The Big Picture
by Jessica

As a young adult, I have many plans for my future because I am about to graduate. However, this pandemic definitely changed my plans. The beginning of this quarantine was very stressful for me because I had to adapt to online classes, I stopped going to my soccer and softball practices, my sleeping routine wasn’t good, and I had to think about what college I wanted to attend. I felt depressed because I couldn't go out and I felt demotivated to do my homework. After three weeks, I realized that I wasn't making any progress because I was spending too much time on social media, so I decided to do something good for myself.

Soccer Skills: I started to ask my coach for soccer lessons that I could practice at home. He sent me a challenge where I had to record myself practicing and send it to him. If I do the exercise right, I can pass to the next level. Each level gets harder, but I enjoy doing it.

Braids: When I feel bored and I don’t feel like doing homework, I like to braid my sister’s hair. I know how to do regular braids, but this time, I decided to try something new. It's difficult and takes time, but I am patient. I hope to learn more by the end of quarantine.

Makeup: I am not a person who uses makeup every day, but I started to watch makeup videos on youtube and practice on my sister. I enjoy doing it because I have to be patient and be really careful.

Food: Since my mother goes to work, my sister and I have to cook. I like to try many cooking recipes, but I really love to make pupusas because they are a typical food from my country El Salvador.

Zoom Meetings: I have Zoom meetings everyday because our teachers have to make sure we are completing our tasks and participating. I like this meeting because If we as students have any questions, we can ask our teachers. I also feel like I am in the real classroom with all my classmates.

My experience in this quarantine has taught me that even though I can’t go out, I can still be active and make progress from home. I have learned to manage my time. I don’t spend my time on the phone all day if I have homework to do, or I find something else to do that may also help me in the future.