I was at the library with a friend today when she reminded me that the pandemic started to affect us a year ago. I was shocked to realize this because I couldn’t believe that we’ve been a pandemic for a year now. 2020 felt like the longest year in the world when it was happening. I remember saying that I couldn’t wait for 2021 to come. Reflecting on this past year I can’t help to feel like a year isn’t a lot of time. The world completely changed and if I’m being honest I still can’t believe that we’re in a pandemic. I decided that it was important to honor this past year by reflecting on life just before the coronavirus took over the world.
This time last year I was planning my 21st birthday. I’ve been thinking about my 21st birthday since I was a teenager and I was really excited to celebrate. I wanted to go to the bar in Philly with my friends who were 21 and to see Mulan in theaters with my friends that didn’t turn the big two-one yet. The week after I would have been at Disney drinking around the world at Epcot with my Mom and Aunt.
My Aunt always told my older cousin that she would take him to drink around the world when he turned 21. But, he enlisted and was in Japan during his twenty-first birthday. So the honor came around to me. I kept on thinking that I was really lucky that this trip was going to fall into my lap. I secretly planned all my outfits already. My mom has a Cricut and we worked together to make a few matching shirts to wear at the parks. All I needed to do was find a pair of Minnie ears and I was set to go.
The first time that I realized that covid might put a dent in these plans I was at work. There was a rumor spreading that we were going to get an extended spring break. Personally, I didn’t believe it because I thought that it was crazy that covid could change our schedules. Everyone around me thought that this was another swine flu and that everyone would be fine after a few months. It wasn’t worth all the hassle.
How wrong I was.
When the schedule change was finally announced I still didn’t realize the severity of the situation. I didn’t understand the implications of this illness or that it had the power to literally kill someone. I just thought that the school was overreacting and I think that was the consensus was that we’d all be back after spring break. I began to alter my birthday plans with my mom and prayed that the world would stay sane so I could go on my trip.
This isn’t important in the grand scheme of things. But, my heart broke when I realized that I wasn’t going to Disney. I felt like I was so excited for this milestone birthday and that I couldn’t celebrate it. Looking back on it I’m ashamed of my reaction. I didn’t understand that this virus was a serious thing. I couldn’t have– nobody really knew what was going on at the time.
I learned my lesson fast though. The mask mandate came soon after and I realized that the virus wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. My grandmother would get the virus months later and it was terrifying to receive the news. That night we said our goodbyes to each other because we were unsure if she would be able to survive the virus. Thank God she lived to tell the tale but, I can’t help but think about everyone else who did die because of covid. While reflecting on the last year I find myself in a position where I’m a little less naive a lot more educated about the virus and still very hopeful for a better future.