1. There were a lot of people who helped.

No one could've said it better than Mr. Rogers when he said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things on the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" I had always loved that quote, and it couldn't be truer in a world faced by a pandemic. This time period is scary, and people lose their lives daily from the virus that has put the world at a stand-still.

But there are some really good people out there trying to help as much as they can. Nurses and doctors are caring for sick people, epidemiologists are searching for a cure, seamstresses who had never sold a piece of their work in their lives are making masks for people to wear to stay safe, and teachers have done everything they can to aid students learning from home.

I hope professors tell their students that although there was a lot of bad, you could look around and see countless stories of individuals risking their lives or making sacrifices just to make some people's burden a little lighter.

2. There was more creativity than the world had seen in a long time.

Just when I began to think that the world was far too short on its supply of artists, we all were given a unique chance to become one. People began drawing, writing, and creating so much more than before (myself included). Dancing on TikTok became the new norm.

Some of my friends from high school started a YouTube channel, a blog, and Instagram accounts to share their work. People had to find new ways to entertain themselves, so the world started to create again.

3. Loneliness and boredom were bitter-sweet feelings.

With every instance of loneliness and boredom came a moment of gratitude to have things worth missing. It was terrible to feel so alone and to have the days drag on, but those feelings only served as reminders of the people that made us feel not so lonely and the things that kept us entertained before we had to stay at home.

They were truly bittersweet emotions.

4. Elected officials are important. We realized that we need them more than ever during a crisis, so we need to vote for the right ones.

OK, I'm not going to get super political on you here. I'm not going to say who I think is doing a good job or who could be doing better, but I will say this: a few months ago, hardly anyone knew who their governor was. No one really thought anything of it.

If we've learned anything about government during this time, though, I hope it's the importance of picking elected officials that care about the wellbeing of ALL people. And the only way that we can ensure that those people get into office is by voting for them. I hope professors are able to remind their students of that once this has all passed, too.

5. We still found ways to celebrate.

Anyone who is graduating during this time is sure to tell you how saddened they are by the cancellation of their graduation ceremonies and missing out on the last moments of their senior year. And they have every single right to be. I know I would. And I know that my brother, who is also a senior in high school, is saddened by his losses, too, even if he doesn't show it too often.

But despite all that, we found ways to celebrate those students. I know it pales in comparison to in-person ceremonies and hugging friends on the last day of school, but socially distanced ceremonies allowed graduates to celebrate themselves and their achievements.

For my brother, we get to watch a video presentation at the drive-in near us to celebrate him. In addition, some of those who had birthdays got to experience drive-by parades or Zoom parties. We had to get pretty unique with our celebrations, and although they're not the same, I still think that they're pretty special.

6. We held onto the little things a bit tighter.

I can't even begin to explain the excitement that I felt just to get a coffee at the drive-thru Starbucks again. A coffee. I was absolutely ecstatic to do the thing that I had been doing multiple times a week for months on end at school before any of this happened. I had never felt that happiness when ordering a drink before. And that goes for everything.

I'm grateful for every text message that I get asking how I'm doing, every Netflix Party call that I get to experience with my friends, and every time I get to hop in my car and drive to the grocery store. And people all around me feel the same, I'm sure. People began to feel thankful for things that they had done without a second thought before a global pandemic wreaked havoc on their lives.

7. People became a whole lot more loving.

I guess that this one is more of a hope. I hope that people come out of this and hug their loved ones a little tighter. I hope that we will always remember to thank every minimum wage worker and tip them a little extra on the busy days.

I hope we never again take for granted the sounds of a crowd cheering at a ball game, the look of the lights dimming before a movie begins at the theater, or the smell of dinner cooking while the whole family, from all over the world, comes together to eat again.

I hope at the end of all this we celebrate, and we never forget what it was like to be so far apart for so long. I hope that we all come out of this a little bit more loving.