The question I have asked throughout quarantine is, how are we gonna proceed after we are able to leave our houses again and hang out with people we haven’t seen for months? Will we forget how to drive and use manners, or all be introverts who feel more comfortable inside our own houses? Lots of people are coping differently while being forced to stay inside their houses. Some are ignoring it and continue to hang out with people, some constantly watch Netflix and eat food all day, and others are forced to work due to them being essential.

Something I have found annoying is the people who are ignoring the fact that we have to stay inside and be patient like everyone else. Protesters and some of my fellow classmates are ignoring those rules. I understand that it is not easy to sit around in your house and wait for a couple weeks till we are allowed to leave again, but there are a lot of apps where you can call or FaceTime your friends. For the past few nights I have seen people in groups in my grade go out and post a ton of pictures, and even though they are already outside of their houses it is obvious that they are not six feet apart. So I just want to put out a reminder that even though it is hard to sit around and be patient, just wait so we can stay safe and hopefully get to leave our houses sooner than later.

Personally, quarantine has not been very eventful for me, so I have gone on Netflix and TikTok way too much. While being glued to a screen it is very easy to snack and not watch how much you are eating. I am pretty positive that all kinds of streaming apps like Netflix are loving quarantine, because I know quite a few people, including my family, who sit and stream all day and that helps the companies who are providing the possibility to stream.

Essential workers are our true heroes these days. People working in hospitals need so many thank-yous and just need to know how grateful we are for them. Although teachers are stuck at home and planning the rest of the school year for us, there are still quite a few people, including my aunt, who have to go to the school every day to provide lunches and make sure that kids who don’t have meals coming in consistently are being provided with food.

I do not know anyone personally who has the coronavirus and I hope it stays that way, and I hope that whoever is reading this found something that you related to and I hope that you are staying safe and finding ways to keep entertained. Just remember that although it might be tough to be patient, the more we listen to rules, the quicker we hopefully get to leave our houses.

—Allison

Share your own story here. Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with other people. Be part of the Teen Health & Wellness Personal Story Project—like Allison did above—and share your story about successfully dealing with or overcoming a challenge.