When lockdown started just over a year ago, I was a junior at Santaluces who was very happy about not having to go to school. Throughout the year, I had debated either doing Florida Virtual School or even dropping out because I couldn’t stand going to school every day, so when lockdown hit, it was almost like it was meant for me.

Emotionally, the lockdown has made me much more self-aware. As an introvert, I really enjoyed being able to spend time with myself for a few months because it allowed me to evaluate my behaviors and improve in many ways. I found ways to manage my anxiety and enjoy life a little more. I was able to take plenty of time to take care of myself and learned how to implant small habits into every day. Last April, I got a new puppy, who, as strange as it sounds, has made me so much happier and has taught me to look forward to the little things. 

Academically, not much has changed from the pandemic. I’ve always had immense dread regarding school, and this year was no different. One of the biggest positives of the pandemic was the fact that there wasn’t really school, so I was able to focus on myself and do whatever I wanted or needed. At the beginning of the school year, I was relatively on top of my workload, but as the year progressed, I slowly got lazier and less motivated. I’ve always been pretty organized and on top of my work, so this year hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m still unsure if it’s just senioritis or if the pandemic really affected me this much.

Socially, not much has changed either. I have a small circle of very close friends who I communicated with throughout the beginning of lockdown. Once things started opening up more, I was able to hang out with them just like I used to. I got my first job in December, which forced me to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people.

Overall, although I am upset about missing out on most of my senior year, I am glad that I had a few months of absolute nothingness that I was able to use for the best.