What’s Up With This Time Warp?

A friend and I were recently comparing notes on how quickly time has flown (or not) for the past year.  We agreed that some days it felt like time was dragging on forever, but then we would look back and be shocked that another month had passed.  Here we are over a year into a global pandemic and, although I feel like I’ve aged five years, the time has flown by with barely a memory to help mark the months.  

According to McGill University professor of psychology Natasha Rajah, “the longevity of the pandemic — endless monotony laced with acute anxiety — [has] contributed to a sense that time [is] moving differently, as if this past year were a long, hazy, exhausting experience lasting forever and no time at all. The stress and tedium have dulled our ability to form meaningful new memories.” (Lyall, 2021)

A New York Times survey of 700 people from all walks of life – doctors, teachers, baristas, students – showed that “A year of uncertainty, of being whipsawed between anxiety and depression, of seeing expert predictions wither away and goal posts shift, has left many people feeling that they are existing in a kind of fog, the world shaded in gray.” (Lyall, 2021)

I know that a lot of our students are feeling the same way.  So are parents and teachers.  With each day looking like the one before, it’s hard to bookmark any memorable transitions.   

Earlier this week, one of my 6th graders talked about the nearly overwhelming sense of joy she experienced when she and a friend went out into a rainstorm and stomped in puddles of water.  She shared with our class that she was surprised at how elated those puddles made her feel after feeling like she had spent months in a fog.  It had been a long time since she had “felt that happy,” she said with a smile.  I think that experience may have helped her create a memory that will act as a marker for the passage of time.  

As we head into Thingyan Break, I have challenged my students to create a memorable experience during the holiday.  I’ve asked them turn off their screens and take a moment to make dinner for a friend or family member, or do something silly like make a fort in the living room and sleep in it. 

Wherever you are in the world, I hope that each of you can take a moment over Thingyan Break to create a memory that will help lift the fog of these past few months.  

Lyall, Sarah. “We Have All Hit a Wall.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Apr. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/04/03/business/pandemic-burnout-productivity.html?referringSource=articleShare. 

ISY Facilities Update for Thingyan Break (April 10-17)

The following schedule is subject to change. Please note when making reservations: if a space does not appear, it is either full or has been blocked for a school activity. 

Swimming pool lane space is VERY limited!  There have been many “no-shows” this week, which means that lanes could have been used by others. 

If you reserve a lane and cannot make it for your session PLEASE cancel your reservation by emailing lisom@isyedu.org.  We ask that family members share a lane.  

Outdoor Areas

• Open Daily 8am – 6pm

Swimming Pool

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday 7-9am
• Tuesday/Thursday 2-4pm
• Saturday 8am-12pm
• Closed Sunday

Weight Room and Fitness Area

• Open 24-Hours

Close contact sports will not be permitted at this time.  Visitors must provide their own sports equipment.  Group size of six or fewer people are permitted at this time.

Elementary school students MUST be accompanied by a parent or adult supervisor at all times.  One parent / adult must accompany no more than five students.  The parent and child(ren) must all must sign-up online to an available time slot ahead of time in order to maintain proper social distancing measures. ISY is not responsible for supervision of students during these times.

Please note masks need to be worn in all public areas of the school, except while in the water.  This includes while using the outdoor facilities for small group games and activities.  We also ask that you make every attempt to practice social distancing. Please always enter through the front steps area as this entrance is outfitted with a thermal camera to check temperatures.  In addition, please bring your school ID to avoid the need to sign-in at the front gate.  We also ask that everyone wash their hands at the sinks on the front steps before entering the campus.  The indoor gym is not available at this time.

Please use the following link to reserve a space. If there is a space and time that does not appear on the form, then it has been blocked for a program or filled by other users.  Facility Reservation Form

Any questions should be addressed to Ms. Isom:  lisom@isyedu.org

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