COVID-19 and how it transformed our holidays


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The pandemic has impacted our lives in countless ways; it has changed how we relax and refresh ourselves during this end-of-year school holidays.

Before the pandemic, travelling overseas was synonymous with the holiday season.
However, for the past 2 years this has become rare due to the many travel restrictions imposed by countries and the tedious process of serving quarantine. Despite efforts by the government, the situation is not the same as it was pre-pandemic.
Moreover, people now do not go out as often as they did before the pandemic, resulting in many recreational areas, such as parks, to be empty.

Many hours spent indoors equate to many hours spent on electronic devices which dramatically increase our screen time. This is further worsened by the many social media platforms that keep us “occupied” for hours.
Using such electronic devices for a long time throughout the day and till late at night also hampers the quality of sleep of youths. It can also be harmful to their eyes. However, using them for the right purposes will definitely make the holidays a fruitful experience.

Teacher’s Comments:

This short photo-essay was produced during a combined workshop involving students from the Raffles Photography and Art Club and Raffles Publications. Viraj’s work combines a personal story with a good balance of shot sizes and angles. The repetition of his stoic expression in front of the computer brings out the sense of helplessness he feels as he comes to terms with this new way of spending his holidays.

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