On March 11, 2020, when we were told our semester was being cut short due to the risk of transmission of COVID-19, I was stunned. In fact, just 2 days ago that same week is when I realized the true severity of the situation. For some reason I had thought it was some far away problem, and didn’t apply to me. When we got the abrupt news to pack up our things and return home, I felt a huge wave of disappointment.

I arrived home in the afternoon the next day. There was a gloomy overcast in the sky, much resembling the emotions I was feeling. There I stood in my bedroom, which I had said goodbye to only a month and 1 day before. The 4 exams I had for this week put on hold, as school was suspended for the next 2 weeks. At first I embraced having a little bit of a break, but as the following weeks ensued, I realized I’d give anything to be back on campus with my peers.

With the CDC’s guidelines of social distancing, I felt it was very important to stay home and protect my family and others. Everyday began and ended the exact same. The stuff in the middle didn’t vary much either. Both my parents essential workers, so it was just me and my little sister left in the house for hours on end. I have gotten so sick and tired of my phone. At some point the social media no longer brings you the sense of being connected to the world. I tend to be a busy person between work, school, and social activities. So being forced to sit in my house with nothing but technology to keep me company, I felt a new degree of loneliness, sadness, and boredom I had never yet felt before. As the weeks dragged on, I found my only happiness when me and my sister were able to go on short walks around the neighborhood on occasional sunny days.

Just recently did my days begin to turn up. With the continuation of school last Monday and returning to work. I have found myself resuming my busy schedule. I have never been so thankful to just have something to occupy my time, even if they are less enjoyable activities like going to work. It does not matter to me, I am grateful to have something that gives me a purpose. So now everyday I attend school, watch my lectures, complete my assignments, etc. Then I get ready for my shift, where I take safety precautions of wearing a glove and mask while I am there.

Our new normal is not ideal, but its only temporary. It’s necessary to keep others safe who may not be able to survive getting this virus. What’s a few months of social isolation if you are able to protect someone from losing their life? In the meantime, we can only make the best of our situations and hope this madness will soon be a thing of the past.