Since March of 2020, many countries, cities and towns have been plagued with the changes COVID-19 has caused. America, specifically, continues to struggle the most, with the highest global case numbers and only 11.5% of the total population being fully vaccinated, according to the National Public Radio (NPR). Despite these struggles, Americans stay hopeful to a life without the daily challenges COVID has wrought. 

Junior Hallie Watkins believes that life will never return completely back to the way it was before the outbreak, however, she hopes that in the next year or so we will be able to feel safer doing everyday activities. The biggest change Watkins has experienced due to the pandemic is limited visits to family members. 

“COVID has completely changed my life,” Watkins said. “The biggest change would be that I have not been able to see my grandparents as much as I would like. I’m scared to go around them because I do not want them to catch anything.”

Despite the pandemic changing almost everyone’s life for the worst, science teacher Duane Knoll found positives in the madness. Knoll says that the lockdown and the pandemic has offered his family the chance to hang out more often.

“For the last year my family and I have spent more time together than in the previous five years. We have had game nights, binge watched many series on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and CBS All Access, and spent more time actually cooking together in the kitchen,” Knoll said.

Knoll says that he is hoping family bonding will continue after the pandemic, however, these are not the only practices he hopes will continue when the pandemic is over. In a study of 74 students, 66.2% of them said that they hope everyone will continue to stay home when they feel sick even after the pandemic concludes. 

“I think that after the virus, we all need to take not feeling well more seriously and stay home if we feel like that,” Watkins said.

However, Knoll and Watkins say that they know not everyone will continue safe practices or pre-pandemic practices after the virus. 

“I think that depending on the crowd, would depend on how they handle things,” Watkins said. “Personally with the crowd I am in, I think we will all continue to try and stay safe.” 

This month, we will pass a year of living with COVID-19, lockdown and quarantine. Both Knoll and Watkins have small and big plans alike that they are looking forward to. Watkins says that she would like to take her grandma on a shopping spree, where Knoll is ready to see the world again. 

“When COVID is over I would like to travel someplace I have not yet visited,” Knoll said.

Among the many changes COVID-19 has made to everyone’s daily lives, lessons were learned. Knoll said that COVID-19 taught him to face adversity with positivity, it is the only way to get through it. Watkins has been taught to value time and memories. 

“The biggest life lesson I have been taught so far through this virus would be to never take anything in life for granted,” Watkins said. “Cherish everything you have because one day, important things in your life will have to go away. Every moment counts.”