I’m sure everyone can agree that this has been a crazy year, with so many changes taking place in our everyday lives. A lot of things we took for granted are now gone. A lot of things in my life have changed, but a lot has changed for the better.

I remember the exact day everything began to change. Everyone got a phone call saying that the school would be closed for two weeks. Little did everyone know, those two weeks would turn into months. I didn’t think much of it, and enjoyed my life inside as I normally would. It almost felt like an extended vacation, so life was pretty smooth sailing for a few weeks. However, this stopped when I started realizing just how much the world around me was beginning to change. People were frantic to buy whatever they could, shelves were bare, and everyone was panicking as COVID cases began soaring in numbers.

The transition into online school was rough. I no longer had the in-person assistance from my teachers, and trying to balance the distractions of home life with my schoolwork was unbearable. However, I ended up pushing through strong, and I finished my junior year with some of the best grades I’ve ever had. Of course, school hasn’t been the only thing that has changed. I’ve had a lot of time to explore my interests and dig deeper into who I am. I’ve gotten much closer to my family, and every day I’m learning new things about them. It is unfortunate that I don’t really see my friends, but I’m very grateful for my happiness and health.