Life can be hard. It can be hard, it can be tiring, it can be painful. But those difficult moments are what shape you into the person you are when you’re enjoying the good times. This is one of the most difficult lessons that I’ve had to learn, and it has taken me 21 years to finally get it.
2020 has brought extremely tough times to us all. It’s been a year like no other in our lifetime, full of confusion, anger, and sadness. Personally, I cannot decide what part of the year has been the hardest. The online school, the lockdown, the 2 separate quarantines and 1 isolation, the loss of friendships, the feeling that the walls could come crashing down on me at any second. This year has easily been the hardest of my life and I know that I am not alone in that. But if given the chance to go back to that Friday in March when it all began and continue life as it was back then, I honestly would not take it.
I cannot imagine still being the person I was on March 13th, 2020. These past few months have brought so much pain but also so much love and laughter. I’ve lost my motivation for school, but I’ve gained a great excitement and appreciation for in person learning. I was at home for months longer than usual and away from my school friends but got to spend the most quality time with my family that I’ve spent in years. I lost precious time on campus while in quarantine/isolation (and my sense of smell lol please come back) but I grew closer to my roommates than I ever thought possible. I’ve lost friendships that I thought were forever, but I learned how I truly deserve to be treated and how to stand up for myself. I’ve had my lowest and hardest days when feeling like the world was against me, but I’ve also felt the happiest and laughed the hardest that I have in years.
I’m a strong believer in things happening for a reason, and I truly believe that I needed these things to happen in my life. I’ve grown in ways that I never saw myself growing before, gaining a newfound confidence in myself and learning how to make myself happy instead of depending on the validation of others. New and stronger relationships have become some of the most important things in my life, and I would not trade it for the world. I feel selfish saying this as there are so many people who have truly lost so much, but I am honestly thankful for the hardships that 2020 has thrown my way. Whether you feel the same way or not, 2021 is right around the corner and I’m eager to see how I can continue to grow as a student, a friend, and an individual.