Accra during the pandemic, I lived through days of boredom, nights of worry, and
moments of laughter that kept us hopeful. It was not easy, but it shaped me. Now I enjoy the
noise of the city, the warmth of my friends, and even the everyday routines of school. The
pandemic showed me how fast life can change and how strong we can be when it does.
