Just less than a week ago I was quarantined at home due to Covid-19, but this time I had it.

At some point on the weekend of the 23^rd I must have contracted it or during school the week before. My parents, who also had it, and I still do not know how we got it. We started experiences symptoms on Sunday of that week which led to us getting tested on Tuesday. Our symptoms included of chills, aches, coughing, and headaches. They were just simple cold symptoms, but we thought we better get tested anyway. My symptoms luckily stopped later that day, but all our tests came back positive. Both of my parents however had it bad. They were in bed and coughing up a storm while I was feeling fine after a couple of days. Their symptoms only stopped a couple of days before our quarantine ended.

I will admit at first, I was happy I got it. I was going to be at home for the next ten days and I thought I would enjoy that. But, boy was I wrong.

The first few days were great, but then I realized how much daily interaction I was missing. I did not get to talk to anyone except my parents for ten days and by the end of it I thought I might go mad. My entire day consisted of me just staying in my room with my eyes fixed on a screen either it be my computer doing schoolwork or phone watching shows. One can only do that for so long until they start to lose it.

The online schooling part was okay. It was easier than in person because you have the situation where you are home, and everyone knows how that goes for tests and quizzes. I did feel like I learned less though and that is mostly because the teacher has most of the class in person, so they are teaching them first so for classes like math and science I felt like I was behind a little. Luckily, the only thing I have had to make up since I have been back is a vocab test and a physics lab.

This experience has taught me a lot in many ways. It first has taught me to be more aware of this virus. Since this pandemic began I never fully 100% thought I could ever get it. This virus is no joke and seeing my parents get it gave me a little scare because they are not the youngest bunch. So seeing someone I love to get it gave me a fright.

Yes, they are fine now but each cough they took gave me anxiety because what would I do without them? In a way it has gave me a new perspective and that I need to spend more time with them because you never know when that time will run out. It also showed me that I need to be more appreciative of my time at Elder. I already have had a year taken away from me due to the start of the pandemic and now getting the virus just took off another week.

I only have a year and a half before I graduate and potentially never walk through its halls again. I need to take advantage of this year and a half and make the most of it. I need make this year and a half I have left count because I will never get it back. Ever.