I am stressed out. My anxiety is terrible and I always seem to have one hundred things to do for school. But, I am also happy to be home where I know I am safest. I am very grateful that I am surrounded by my family and pets at this time. My family and I are closer than ever. My dad has instituted board game nights. We also have been working on our new yard, getting the garden ready for spring. 

I do miss my friends a lot. Most of them live in Philadelphia and we text a lot, but finding time to video chat with our crazy online school schedules can be hard. It seemed to be easier to find time to hang out in person than it is to find time to video chat. 

While at school, I missed my pets so much. My dogs are having the time of their lives. Everyone in my family is home all day because of the quarantine. This means more walks, more time running around our yard, and a lot more time being pet. Raven, my English setter, tends to smile when she’s super happy. She smiles 24/7. My other dog, Freya, snorts with happiness. Freya is my best friend, so getting to spend more time with her is great. They run around our yard all day. My cat, Nellie, is also living her best life. If I am in my room, which is most of the time, she meows loudly and continuously until I begin to pet her. My other cat, Sandy, only really likes my sister. My sister has assured me that Sandy is the same way. They are a handful, but I have the best animals in the world. My dogs and cats help with my anxiety a lot and make my situation a lot easier. 

~Helen Dotchel