graphic by Nakya Castille
Chase.
I remember back before the world shut down checking the daily news through social media. I tend to check the NBC news Snapchat channel, but I remember watching it one day when it talked about having the first COVID-19 case in China. Of course, I arrogantly thought nothing of it; then there were just a few more cases, and I threw the idea out of my head. I continually did for the next few weeks. 1,000, 3,000, on and on. This went on for some time until things got real for me.
Then on Wednesday, March 11th, things changed. I was scheduled to take the SAT the following Saturday the 14th. In my mind I was secretly hoping for the test to get canceled, but for the wrong reasons. I was wanting everything to be shut down, but if I knew that it would go this far I would have never thought so. It’s the 11th, and I am in Mr. Sheehan’s AP Lang class right after lunch; this was when the whole school was on edge about the virus growing in the nation, as well as in Colorado. We sit down in class and start firing question after question to poor Mr. Sheehan who knows just as much as we do. The main thing that stuck was he thought school would close down, and of course it did. Then we all got an extended spring break.
At the moment I couldn’t complain, an extended spring break and I didn’t have to take the SAT, I was living the life. Then, the extended break was over in the blink of an eye, everyone was quarantined, and school went online. The thing that I still wish I could change was getting my swim season through TJ; it was going to be a strong year and I was hopeful to make it to state. The world began to shut down.
I was furloughed and in quarantine. I just slumped through school, slept, and played video games for too long. The city finally said that it was okay to go out again. I was able to go back to work and pick up some hours. Working during the pandemic was okay. I work at Discount Tire on Hampden right by TJ. The main thing that changed at work was wearing a mask, which combined with safety goggles is not a fun combination: your will goggles fog up. Especially in the heat of the summer wearing a long-sleeved uniform, with gloves, a mask, and glasses gets hot. But, the summer went on. Work gave me something to do while making money.
Now we are here in November, not much has changed. I occasionally see my friends, but nothing crazy. I am still working, I was able to have a golf season through the school, applying to colleges, and am plugging away on all of my school work. After such a crazy year since March, I am hopeful that there will be a vaccine soon and life will return to normal. I am hopeful of what 2021 has to bring.
