July 23, 2025
From Quiet To Confident : Veralyn Vislocky
By John Myers
By Djay Dehaney
For many people, the years 2019–2022 posed some of the most challenging experiences they have ever had to face. During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, and the world was on lockdown. This period provoked many mental challenges, taking away the social interactions that our well-being as human beings are so dependent on. However, for some, like Veralyn Vislocky, it was a time for self-reflection and self-exploration. Before COVID, she was a shy, almost antisocial, preteen. Vera notes, “I would cry when I had to go to school and talk to people.” Her time spent on self-reflection was even more valuable because “now I’m surrounded by people who actually have the same interests.”
Vera is a soon to be 16-year-old from South Brooklyn. According to her friend Alex, whom she has known since seventh grade, she is “intelligent and reserved, but when you get to know her, she’s chill and nerdy in a good way, as you’re able to see her small hyper-fixations on the things she likes.” For Vera, the pandemic helped her discover her interests and build her social skills. She was able to delve into subjects she knew little about. ”When I was younger, my older brother really liked Pokémon, and when I was about nine, I was on YouTube, and I found an anime video,” she said, occasionally glancing at the mangas spread across the shelves that line the wall of her bedroom.
Following her introduction to anime, Vera “started watching anime on actual websites,” which took her down the rabbit hole that solidified her passion. Now, Vera has a rather large and expensive manga collection, which contains over 60 volumes, at a cost of almost $1000. She has seen “around 200 anime.” “I met her through social media, and that’s when we really started becoming good friends; we talked about hobbies, but mainly that consisted of gaming or anime,” says her friend Alex. “We share common interests and similar personality traits with a deep connection with each other.”
Jojo Varguhese, another friend of Vera’s, is one of many who can attest to Vera’s growth. He said, “We used to watch mainly Roblox, cats and other animals, and various streamers or YouTube channels. Despite having different interests, we both talk about our respective interests together. I have general knowledge on a lot of hers, and vice versa.” Vera has formed bonds based on mutual interests, and she goes outside her comfort zone to converse with others. Jojo also said, “I became friends with Vera in ninth grade because we were both some of the only people to enter our school after middle school, and since we both have advanced classes, we have identical schedules.”
Vera’s story and experience of self-exploration show how growth and progression can be different for every person. For some, growing from COVID can mean fixing their sleep schedule or rebuilding their damaged social skills, while for others, like Vera, growth means developing social skills you previously lacked. Everyone you meet has a story and journey of their own. Unlike Veralyn Vislocky, you may not have blossomed into a social, reserved, and intelligent person after COVID; you may have had those developments earlier or had personal growth in different areas. Everyone experiences growth in their own way, and at their own pace.
