Have you ever experienced a time where your worst nightmare came true? My junior year of high school was said to be one of the most stressful times in life, but knowing me I didn’t believe it. As a young junior in high school, I thought I would be able to cruise through the year without any complications, but I was wrong. As my junior year of high school progressed, I began to feel the pressure of the future weighing heavily upon my shoulders. Juggling all my school work, playing on two sports teams, working a job, and studying for the ACTs, just became a lot to handle.

    Since life became a bit difficult, I started to make changes to how I managed my time and to the things I was prioritizing. Just as I started to adapt to my new schedule and daily life struggles, I was hit with unbearable family news. In the middle of my junior year my grandmother had passed away, I felt empty inside like someone sucked all the life out of me. Feeling the gruesome pain spearing through my heart dawned on me daily as I walked through the school halls trying to keep my head above the waters. Remembering my grandmother's legacy only helped me to remember life is too short not to accomplish all your hopes and dreams. 

    After the passing of my grandmother, my life started to pick up again and I started to feel somewhat like myself again. After my great grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer's became worse and there was nothing that could be done, I came to the realization that things would get worse before they get better. I felt so helpless and I fell into this dark nothingness that I knew all too well. This feeling of falling into a bottomless pit of endless desire to hope for the best and to receive nothing in return, made me come to terms with the things I was feeling. After the passing of my great grandmother, I decided to focus my attention on my school work, basketball, lacrosse, and completing high school. 

    Every day seemed like a new grace given to me by God, knowing that I have the greatest guardian angels watching over my daily. Life became a little easier as I aligned myself with my emotions and my dreams for the future. Near the end of my harsh and unthinkable junior year, the world was shocked by the outbreak of Covid-19. This virus forced my school to be remote and the students were required to do e-learning which was a difficult task within itself. Asking a bunch of teenagers to focus on school in the one place they have all the distractions in the world, was an extremely difficult task. Not being able to do the activities I loved made me feel less motivated to focus on schoolwork, due to the distraction of my phone and my sibling. Being stuck at home under a global pandemic kept me in a cycle of unproductiveness. 

    While under quarantine, I started going on daily runs at my nearest forest preserve since all sports were canceled for the rest of the year. Finding new ways to stay active even though the gyms were closed, forced me to be more creative with being outdoors more. One thing quarantine has taught me is that it is ok to slow down and enjoy life. Being able to experience the sun shining on my face every morning was a gift within itself. During this unprecedented time, I discovered my love for nature and puzzle solving which I continue to incorporate into my life weekly. I encourage you to continue to experience life before it's too late, even if life seems a bit unpredictable, keep focusing on your hopes and dreams.