Friends, school, concerts, even something as simple as a smile; the world is reeling in things they didn’t appreciate before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Before the pandemic hit, we were living our best lives, planning future plans, and readying ourselves for spring break photos we would never get to take. On March 13th, 2020 all of our lives shut down, supposedly for just three short weeks.

Since the pandemic hit our country in full force, we were in lockdown for a bit longer than three weeks, even throughout summer, and everything still isn’t open. Before quarantine, I took everything for granted. I hated going to the grocery store with my mom and having to go with my dad to get his oil changed, but now I am willing to go anywhere with anyone to get out of my house. 

Now that we have been in this pandemic for so long, I am coming to realize how much I miss. I miss going to figure skating practice even if I am bone tired. I miss going to school. I miss seeing people smile at a joke I probably stole from Instagram. I miss seeing my cousins at Thanksgiving. I know I can’t be the only one to miss all of these things, but because of our own decisions, we are still suffering at the hand of this virus. 

We need to remember to wear a mask. We need to remember to stay six feet apart even from the people we love. We need to remember to never take the simple things and little moments for granted. If everything ever goes back to normal, I will know not to take anything for granted ever again, because right now all I can say is I miss you.