I think my experience during the global COVID-19 pandemic has been pretty unremarkable. Like many people my age, I’ve fallen into a routine of going to bed when my parents are waking up, and starting my day at 4pm. Sometimes I feel as if there’s nothing better to do than sleep, and my dreams are far more interesting than my real life now. When the stay at home order was first in place, I found it really difficult to deal with. I longed for the senior year that I had fantasized about since starting high school. I mourned memories that died before I had the chance to make them – going to senior prom with my friends, skipping school to go to the beach (don’t tell my parents), saying goodbye to people and places that have made me who I am. But if there’s one thing this experience has taught me, it’s that the human mind is wired to adapt to anything. I have gotten used to spending my life in the same three rooms, to the ache of my eyes after staring at a screen all day, and to being constantly disappointed by the lack of leadership by our president and his disregard for the safety and health of the people. The longer the pandemic lasts, the more I feel like there’s no future to look forward to, and I lose sight of a time before this. My current life feels more and more pointless every day. 

However, I have experienced some personal gain from this extreme lifestyle change. I now have plenty of time to fill with productive activities like working out and reading and painting- things I always felt too exhausted to do during the school year. I’ve also had plenty of time to reflect on my life so far- what I regret and what I am proud of. I’m so glad that I didn’t wait until it was too late to have fun. I know many of my peers who spent their entire high school career being stressed and unhappy, telling themselves they would be able to enjoy life once the work was done. I am extremely grateful to have memories of laughter and adventure and love to look back on. Though I took these experiences for granted, they have helped keep me from losing myself completely during this time. I do wish, though, that I would’ve realized how great my life was before it was gone. Being isolated has made me want to be with people I used to avoid and complain about, and made me realize how much I loved classes and activities that I felt were burdens. Most of all though, I’ve realized how lucky I am to have boredom as my biggest obstacle right now. No matter how much I miss my normal life, I am beyond blessed to be quarantined in a safe and comfortable home with my loving family. I know my struggles pale in comparison to those who have lost their jobs, families, and lives. 

Assuming life like this will end eventually, I will be a changed person moving forward. Of course I will be much more concerned with the health and safety of myself and others than I was before, but I think my outlook on life has also been affected greatly. I never want to waste another minute of my precious time on this earth being hateful or unappreciative. I will enjoy every trip to the movies, every steak taco from Flamingo’s, and every hug I share with a person I love a million times more. I will go forward with only love in my heart, living my life in a way that I am proud of. I will wake up every morning knowing if I were to die that night, I would be happy with the memories I’d made and the impact I’d had on the lives of those around me.