When 2020 began, many people were filled with great optimism. It was a new decade, the start of a new chapter. People felt like this was their opportunity to right their wrongs of the past. Many saw this as a motivating factor to pursue their dreams. Some looked toward November, where they felt like this could be the start of a new presidential administration.

However, just three months into the new year, everything changed. People were either dying in rapid succession or unable to leave their homes. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been swift and harrowing. It has got caused a lot of us to think about where we are and where we're going.

I had many plans this year just like everyone else did. I was going to get a new place and I was looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life. This is a situation where I've been forced to put my plans on hold. The one thing that's been comforting, in a weird way, is knowing that I'm not alone. It's been oddly reassuring to hear that other people around the world are going through the same thing. Obviously, I'm not happy any of us are going through this. But there is some comfort in knowing you're not alone.

This whole experience reassured me what a strong-willed person I am. It's taught me how much my happiness and fulfillment means to me. I refuse to let this pandemic stop me from pursuing my future dreams. When all this is over, I plan on resuming my life plans just like before. I refuse to allow this roadblock to make me give up. I've always known I'm a strong person, but this experience has made me much stronger.

As a member of society, I really saw how ignorant a lot of people are. Not everyone wants to wear a mask. Not everyone social distances. Sometimes I think it's just ignorance, in which case there's always room to learn and grow. But I also think there are plenty of times where people are just being selfish. A lot of people know what they're risking and how to prevent it, but they still choose not to. They could just be a carrier whose asymptomatic and not care at all if they pass it on to other people.

I think everyone is very on edge right now. Whether it's a political discussion or the way celebrities are targeted right now on social media. I think everyone is charged up on a level that goes beyond what we normally see. I think a lot of people are looking for distractions that help them deal with their boredom. I also think people are taking out the stress of their current situation on other people. And obviously that's not a very healthy way to do deal with such a scenario.

This situation has put a lot into perspective for us. For me it's been about holding onto myself and staying strong. I catch myself looking on the positive side of things more often these days. I feel more optimistic that I ever did before. I think that's always been a strong side of who I am. But given our current circumstances, I see no other option but to look on the bright side of things. At least not if I want to maintain some form of sanity.

One thing I hear a lot of people talk about is how things will change going forward. Will our personal habits need to change once the pandemic is a thing of the past? I've always been a clean person. I'm always washing my hands and using Purell. I don't go anywhere without it. Therefore, I see no way for my personal behavior to change after this is over. However, I do think some global changes need to happen.

Right now, there are checkpoints in New York City for travelers coming in from other states across the country. There are also testing centers all around the city now. This is great, given how hard New York was hit at the start of this pandemic. But it shouldn't have taken this long for those safety measures to be put in place. These precautions should have been ready by the end of January, in my opinion.

I remember hearing about this virus in late December. Every state should've took action right away as far as I'm concerned. A lot of people were in denial about what was happening. And once people realized the severity of the threat, it was too late.

The one thing that needs to improve is preparation for future threats. As far as our basic hygiene habits are concerned, I don't think anything drastic needs to be made permanent. If anything, more people should wash their hands and use hand sanitizer. But I always thought that was just common sense.

This sort of virus isn't a common threat. It's called "novel" for a reason. I don't think permanently changing our usual behavior is the answer. What needs to happen is a vaccine or some form of treatment, like a prescription medication. Expecting people to always wear masks or keep six feet apart from each other permanently is unrealistic. We need treatment, a vaccine, and people in power to be better prepared if this threatens us again.