Like many people right now, I have a fear in the back of my head that quarantine will never end. When Illinois gets close to opening back up, our Governor extends the stay-at-home orders. I know that his reasoning for pushing the date back is supported by scientific evidence and he is only doing what is in the best interests of the residents of Illinois, but like every other teenager right now, I miss hanging out with my close friends and making memories with them outside. I miss being a high schooler, and with my senior year being cancelled, I am scared that I will never be able to be a high school kid one last time.

Of course, there are easy ways to cope with these fears. As much as I do miss my friends, I am grateful for all the extra time I have. At first, I was disoriented by my lack of schedule and was eager to fill my time with productivity, but now, I am enjoying my down time. Being at home I have been able to find my passion for the activities that I did not have time for when in high school and while working. Although I was devastated by school closing at first, I learned to channel my emotions into my hobbies outside of school. I have picked up things like writing, drawing, and guitar over this past month. This is not how I envisioned my senior year ending, I am thankful for all the free time I have. 

Luckily, I am still in contact with my friends and family. I have the privilege of calling them and sending them occasional letters to pass the time. We are hoping that once the hot weather roles around this summer that the stay at home orders will be uplifted. That way I can enjoy spending time with my high school friends before we part ways. Thinking about summer gives me the inspiration to get out of bed and make it through the day. Even though quarantine can be extremely boring, I have been successful in finding ways to make time fly. Right now, quarantine feels like it’s never ending, but I am content with staying at home longer if it means I will be allowing others and myself to see their loved ones sooner.