What it’s like to move houses during a pandemic
By Ivy Merkl, Reporter

        Moving houses is stressful in general, especially if it is to a completely new place full of strangers, and a pandemic can be rather trying for most people. Put those together, add in starting at a new school, and the situation can feel nearly impossible. Adults leave their jobs, parents leave their support network, children leave their friends, and some might be leaving everything they know.

        Most everyone has been the new kid at school at least once in their life, but it is much harder during a pandemic. Instead of being the new kid in school, you are the new kid in the online classes. Classes over Google Meets have proved invaluable during the pandemic, but they do not exactly help you make friends. There is no talking before and after class or sitting with people at lunch. You see people during the online class, but it is difficult to have an actual conversation with someone. If you cannot have a conversation with your classmates, how do you make friends? The school year can feel very slow and bleak when you are the new kid without any friends or really even acquaintances.
        As you can probably guess, a lot of people are moving because of the pandemic. According to Pew Research Center, roughly one in five Americans either have relocated due to the pandemic or know someone who has. The popular option of working from home is spurring a lot of people’s moves. Because many no longer have to commute to their place of work, they can work from a home anywhere in the country. A significant reason that people live in big cities is because it is closer to their job, but it is also a lot more expensive than living in a rural town. If you can work from home anywhere, why not work from a less expensive home that is the same size?

        This seems to be the thought process behind many people’s moves. The trade-off is social stability for financial stability, which is a difficult decision to make. Neither option is perfect and the process of moving during a pandemic can be very confusing, but it is possible. My family and I got through our move just fine, though it just took a little longer than normal. The key thing that helped me stay sane when I moved to Vashon during the pandemic was just taking it one day at a time. Not stressing about the little things is also important. Just keep this advice in mind and we will all get through this together.