As a teenager i'm here to tell you the true effect this pandemic has had on teenage life, being stripped from the ability to see friends and even go to school created new opportunities for people to change their lifestyles or find new skills. Although mine wasn't to achieve a beach body I found out a lot about myself and found a love for reading.

Books... A truly magical thing, an escape from reality that may not last forever but will remain within your heart and demands someone to use their imagination. This imaginative skill is needed in order to envision what the character sees within or the surrounding characters appearances. As I sit here writing about how much I love books i'm also indulging in Bruno Mars, "just the way you are" a song that leads me to think about some of the epic love stories my favorite couples in books have had. Whether it be Tate Collins and Miles archer from "Ugly Love" or Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham from "The Deal". These two romance books are honestly one of the only reasons I got through quarantine, as they were great outlets and helped pass the time. As a person who struggles with body dysmorphia and anxiety, authors such as Colleen Hoover, Elle Kennedy, and Penelope Douglas helped me find something to finally be happy about. When I tell you that I read all of "Ugly Love" in one sitting i'm not joking, I was feeling sad about myself and the way my body looked in the mirror yet found something so beautiful when I opened the incredible book Colleen Hoover wrote, it started a crazy addiction to books which to be completely honest "addiction" is the wrong word.

When someone is addicted to an act they indulge in it way too much losing parts of themselves within the process. I didn't lose myself I found myself. I found a better part of me, this new part of me began waking up early, drinking more water, going on ten thousand step walks, as well as lost 14 pounds. It's insane how one thing can make someone so much better, I hope others have had journeys such as mine when they find something they love.

Although with the start of school I haven't been able to open a book and sit down in read due to my busy schedule, I still love it so much and my newfound hobby never escapes my mind. Im thankful for people like Colleen Hoover who take the time to write such great stories that have such an immense effect on certain people. I highly recommend giving reading a chance, just find something you love or that sounds interesting and don't let those thoughts about schools forced summer reading take up any space in your mind! Don't forget to have fun, i'll be signing off now xoxo Lazara Caballero- Vilar August 20,2021!