APRIL 14 - GABY SAINZ-MEDINA (junior)

When we think of quarantine, we think of staying locked indoors all day. Boredom creeps in, along with frustration and annoyance at online classes and staying inside for weeks at a time. What doesn’t always come up, though, is the opportunities that arise, like things we want to do during school days but never have the time to accomplish.

I never thought, for example, with all the craziness of school and responsibilities, that I would be able to prioritize my mental health or even organize the thoughts that pass through my head. Yet, these last few weeks have been an eye-opening experience. It’s almost like the whole time I’ve been at school, I’ve had this fog in front of me where all I can see is my school load and my responsibilities. Now, I have all this time to do the things that were behind the fog.

Seeking help, actually attempting to prioritize my mental health and depression has been a life-changing experience. I have been able to get the help I needed through medication, along with several other techniques, such as a vision board and a journal to help separate my thoughts. I never realized how badly I needed this extended time until I was forced to endure it.

Don’t get me wrong, I still get extremely frustrated, annoyed and bored on a daily basis. Yet, when I think of the entire time as a whole, I am grateful I have been able to help myself get back on track mentally.

This “quarantine” also has given me new perspectives and values. It’s even given me more time to spend with my mom -- a few days ago, we binge-watched whole TV show seasons in one week. We were hooked on Money Heist, or Casa De Papel, which, if you’ve ever seen it, you can imagine how we fell apart laughing whenever Denver broke out in his classic and hilarious laugh. Whenever I was away from the house, my mom would text me asking when I would get home because she wanted to finish watching.

While I might have fallen a little behind on some of my schoolwork, I was finally able to finish watching the shows that have been on my list all year. That, in my mind, is an accomplishment, achieved during a time when it seems like accomplishments are almost impossible to achieve.