Avery Kelley 
In March of 2020 our world changed.
When COVID struck, I was a young 12-year-old girl filled with wonder and curiosity. Wrapping up the second half of my sixth-grade year, I was beyond excited to see what the rest of 2020 had in store as I ended my first venture in middle school.
Who knew that after that, I wouldn’t see my school building again for the next year and a half.
Days later, I was stuck in my bedroom. The extrovert in me was crying out for help, longing to see my friends and family as I made the switch to Zoom history classes. Moments later I was forced to adapt to asynchronous learning, ordering new masks every week, and being self-isolated for months at a time. This led to many overwhelming emotions. It was a shift for all of us, and had us wondering what in the world was next.
At first, I thought it was AWFUL. I was scared to leave my home, knowing that so many people were getting sick every day. Our modern political climate was consistently shifting as we knew it. I thought my world would never be the same.
And it’s not. But I made the most of this time.
Over quarantine, the amount of self-growth and sense of self-discovery was invaluable. I took this time to be creative, picking up new hobbies and spent some much needed time with myself. I learned just how much I love to write, read, and scrapbook. I searched for new recipes, binged watched new shows, and even managed to connect with new friends through online platforms.
But most importantly, I learned the value of human connection, that we so often took for granted. I began to cherish the little things that we initially saw as “givens”, which we learned could be snatched in a single second. I used this time to nurture new relationships and began checking in on people that prior to COVID, I barely spoke to. It helped me understand that cherishing the little things isn’t so little. And that connecting, collaborating, and sharing experiences with the people around you is one of the most important experiences. And I knew as soon as times were safe, I would never forget that again.
When the quarantine was lifted, I was almost 14 years old, about to begin high school. Still curious and filled with wonder, with a newfound outlook on life. Although this pandemic invoked an immense amount of pain and sorrow for everyone impacted, there were many lessons learned, that have shaped me into the person I am today. And looking back, I am immensely grateful for quarantine and all it did for me.
By Avery Kelley
Instagram: @askaveryk / Twitter: @averykels
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