Nothing huge has changed since quarantine, except for one thing: school. I miss going to school, not necessarily for the learning but being with my friends, and of course, getting out of the house for seven hours. Being away from home was a time I considered my own time. Now, I’m home most of the time, unless we have to go somewhere. It’s so weird how I communicate with my friends now, with the changes. Our communication is either through a text or our online group class. At least I get to talk to them a little bit, but it isn’t the same as being in person. I bet we all miss our friends from school and wish we had until the end of the year with them.

For me, friends are everything. I go to them for mostly everything. If I were having a bad morning, I would talk it out with my friends, and they would do the same. I could express how I feel. Now, I don’t have that time with my friends in person. So, I feel like I have no one to talk to. It’s as if I have my emotions stored away to share until I see them again. My friends were always so helpful, encouraging, and always knew what to say.

During this quarantine, I have learned to value many things, and one of them is valuing friendship in the moment. Friendship is valuable because it’s an opportunity to learn about myself and others as well. Friendship can also help you improve your self-confidence. A true friend is also one of the most precious gifts that anyone can have in life.

—Ayleen

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 Ayleen did above—and share your story about successfully dealing with or overcoming a challenge.