I learned how to keep close ties from six feet apart.

Before quarantine, I found myself constantly surrounded by my friends and family. I would study at the library, spend Friday nights out, and explore the city of Stillwater, Oklahoma with my friends. I would also travel home to visit my family on the weekends. Looking back, there was hardly a day that I did not see my friends or family.

Since quarantine began, I have learned how to keep up to date with all of my friends and family solely through technology. I learned to be more patient and understanding that if we cannot be together in person, then we can be together virtually.

I learned to adapt to online learning. 

From kindergarten to my sophomore year of college, I lived in a home that had no wifi. I had a cell phone with unlimited data and that was it. During that period of my life, I learned to complete my schoolwork during an eight-to-five day, and to grow my intellectual abilities mostly through books. Starting my junior year of college, I moved to my own apartment at Oklahoma State University where I had 24/7 access to wifi. Even with wifi access, I chose to continue to take in person classes only due to my comfortability with it.

But since quarantine became a thing, I learned how to continue to be successful in classes that are solely online. I learned that online is not that different from offline, and you can stay in your pajamas all day!

I created healthier habits.

On average, I would consider myself to be a healthy person. But being healthy does not mean that there is not room for improvement. That is exactly what I have used my time during quarantine to do, improve my habits.

First, I changed my sleep schedule from an average of five to seven hours a night to seven to nine hours a night (and sometimes more!). Second, I changed my exercise habits from going on a run when school allowed it to going on three to four mile walks multiple times a week. Third, I changed my eating habits from one well rounded meal to three well rounded meals with one or two snacks.

I can prioritize me time.

Finding me time was a task that I found difficult before quarantine. I had to write it into my planner as if it were an assignment quite often. But during quarantine, I have been able to set aside more time to take care of myself better than I have before.

Now, I love to spend more time on my skincare routine, reading leisure books I have not had a chance to read yet, rediscover old passions such as writing or painting, and simply letting myself breathe during this stressful time.

I can prioritize my mental health.

Before quarantine, I never considered my mental health to be as important as my physical health, but now I consider it just as important. Now, I am much more aware of my stress, anxiety, and worries as well as how those factors are affecting my daily life. Being more aware has allowed me to improve my mental health and continue to improve it daily.

I learned to be stronger independently. 

Since beginning college, I have thought of myself as an independent person. But quarantine has made me realize that I am not as independent as I originally thought. It has made me realize that socially I am dependent upon my friends and family, and emotionally I am dependent upon my daily routine.

Once I realized that I am not as independent as I thought, I decided that I was going to take this opportunity to grow to explore and embrace independence more; which is exactly what I have done! I have learned to be flexible, patient, understanding, and more self-sufficient!