Quarantine and me by Sami Koitz

Who would have expected the situation that the world is in right now when, just a mere four weeks ago, I was in Florida with the crew team practicing for our spring racing season?  I never would have imagined being told that I would have online classes for the next two weeks and then being told that I would have online classes for the rest of the semester. What was impossible to imagine a few weeks ago has become my reality.  It's a surreal feeling that before spring break was the last time I would see any of my senior friends until who knows when? It seems surreal that I didn't say goodbye to the majority of people on campus for the semester because I thought I would be able to see them in a week’s time.  Adjusting to home has been interesting to say the least. The majority of my belongings and my car are still on campus so I haven't been able to get out of the house (which isn’t really a problem since my state has a stay at home order in place.) I never thought that I'd want to wear “real clothing” as compared to the gym shorts and tee shirts that I’ve been living in 24-7! Everything is closed; gyms, stores, restaurants. Suddenly, instead of being able to go to the gym for three hours for two hour crew practice and One hour lifts, I need to find alternate workouts that require me to either stay inside or wear a mask outside (which, from experience I can tell you gets really hot when breathing hard.) It's insane that I can't go horseback riding since the barn is not an essential business so it is closed. The life I had known including seeing friends, playing sports, and going out is totally different because of COVID. I am at home for way too many days seven days a week and 24 hours a day. Although I am home I am trying to keep myself on a schedule. I wake up and do a lot of school work and eat a couple of meals in between.  I watch some TV before doing it all again the next day. It might not be the most fun life right now but it's the life that I have to live in order to get back to the fun life I remember.  The motto I've lived by since I've been home is one day at a time. I'm thinking like this for numerous reasons, the biggest being if I thought about being cooped up in my house for the next month I might scream! Also, even before COVID-19, I do think we should live one day at a time and make the most of each and every day.  Im even taking a public speaking class online – if that makes any sense? Rome wasn't built in a day, yet because of COVID it seems like it was destroyed in a day. It will take a lot of time to rebuild, beginning with all of us doing our parts by staying inside and social distancing if we must go outside.  It will take a long time for the healing process to take place.  Thank you to everyone for being able to do their parts. I can't wait for us to be able to flatten the curve, develop medications and/or a vaccine and be together again! Stay safe!