Going into my senior year I had very high expectations as to what to expect from the school year. I envisioned myself stressing out about my final college decision, picking out a dress for my last prom, and spending time with my friends before we all go our separate ways for college. What I didn’t expect nor prepare for was the dream I had for my last year of high school to come to a screeching halt. It felt like one moment I was at school working on my ceramics project and the next I was at home trying to figure out my online classes. I thought I was going to be spending my senior year doing a lot of things, however, I didn’t expect to be spending my senior year sitting on my couch.

Although I am heartbroken about all of the many things I’ve missed out on like Kairos and Senior Fashion Show, I am also grateful for a lot of opportunities that distance learning has given me. I am able to work pretty much at my own pace during my classes online and even work ahead if time allows me. I have been able to cook my own foods during my lunch breaks and even eat snacks during my class periods that I would not have been able to if I had been in school. My favorite part of distance learning is being able to be in comfortable pajamas during my school hours instead of wearing my uniform. I can even wrap myself up in a cozy blanket and have music playing on my TV as I work on notes or class quizzes. 

Even though there are so many positive aspects of distance learning I still have a hard time adjusting to living my life completely online. I miss interacting with my teachers in person and I miss getting to see my friend’s smiling faces every day. If there is anything that this quarantine has taught me is that I have truly taken life at school for granted. I didn’t think that I would miss even the smallest part of my everyday life at school. I miss hearing the bell ring at school dismissing me to my next class, I miss sitting at my assigned seat in various classes, and I miss sitting around at lunch with my friends catching each other up on what we did in different classes. I feel like I am missing a part of myself that is incredibly important and I don’t like it. I want to be back at school and I want things to be normal again.

While I understand our countrywide quarantine is meant to help and protect us from the virus I am trying to find new ways to entertain myself at home. I am currently learning from Youtube videos how to play my keyboard which is something I typically don’t have time for. I have cleaned my bedroom and even organized my closet much to the happiness of my father. I am teaching myself Korean with the help of Duolingo and Youtube. I have also been able to spend time with my family as I’ve always wanted to do. Before the quarantine, my family and I had such busy schedules we barely got the chance to see each other even though we live in the same house. Now since we are all stuck at home we watch movies and sometimes just sit around talking to one another. I feel like I am learning so much about not just my family but myself during this time. During uncertain times like these, all we really can do is look to the good that we have around us to give ourselves a little bit of hope.