Where Has the Time Gone ... and Where Will It Go?

Since the start of the pandemic and our almost immediate quarantine since arriving home, it seems as if the universe has thrown everything our way. We're continuing to deal with a global health crisis, movements of all kinds, and confusion over what ever happened to those nasty murder hornets. It's all happening at once. And we seem to have no idea what is going to happen next. Everything is going up and down, left and right, in all directions. Everyone is in the same boat, lost and confused about what their next moves should be.

In just a few days the months will move forward and it will be July. For most, this would usually mean the summer, fun, and maybe even work, internships, or online classes. But, this year is much different than the summers we had growing up. For most, these things have been put on hold indefinitely. While New Jersey in particular works in phases to open back up, we find ourselves wondering when things will have some sort of normalcy.

Personally, the usual exciting Target trips have almost become a hassle and (I am not going to lie) I have eaten more chicken nuggets than ever just to leave my home. But, what's truly pulling at my mind is the decision Rutgers has yet to make. Right now, my immediate future is uncertain. While, I will be returning to school in the fall, I am not sure to make of what that experience will be like. If we end up learning remotely, everyone will have to adjust to learning completely online, dependent on their Internet and Google more than usual. If we end up on campus with certain limitations and new rules, it will be a new environment to acclimate ourselves to. Regardless of the decision, things are going to be and feel different than they have in the past. I have always been an optimist yet with everything going on I am not sure what to think. If I am going to be even more honest, I am afraid. I want more than anything for things to go back to normal. But they simply cannot.

But, just because there is so much uncertainty in our lives right now, does not mean we have to continue to live in fear of our future. People need to live in the moment. While quarantine has been tough and many things have been cancelled or postponed, there are memories that can still be made today. For instance, today was a day spent painting my kitchen and to be honest in the end my dad ended up redo-ing everything without the help of my sister and I; we were more of a distraction than any sort of help at all. The day was filled with fun and laughter and excitement, things that we could all use nowadays.

Time has flown by and we have no idea what will be thrown our way next. But, what we do know is that we need to take each day as it comes. Things are changing, for good and for the better. We only need to see it for ourselves.