We all know about the pandemic going on around us right now. It became a thing in March 2020. The first week that everything was starting to get shut down and schools were closing I was only in 8th grade. We all were told that it was only going to stay like this for four weeks, those four weeks turned into a year. Now, looking back at everything to this day, we all have been through some pretty rough things. There were times where half the world was on lockdown.  No one could leave their houses unless they needed food or urgent needs.  You couldn't even walk on the sidewalk, and people were even fighting over toilet paper. Kids and adults went through depression and stressed over money.  A lot of people were scared to get Covid or die from Covid. Most of us did have to get a Covid test up the nose and that did hurt. After a while, people started getting checks from the government and that helped a lot but it still didn't help the fact that we were all still in lockdown. We all just wanted everything to go back to normal. You never really understand the thing you have until one day it gets taken away from you and that's what I feel like.  

After a year we were finally told we would be able to go back to school.  I remember having the excitement and nervousness running through my body.  I couldn’t sit still.  I had never even been in high school before.  I had so many questions like: How would the hallways work? Would I be allowed to talk to other people who weren’t in my class?  Would I have any friends in my classes?  After a few days of being back things started to feel normal again.  I was finally in high school!  The hardest part has been wearing a mask all day.

Schools now are open and students have the choice to go back, which most did and adults are back working as they did before, parks and amusement parks opened, malls, and so much more did too. Everything is starting to go back to normal and not even that sports are happening. I feel like everyone has started opening their eyes more and valuing everything a little bit more than they did before.