Covid-19 came in quick and there was no time to prepare for what was happening or what was about to happen. Our world was flipped u[side down in a matter of weeks. We went form going to the grocery store, going to classes, going out with friends, to staying home and being “locked up” because healthcare workers and scientists were not sure where this virus was going to go.

I remember the shutdown like it was yesterday, except it was Friday, March 13th. My mom and I were at the gas station the night before the shutdown became official, and I was texting back and forth with my friends who were discussing this possible shutdown coming soon. As we were texting the three of us received a text message from Lansing Community College notifying us that from this point to the last day of the Spring semester many if not all classes would be online, and then at the end of the message was a link to see what classes would be online and which ones would stay face-to-face. I clicked the link and quickly read through it to see if my classes were on the list, and they were. However, I was thinking that the list was for the classes that would be online, but this list was sharing of the classes that would continue to be in person until further notice. That was a moment of panic for me.

The following day, my sister went to school like any other regular day just to come home before lunch. She had to clean out her locker and grab all of her items because the custodians needed to deep clean the building. This was weird. I thought she had a half day of school, so I asked my mom and she said “No. The Governor put us in a lockdown for two weeks.” Again, this was weird.

This backstory was not only to share what I was doing in the moment and what I remember, but to remind us that everything can change at the snap of our fingers. How many months are we from the beginning to now? Who knows, right? Roughly about 9 months if were are saying the beginning is March, but probably more like 10 or 11 months.

Since being in quarantine from March to… well, now kind of… there have been many changes that have become the new normal. Masks, gloves, sanitizer, soap, toilet paper, paper towel, etc. have all become hot commodities at the grocery stores. Wearing masks is mandatory. No gatherings allowed. No holidays. No nothing is what it seems like, but we have all adapted to this new normal. We have taken up new hobbies, learned to appreciate each other, learned to not take anything for granted, and to appreciate every moment.

This year has been a very very long one with everything that has happened, but we have to think that what we do now during a pandemic will allow us to do more later when out of a pandemic.

Happy 2021!