COVID-19

The outbreak of COVID-19 is something that absolutely no one saw coming. I had finally reached the point in the semester where I had become used to everything. I was in a routine with my classes and workouts, and was feeling pretty confident about my grades, etc. This is my third semester here at High Point, and I'd say that this was the semester that really made me realize that I can't imagine life at any other school. One day, everything changed. I started hearing about this virus on the news and didn't think much of it, probably because of that "it will never happen to me" mindset. Then one day, we received an email from High Point that classes were cancelled for the semester. I was hoping that the Big South wouldn't cancel our spring season, but they did.

In the matter of a few days, I went from being a normal college student-athlete to an online student. I had to figure out ways to work out from home, which is hard without having the same resources available in a gym or at school. Having to transition to online classes was definitely not easy, either. Some professors expect us to do hours of work every day because of all of this "free time" we have during the day, but in reality some of us don't have as much free time as others. I spend a few hours every day working out, a few hours on homework, and the rest of my time is spent helping my dad at his work or doing things around the house to help my mom. Not to mention, everyone could use a little free time to unwind and relax as much as they can.

All of a sudden all schools were closed, and everyone is stuck at home. Many of us have never experienced something like this before. Everyone has to find new ways to live without exposing themselves to the virus.

During quarantine, many people have turned to the media for comfort. However, different things are being said every day. I personally don't even know what to believe anymore. Seniors in high school won't get to walk at graduation with their friends. People are losing their grandparents without even getting to say goodbye. The worst part is, nobody knows how long this will last. The media doesn't have an answer for us. Doctors don't even have an answer for us.

Social media has taken on a whole new meaning during this quarantine. Many friendships and relationships are relying on FaceTime and phone calls in order to stay in touch. Most kids in high school and even college are relying on TikTok, a social media platform on which funny videos are posted, to keep them busy. Everyone is most likely on their phone or looking at a screen for 90% of the day because what else is there to do?

Restaurants are closed, gyms are closed, and we wonder who will make it out of this quarantine without having to completely close down their business? The economy is struggling. People are struggling physically, emotionally and mentally.

Another thing that concerns me is mental health. Personally, this pandemic has caused my anxiety to be a lot worse. Sometimes I have a hard time sleeping because I worry about all the people in my life who I want to stay healthy and safe. This also makes me worry about people who have anxiety worse than mine. Not to mention, if this doesn't end soon, I am scared that suicide rates will skyrocket. Those people who rely on things like the gym and even social interaction as an outlet no longer have that available to them. In the matter of a few weeks, everyone's lives took a complete 180 turn.

Although I could come up with a million negatives about this virus, I can also come up with many positives. When I come out of quarantine, I will no longer take anything for granted. I will never take weekends at college for granted. I will never take even hanging out with a friend for granted. I especially will not take my family for granted, after watching so many other people lose their loved ones. Most importantly, I'm waiting for the day in 15 years when I hear my kids complaining about how "bored" they are. When this happens, I will sit down with them and tell them about the time in 2020 when there was an outbreak of a virus which resulted in everyone being on a stay-at-home order.

Information from: CDC