Social distancing has almost made me more social. Usually, I find that hanging out with people is time-consuming and energy-consuming, but doing it from the comfort of my own home means I can hang up and take a break whenever I want. 

Since being in quarantine, I’ve fallen into a routine for each day that feels like a never-ending loop. Wake up, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, go to my classes, eat lunch, and do some work. It’s been like that every day, going through that schedule on repeat, alone but not really lonely. I’ve always liked having alone time and remote learning has given me a much-needed break. 

I enjoy the calmness of all of this. I don’t have any siblings or pets, but I don’t mind. I’ve felt more energized during this time because I get to be alone and relax. At school, I spend a lot of time on my phone or doing homework to avoid talking to the seniors in my class or the teachers in the lunch line, but now I’m reaching for my phone to talk to others. 

I text most of my friends every day, and I usually like to FaceTime someone every few days, but it doesn’t feel as draining as being at school. I enjoy having small conversations, so I’ve been having more one-on-one FaceTimes. I’ve had more time to talk to people I don’t usually talk to as well, like my friends that left Parker and my friends at Latin. It has been a good time to catch up with people I haven’t seen in a few years. We’re able to talk about our experiences in quarantine—an experience we’ve all had even though we’re far apart.

I think that in the same way that it’s important to know how to talk to others and be outspoken, it’s also important to know how to spend time with yourself. Whether you’re watching TV alone, drawing alone, or scrolling through Instagram alone, it’s important to be grateful for the solitude. I’ve enjoyed having time to knit, and I’ve also embroidered some shorts.

I’ve heard a lot of people say they’re bored. I don’t feel like I’ve reached that point yet. There are things to keep me busy like homework, watching TV, and writing “Weekly” articles. I’d tell anyone who feels bored to find the joy in doing possibly boring things like watching TV or reading a book or trying a new thing. I’ve tried doing some new things like learning how to juggle, which didn’t go as planned but it was fun to have the time to do it. I’m grateful for this extra time to do things like cooking my meals and sewing and not rushing to do homework, which I can’t do during the “normal” school year. Usually, I only get the chance to really relax over breaks, and even then, it doesn’t feel like enough time. 

It’s nice to be an introvert right now because I like spending time alone already. Social distancing has given me time to be reflective and calm instead of stressed. Remote learning has given me a good amount of time to get my work done. I’m able to digest my food after lunch, instead of having to go straight to another class. 

While there are some things I feel that I’ve missed out on like softball and running a Cookie, with Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime, I’ve been able to see all the people that I normally would. When I want to do something more exciting than eating or watching TV, I’m able to talk to any of my friends at a click of a button. There’s an abundance of ways to talk to other people, and for people like me, an abundance of ways to get out of talking to other people.