March 28, 2020
By Victoria Niedbal
Managing Editor
The coronavirus outbreak has turned everyone’s daily life upside down. With school closings, businesses shutting down and a statewide curfew, I am struggling to adapt to the sudden changes. Simultaneously, this event is teaching me to appreciate the little things in life.
Prior to this pandemic, I never knew the true meaning of boredom. This all changed over the past few weeks when I was actually forced to stay home.
Laying in my bed while scrolling through TikTok and watching Netflix for endless hours sounded like a dream come true when I was in school. Going to work or waking up early for a long day at LHS never seemed like a privilege. Instead, it felt tiresome and sometimes even dreadful.
However, after I spent a few days in isolation, I began to realize the importance of each component of my life, such as school or track practice. Without the possibility of having these experiences anytime soon, I had to find other ways to entertain myself.
Senior Victoria Niedbal plays fetch with her playful Yorkie Lucky in her backyard on March 26.
I found myself bonding more with my parents and younger brother. Despite the fact that I live with them, busy schedules had limited our interaction with one another. Now, we are practically forced to spend time together, whether it be watching movies or playing outside with Lucky, our energetic and fun-loving Yorkie.
Going on 30-minute walks or runs alone in the park has saved me from losing my sanity. I never noticed how peaceful half an hour outside could be, and ever since I got my driver’s license, walking was something I never did.
I’m realizing I am not the only one turning to the outdoors, as I have noticed that most of the town’s residents have been relying on nature as an escape. People’s outdoor presence has increased since everyone is looking for some normalcy and routine.
Simply playing a board game or chatting with my family over some bowls of ice cream has relieved even my deepest sense of loneliness and boredom.
Additionally, much of the content on social media is now focused on workout routines and tips to increase one’s physical activity. In fact, I have tried some of these myself as a way to stay active and limit my screen time.
Although social distancing is challenging, I believe it will allow me to continue learning more about myself and realizing that happiness does not require extravagant activities. Simply playing a board game or chatting with my family over some bowls of ice cream has relieved even my deepest sense of loneliness and boredom.
The past few weeks have also led me to find out that I have a love for baking and trying new recipes with my mom, which has made our relationship stronger than ever. Additionally, it has led me to realize how little time I spent with my family before the pandemic.
Although I am sad that I only get to see my friends on FaceTime, I am grateful to have this time with my parents and brother before I head off to college. I know these hard times will pass, but the memories I am creating and the appreciation of life that I am developing will last a lifetime.
