A wave of excitement fell over students across SISD as Superintendent Dr. Jose Espinoza announced that our spring break would be extended a couple weeks as a result of rising COVID-19 cases in our county.

Fast forward six months later, and we still lie in the limbo of our “extended spring break”.

I constantly ask myself, mentally and physically, did society need the world to be put on hold? Isolation during this pandemic has shown me that many of us needed a break from the break-neck speed of our daily lives.

Although feelings of uncertainty and nostalgia of how life used to be were present, I was able to work on my mental and physical health, self-reflect and take a breather. I developed a deeper understanding for myself, which in turn, helped me find ways to cope with our current situation that worked for me. Additionally, isolation gave me a new perspective for many things such as productivity, social media and the world around me as a whole.

I would tear myself down for not being as productive as others and found myself living off of false realities on social media rather than living presently. I learned that productivity looks different for everyone, that social media is merely a habit that does not add much to your life and that the way you’re feeling is normal and validated.

This period of isolation has affected my life, most importantly, by shifting my mindset on every aspect in life.

I can personally say that I am now closer to the best version of myself than I was before our world was put on hold. I can now appreciate the simplest things in life, show gratitude for the days that aren’t as sunny, and find companionship with everything around me whilst being in a period of isolation.