As a child, I would literally dream of the day when somebody would order me not to interact with other people. Nothing was more entertaining to me than playing alone with my imagination.
When I was a teenager, my parents used to joke that if they wanted to punish me, they'd have to take my books away and force me to socialize. Not much changed by the time I made it to college, and to this day, I would rather sit at home with a good book than exhaust myself with public socialization daily.
With that being said, I'd still like to go back in time and tell myself to be careful with my wishes. Like a stubborn toddler, the moment I was told to stay indoors during the upcoming weeks was the exact moment I decided I was now an extrovert.
(However, as soon this is all over with, I'm sure I'll be back to my introverted self.)
Unless you've been living in blissful ignorance underneath a rock, or you've participated in the filming of "Big Brother" and been shielded from the news, you already know that the big-bad-coronavirus has been sweeping across the globe.
On Wednesday, March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic. The following Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency in the United States. In a matter of just a few days, our country has had our reality pulled out from under us on multiple occasions.
One of the biggest new realities the vast majority of us have to face and adjust to is self-quarantine. You would think that as an introvert, I'm completely prepared for this type of situation. I'm sure many of my fellow introverts are with me when I say, there is no way you could possibly prepare yourself for this type of situation.
We can all stock up on food (while being mindful of leaving enough for others as well). We can have weeks upon weeks of entertainment lined up with Netflix, books, and even crafts. Heck, you might even have a zombie-apocalypse-bunker buried underneath your house that nobody knows about.
At the end of the day, nothing can prepare you for the mental and emotional implications that come from being ripped out of your routine and society with little to no warning.
Most providers for their families are feeling helpless in this crisis as it has left them jobless for the time being. Many students are left feeling isolated as they've lost the one place they could escape.
High school and college seniors are not only dealing with the cancellation of the one day they looked forward to for the last four years but the loss of time they were supposed to have left with their peers.
Teachers are panicking over how they can provide the best education for their students online.
Parents are overwhelmed as they take on the duo-role of parent and tutor. The list could go on and on forever.
Everyone is trying to do the best they can right now. As we all deal with this time of change in our own ways, I hope we seize the opportunity to come together as we're being torn apart.
Remember: practice good hygiene, stay safe, and remind people that you love them.
