1000….500….250…50..10….

 The number of people allowed to gather keeps exponentially decreasing. As the number keeps decreasing, the number of quarantine days increases. 

 As a senior in high school, the quarantine has been a hard pill to swallow. Our last year of high school has been completely halted. 

 From proms and musicals being cancelled, being exiled to our homes for who knows how long, and having school completely on the iPads, the class of 2020 has had a drastic change. Most people, especially teens, do not do well with change.

 For me, this quarantine has been challenging. My entire life has been stopped right before my eyes. My final spring musical, Aida, was supposed to open this week. I was supposed to go see a Broadway show on the 22nd. My boyfriend’s prom has been cancelled, as have any trips to Walt Disney World.

 Coping with all the emotions that come with this has been the worst part. I’ve been numb, I’ve been sad, I’ve been angry, and I’ve felt everything all at once. 

 Fortunately, I’ve had my family to help me through this. While being stuck in my house, I’ve had plenty of time to spend with my family. 

We’ve had deep discussions about our circumstances, and how to deal with them. We’ve actually sat together at the dinner table, eating meals and playing board games like Parcheesi and Kings in the Corner. Though sometimes I wish to see other people and get out of the house, I then remember that spending time with my parents and younger brother is something I don’t really have time to do due to my busy schedule. 

 Not being able to experience all these events has definitely, in my mind, helped to sculpt me. Being quarantined to my room has allowed me to clearly think about things. If we, as the class of 2020, can move on and grow from this, we’re definitely ready for college. 

  Overall, this pandemic, in a way, has been a blessing in disguise. It’s allowed me to spend time with my family before I head out to college, especially since everything that happened with my dad with his cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy, and recovery last year. But this pandemic has also shown me how strong I really am. 

 There’s a post on Facebook that many parents of seniors have been sharing, and I feel it perfectly describes our situation. “Dear Class of 2020, You Entered the World during 9/11. You graduate during a pandemic. No doubt these events will shape you.”