It is agreed that the 2020 has not been a good year. With the continuous changes in lifestyle, school, work, and social interaction, it’s fair  to point out the negatives. When you take the time to look at what this year has given you, it may not be too bad. Even if you compare the beginning of the year up until March, to now.

PART 1

The first four months of this year seemed like it was going well. It wasn’t until March when everyone truly began to notice, accept and announce some pretty drastic updates and changes to lour lifestyles. The use of masks, gloves, sanitization, quarantine, and of course you can’t forget the loss of toilet paper!In spite of all this,, I have personally found that the pandemic has helped me grow and really allow myself to be happy. Let me explain…

When someone tells a child not to do something, it makes them only want to do that specific thing, more. Growing up, I never fully understood that, until the pandemic really hit me. . When we were told not to engage in close physical contact, minimize house guests and to stay indoors as much as possible, it made me want to only go out and see my friends and family more. It really tested my patience and how much I could bare. Yes, self-quarantine, staying indoors, wearing masks and limiting family events is sad and definitely unusual for the most part; however, it has allowed me to really focus on my physical and mental health. I have been focusing on organization, cleaning the house more often, improving my grades for school and even saving  more money, rather than spending it. Before the pandemic I was always going out with friends or family, having sleepovers, volunteering at elementary schools, commuting for an hour back and forth to school and classes – all in all, I never really took the time to sit, relax and have a quieter schedule.

Due to quarantine, especially over the summer, I’ve noticed I am a lot happier and calm now that my schedule has been reduced. I’m focusing on my needs more than others, which is a big change. I’ve noticed my mental health has really improved and I’ve been able to work on my self-love. Finally, and most importantly, I’ve been able to recognize what I have in my life and how much I love those in my life. It is true when they say you don’t realize or appreciate what you have until you lose it.  You need to accept that sometimes things just are the way they are, and it’s okay if you can’t do something extravagant about it.

PART 2

As for school, I’m a university student studying photography. Since the beginning of September, I knew it was going to be hard to complete studio work since it is all online now, as I tend to participate in a lot of hands-on classes and photoshoots. What I’ve noticed though since being back at school was how much my other classes are truly worth, such as art history. I’ve been putting more effort into (what seems like) easier classes, and already, I’ve seen my overall grades improve.

Since everything is online, I’ve had trouble figuring out how to move my studio course such as photography, and drawing, into my home, but “trouble” doesn’t mean impossible. In fact, it gives me the opportunity to be more creative at home, work and study space. Of course, this was easier at the beginning of the year when I could keep my equipment in the studio and I didn’t have to worry about re-decorating my work or living space at home. That aside, online schooling has been so helpful with my daily timetable, it’s helped me with organizing my agenda for when to do homework since I’m not spending an extra hour on public transit, and it’s honestly allowed me to sleep in a little bit more!

The only things that have changed arethe lack of physical social interactions with friends, students and professors, which was scary at first. As I eased into everything, I became very grateful for the technology we have in today’s world where I can group call with friends and for classes. Other than that, things have been running smoothly in my life during thispandemic. I hope yours