Before the COVID-19 outbreak that came with restrictions, we teenagers had a lot more freedom than we realized. I will admit I really thought I didn’t get to do very much, but I was definitely wrong. Now that we have all experienced this pandemic, there are some things we wish we would have done more of or some things we took for granted. 

It is hard to see these things when you are going about everyday life and everything is “normal,” but now that things aren’t so routine, we can see what we took for granted. Senior, Lexi Blevens, explains how she took the dance team for granted saying, “I definitely took the dance team for granted and I wish we could have performed Legendary at State to finish out our season. So far, this season has been all virtual and it’s not the same.” I know a lot of students can relate because sports were put on hold due to COVID-19 and it is really frustrating especially for seniors. 

Another thing a lot of students are struggling with during this time is not getting to go to school events like football games, dances, and school socials. Senior, Carmen Baker, is one of many students who feel this way explaining, “I wish I would have gone to more school events and dances because I missed the last couple and I might never get one again.”

I know some students have done at-home dances to try to still have them, but it is definitely not the same especially with the fear of getting the virus. Senior, Madelynn Riordan, actually knows from experience that you need to be safe during this time. Riordan said, “I took mine and my family’s health for granted because my family actually got COVID-19 and it was really stressful and scary. It’s definitely not something you want your family to go through. Especially when my family already has health issues and COVID-19 could really make or break their lives.”

During these insane times, everyone is going through different things. Some people may be perfectly fine with being isolated and kept to themselves. While others may be struggling with sitting in their rooms all day and everyday feeling like it’s the same. 

There are a lot of things that we can list that we wish we would have done before this or things that we took for granted. However, it is important to stay positive and reach out to your friends and family and try to make your routine as normal as you can. We all have to remember that we are going through the same things just a little bit different versions of it for each individual.