After having the knowledge of being both in person and remote, I realized just how comfortable I became with being alone. Remote learning was an escape from my social life.

     Life at the couch became a coping mechanism over things I procrastinated into my existence. Living in my head became a habit I could not control. I felt as if I was hiding from myself, rather than hiding from everyone else. 

     I find comfort in quickly assuming situations to avoid experiencing them; once I heard that I was going to end up in school non-remotely, my assumptions only grew as the days came closer. Thoughts of moving too fast came to swell my mind. But these thoughts ended up becoming an old chapter because this first week has truly been worthwhile. 

     I feel as if I have grown more in a week than I have in the past 1 ½ years. Coming back into school makes you realize just how blissful life can be.

     There is so much subconscious growth in having other people around you. It triggers a sense of familiarity to understand that you’re not the only one who, for example, can make mistakes. It helps you understand that you’re not the only one who has a story to tell. 

     Each day that I come back from school, I feel truly satisfied to know that I experienced life to the fullest— whether my day was a joyous or treacherous one. It’s not just the academic lessons that I learned each day, but the life lessons as well.