The past few weeks have been some of the weirdest and craziest times I have ever experienced, and I know pretty much everyone is feeling that way as well. 

I do not want to make light of the situation that is happening in the world right now because, trust me, I could create a very long list of how the coronavirus has negatively impacted my life. Yet, with so many things to complain about right now, I have been trying to think about the few positive things that have come out of the outbreak.

I went on a walk in North Park the other day for the first time I think ever in my life and I have done it every day since then. I know a lot of people have been complaining about having to go on “family walks” or different physical activities, but you have the time now to find something you don’t mind doing and you may be surprised by how much you enjoy it  

One simple positive that has come out of this is time to catch up on sleep. While some are staying up later and sleeping in, others are going to sleep earlier with their lack of responsibilities and getting up prior to nine in the morning. Either way you do it, we as students have the chance with the remote learning system to actually get the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep for once since we started high school.

There has been a large increase in creative activities such as painting, home projects, baking, and music. This is due to the fact that everyone, even with the start of online school, has more free time than any of us could ever want, but at least we are given a chance to use our creative sides more than ever. 

For example, my older brother has taken up guitar playing since he has been home from college. While this new creative activity that he has chosen to fill his free time with makes me want to throw the guitar through a window because it sounds awful, he will sound better with more practice, hopefully, and is a skill he can keep up with throughout his life.

I urge you to look in your room, attic, basement, kitchen, really anywhere in your house and do something you have not done in a while. Pick up a notebook and pencil, cook dinner for your family, paint some mason jars a happy color for no real reason…just find something to occupy your time that might inspire you. 

Most importantly, I encourage every single one of you to close your eyes for thirty seconds and think about what it is going to be like to hang out with your friends, go out to eat, hug someone, and not have to worry about how close you are to the people you are around. Even though we don’t know when, that time will come and we all hope it is soon. Think about how good it will feel to have everything back that we miss.

Let this situation make you realize how important it is to appreciate the times you have and make memories with the people you love, because what is happening right now shows how fast things can get ripped away from you. We all have the chance to be more grateful and take everything in more, and we cannot forget that when things go back to normal.