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Being in quarantine for so long made me realize that every minute of life should count and should not be wasted. I have learned that relationships with friends and family are important and should be maintained. During quarantine we were shut off from family and friends, especially those who live far away from us. Travel was not advised due to the possible spread of the virus, resulting in hospitalization and often death. There were no in person birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, or funerals. We were forced to attend all of these virtually. Our best connection to our family was a FaceTime call to check in and say hi. Quarantine also taught us that time is not an endless concept. I now understand that I should do things now and not procrastinate. There are so many things that I wish I had done earlier when I had the chance. There are trips we always talked about taking that never happened. We had plans to spend time with aunts and uncle that we never got around to. Overall my time during this pandemic has taught me to enjoy the after being stuck in a house with my family members for so long, I have realized just how much quality time matters little. During my time in quarantine, I have learned to appreciate the little things and never take life for granted.

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When I initially heard about the pandemic, it was just a virus that began to spread in China. Since the virus did not seem like anything serious, I did not think much of it. As many days passed, people at school began to talk about it. As the virus began to increase in popularity I became more and more unsure of what could potentially take place. After many weeks, the virus began to appear on the news, podcast, and social media. This is when I began to worry. I remember sitting in my literature class in sixth grade when we got the announcement that we were going to have to collect everything we needed out of our lockers due to a two week break. Just like every other kid, I was excited. Everything was going fine until weeks became months. It wasn’t until a month into online school that I began to worry. I did not fully comprehend that we were really in quarantine at the time during our two week break from school. Our activities centered around our home. We only went out for drives but never got out of the car. Everything was closed and stores were deserted.  Reflecting on quarantine life and COVID 19, it makes me realizes just how uncertain life can be and how easily we adapt to necessary situations.

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What were your first reactions to hearing about COVID19?

“It didn’t seem real. It felt like a plot to another random movie. I never thought that it would have gotten to the point where there were this many deaths and cases.”

How is today different from when the pandemic first happened for you, your family, the nation, the world?

“Well, life is getting somewhat back to being normal but at the same time, the way people are socializing is completely different.”

How has your life changed since first going in quarantine last year?

“I’m definitely more socially reserved.”

What would you tell yourself a year ago vs now?

“I would tell myself to travel as much as I could before the severity of the pandemic. I would also tell myself to appreciate the freedoms I have.”

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What were your first reactions to hearing about COVID19?

“When I first heard about COVID, it was just in China. I was concerned about it spreading but o had no idea how drastic the impact would be.”

How is today different from when the pandemic first happened for you, your family, the nation, the world?

“Well, the pandemic was very very restricting. We were constantly being informed about the negative affects and how contagious it was. There was also no vaccine at that particular time.”

How has your life changed since first going in quarantine last year?

“I no longer go out shopping in stores or large malls. I do all my shopping online or through delivery. I limit my exposure to flying in large crowds. I also wear my mask at all time when i am not in my home.”

What would you tell yourself a year ago vs now?

“I would tell myself to remain vigilant with COVID 19 protocol, because I feel that it is not over.”

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Recently there has been many reports on the invasion of Russia. This news headline is so horrific and sad. I’m shocked by how far Russia is going with the invasion in Ukraine. I feel so much sympathy for the people of Ukraine.

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This news headline was from January. Seeing how much the number of cases have increased since the beginning of the coronavirus is truly unbelievable. Personally, it feels like COVID started to spread just recently. So, to hear how long it has been around and how rapidly it was spreading in January is utterly shocking.

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This photo resonated with me during quarantine. This is because there was not much to do since everyone was stuck in their homes. Although quarantine was not very entertaining, it was very relaxing and peaceful.

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I believe this meme describes everyone during quarantine. Everyone was paranoid of getting sick due to the rising cases.

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Since I had spare time during quarantine, I decided to play with my younger brother on his Nintendo. My brother and I bonded and had a lot of fun. We were very competitive and did matches with our other siblings. This memory sticks out to me because it reminds me that spending time with your family is important and could bring you closer together.

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During quarantine my grandmother started googling recipes to make for my siblings and I. One of my personal favorites was the chocolate chip cookie recipe that she followed. My grandma now bakes the cookie recipe every couple of weeks for my family and I.

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During quarantine my sister and I started rewatching the twilight movie series. It was very memorable and brought us closer together. Every time there came a day where the weather was dreary, we would watch twilight because the setting of the movies are very dark and rainy. Twilight is now one of my favorite movies.

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This meme is response to the beginning of quarantine. Everyone was laughing at memes and  thinking that the virus was not very serious until more and more places were closing down. There were also more news reports on the virus that stated the importance of staying in quarantine and wearing your masks.

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During the duration of the pandemic, there was not many things that I could do. My family and I were very strict with ourselves and stayed inside our house. With all the spare time, I decided to find a new hobby/activity. One of the activities I started during the pandemic, and continue to due now, is journaling. I saw many people on YouTube and instagram journaling and doodling. After seeing these things that people did to keep themselves occupied, I decided to try for myself. I found that journaling can be fun as well as calming.

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One show that I began watching during quarantine was Anne with an E. I had always wanted to watch the show but never got to it. During the duration of quarantine I finally decided to start watching it and I am very happy that I did. The setting of the show is very earthy and beautiful. The characters are very distinct and relatable. I absolutely loved the storyline and all of the character backstories.