The other week, as now a freshman in college, I caught myself flipping back in my planner to 2020—reflecting on the moment when life as we knew it completely changed. From nation-wide lockdowns to toilet paper shortages, I remember finding myself in my own state of panic. At the time, as a senior in high school, I had come to the tough realization that I’d be losing out on some of my most memorable experiences, like senior prom and high school graduation. Experiences that completely disappeared in a blink of an eye. But as time went on, it became clear that the pandemic was an invitation to do what I’ve needed to do for a long time-slow down and appreciate the little things.
It wasn’t too long before I started to do just that. I found myself cooking new recipes with my family that I would have never had time to do before. We had weekly movie nights, went on long walks, and went on drives to explore our town. We scheduled Zoom calls with our extended family and friends– filling the void of not being able to see one another, while helping to maintain our sanity.
The best part of all of this was that this newfound appreciation for life spread beyond my quarantine bubble—it had spread throughout the nation, taking humanity by storm. Social media and news outlets were overtaken by footage of people coming together. From videos of streets erupting in the sound of applause for frontline workers, to people going out to their balconies to sing along with their neighbors, the rise of the coronavirus allowed us to truly realize that we are all united. Living in quarantine has allowed us to reflect on our lives and appreciate what makes this life so incredible—the connections and love we have for our family, our friends, and our community. Because at the end of the day, we are all in this together, and it is only together that we will continue to overcome and progress as one.