As an introvert, I found the idea of quarantine very appealing. I had the misconception that this whole “corona thing” would be over as quickly as it started. I was excited at the idea of getting out of school for possibly a week or two. This break would allow me time to catch up on school work and Netflix. However, this wasn’t exactly how things went. The following months held unsuspected circumstances that forced me to confront an adverse side of myself that unleashed dramatic self-growth.

My constant viewing of high school chick-flicks had left me brainwashed into putting extreme emphasis on the importance of my senior year. Luckily enough, by the time of my own high school career I had gotten rid of this unrealistic mentality…mostly. I put off homecoming and prom, saving them for my senior year so they wouldn’t lose any magic. I’m fairly confident I’ve only ever attended one GEHS sports game, again wanting to save all the memories for 12th grade. Unfortunately, my dream of the stereotypical teen-movie senior year is now impossible. At first, I was frustrated with the world for causing me to miss these rite-of-passage moments, but after a while, I realized I had only myself to blame. I spent all my time waiting for this great year to happen when I could’ve been making all of my high school years great. It took a whole pandemic to make me understand the true meaning of “living in the moment,” a simple quote that drastically changed my life. I stopped waiting for my ‘perfect’ senior year to happen and I started creating it. 

There’s something about being told you can’t do something that makes you oh-so-badly want to do whatever it may be. I absolutely love being at home. I would choose to cuddle my dachshund in a cozy blanket over any type of social gathering. Yet, when the governor announced the stay at home order, I had never felt a stronger urge to go out in my life. I still followed instructions and stayed indoors, but I never really understood what the big deal was with the virus. It seemingly came out of nowhere, and was it even that serious? I soon got my answers. First by statistics provided by news stations, then by horrific videos shared on social media. Next came cases within my community, and finally I watched the suffering of loved ones. This was real. My insensitivity, in the beginning, had now turned into guilt, which I eventually channeled into compassion. Ironically, in a poetically corny way, though we are physically separated, I believe this pandemic has brought humanity closer together. 

While I am learning many life lessons during these times, I believe my redefining of gratitude was of most importance. I became so focused on the little things (my ‘perfect’ senior year), that I needed to go through a major reality check to learn the true value and importance of my position. I’m so thankful for the health of my friends, family, and myself. My heart goes out to everyone suffering either directly or indirectly from this virus. I hope everyone is able to take something positive out of this, as I did.