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Monday, May 3rd 2021

The pandemic has made me realize a lot of things. It has taught me to always be prepared, to value family, and mostly importantly, that life is so precious. With so many people dying everyday, this has made me rethink my priorities and be reminded to appreciate the little things in life. We take things for granted and often forget about what’s truly important. For example, I used to stress about my future life constantly. These being things like what colleges I want to go to, what career I want to pursue, etc. Now, I understand that life is so short, so why stress about things we have no control over? It’s so important to live in the moment in order to eliminate unwanted emotions like stress and anxiety, especially during these uncertain times. I now know to be grateful for the food on my plate, the roof over my head, and the education that I have been fortunate enough to have. Although this pandemic seemed like the worst thing in the world, it gave me time to reflect on myself and really opened my eyes on how to truly live... 💓

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There’s No Time like Now ⏱
By: Kyra Lawrence

This unfathomable concept of time,
The reason for our emptiness,
Our inevitable demise,
The only thing we can never regain.

Every day, every month, every year,
It goes,
It fades away,
Leaving nothing but a life of sorrow.

So why rely on time?
When there’s a whole world to be explored...
Friendships to begin...
Memories to make...
The only time we have is...

Now.

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Interviewee: Kali Lawrence (sister)
Interviewer: Kyra Lawrence

Kyra: What would you tell your past self a year ago to better yourself now?

Kali: I would tell myself a year ago that the most important is to put yourself first, before you put yourself in a position to help others. That should always be your number one priority.

Kyra: What was your first reaction to hearing about the pandemic last year?

Kali: I was very upset because I realized that I wasn’t gonna be able to have a graduation, a prom, a senior carnival, and all the things that I looked forward to at the end of high school. This is basically what went through my head: I’m going to be the only graduating class that won’t get to experience senior year the right way.

Kyra: Any last statements that COVID made you realize?

Kali: Pretty much to just never trust anyone but yourself, because people will try to take advantage of you when your at your worst... Oh, also, stay in school!

Kyra: Thanks Kali! 💜

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Throughout quarantine, I finally gave in to my sister BEGGING me to watch the Harry Potter movies, and I’m not going to lie, I don’t regret it. A great series of movies with amazing plots and actors! 🔮🧙🏼‍♂️

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Soooo if I had to choose one thing I’ve become most addicted to throughout the pandemic... it would be CRUMBL COOKIES!! These gourmet cookies have been on the rise these past couple of months, and for good reason! They are absolutely delicious and have a wide selection of cookies to choose from. Although I’ve been trying to eat healthier, these cookies make it so hard! 🍪💗

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Friday, May 7th 2021

Unfortunately, I have witnessed horrifying acts of racism and hatred this past year. And I’ll admit, it has shown and taught me so many things. I realized, especially in America, how corrupt our society and morals can be. Treating someone any different because of the color of their skin, ethnic background, or sexual orientation, is horribly wrong and should never be apart of values of Americans, or anyone for that matter. This past year really brought out the ugliness in people and showed that these kinds of things had been happening for a long time now, and are just now being brought into the light. Instead of being United, we have in fact been more divided than ever, whether that be by political affiliation, race, age, gender, etc. For example, when George Floyd was killed by a police officer, that single event was the beginning of something revolutionary. The Black Lives Matter movement was born. People of all cultures came together to fight against the racial inequality that has once again, plagued this country. Although many more after George Floyd were affected and killed, it gave us an opportunity as a United Nation to make a change and stand together as one. Anyways, if I wrote everything I felt about this topic it would be a pretty long page, but I want to end this off with one thing: we must learn to accept those who are different from us, because it is those differences that make us the same... ❣️

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Quarantine Puppy! At the start of quarantine (June), I finally got a puppy to call my own! My dad had decided it was time for me to get one considering we were gonna be sitting at home doing pretty much nothing for the next few months. Her name is Kaya, a miniature goldendoodle, and the best cuddling buddy ever! 🐶

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Been enjoying these sunsets a little too much lately... It’s been nice to have some semblance of peace during these harsh times. Plus, there’s nothing like sunsets in Miami! 🌇

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This is a screenshot of one a news article reporting one of the first ever coronavirus deaths in China. It’s crazy to see how much worse it’s gotten, and to see our reactions to it when it had just began. Hopefully it will all be over soon as long as we stay distanced and vaccinated! 💉🦠

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A funny meme that perfectly describes 2020. Definitely a year for the history books! 😂

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An international tragedy... 💔 On January 26, 2020 Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant both died along with seven others in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles, California. This was such a huge loss for everyone because Kobe Bryant was not only a legendary basketball player, but a role model to many people of all ages. 💜💛

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Okay so although this is a show for 7 year olds... it’s addicting! I first heard of Miraculous Ladybug on TikTok and decided to give it a try. I eventually became so hooked on it that I would watch it everyday/night! It has such good characters and definitely got me through a lot of the pandemic.🐞

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Interviewee: Kannan Lawrence (brother)
Interviewer: Kyra Lawrence

Kyra: What has been your experience in dealing with COVID-19 this past year?

Kannan: It changed my life for the better because it allowed me to reflect on what I truly am passionate about and care for, and it put me on a more directed path in my life.

Kyra: What was your work life like?

Kannan: My work life consisted of constant COVID tests and mask wearing. As for social distancing, it played a key part in keeping my coworkers and I safe, but limited my social interactions.

Kyra: And social life?

Kannan: My social life actually was improved during quarantine. I got the opportunity of meeting many new friends online including my girlfriend, Alexis. It gave us the chance to really connect and get to know each other, which I am very grateful for.

Kyra: How would you say you’ve grown as a person?

Kannan: Well, I’ve pretty much stayed the same, but I would say I became more open minded because of everything going on in the world. It really put things in perspective like focusing on my health, and living everyday the best I can to ensure that I have a promising future.

Kyra: Thank you for your time!

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This is a photo of Nassau, Bahamas, where my family and I recently vacationed this Spring Break.  Because of the pandemic and not being able to travel for awhile, this is was our first vacation ever since it started! We definitely enjoyed a safe, happy, and relaxing trip! 🏝✈️

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This is a funny tik tok of what my life pretty much looked like during the “online school” period at the beginning of the pandemic! 😂😭

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A funny meme of when the Suez Canal was blocked by a cargo ship, which took about a week to unblock! 🚢

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Sunday, May 9th 2021

It’s safe to say that my life has changed significantly since first going on quarantine last year. It was pretty hard being separated from my friends and family all that while, and I hadn’t seen my grandparents for about a year ever since they came down a few weeks ago. Daily things and activities that had once seemed normal to me drastically changed over these past few months. These being things like going to the grocery store, playing sports, and even just taking a walk outside. It’s almost scary thinking about doing one thing but then having to worry about whether or not it could put yourself, or some else’s life at risk. I enjoyed participating in sports at school, but then after COVID guidelines were released, I was no longer able to partake in any of them. Although these are only a few examples of how my life has physically changed, I also struggled with some things mentally. Unfortunately, I had a sort of “attitude change” where I wasn’t the happy side of myself that everyone knows and loves. I guess you could say it was from the trauma this past year has given me, or it’s easier to just say it’s the “teenage hormones” kicking in. Whichever one would be a valid reason! 🥲😂

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On April 21st 2021, a 16 year-old black girl Ma’Khia Bryant was fatally shot by a police officer, of whom she called, because another girl was harassing her. I feel it was important to post this because this is just one of the many examples of how police brutality and racial discrimination have been on the rise this past year. Although many changes still need to be made, these issues are finally getting the recognition they deserve. 💔