Day #9: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

My day started at exactly 2:47 p.m. with rays of sunshine coming through my window. I immediately knew that this would be a good day because of the weather. The forecast said that it would reach 60 degrees, so I was obviously excited. I started my day right by adding another checkmark to my hand in black Sharpie. It may seem a little bit grim, but this is how I’ve been keeping myself sane.

Other people are having a lot of trouble with this worldwide unprecedented situation, but, being the introvert that I am, I am having the time of my life. I’m upset that I am losing time with my friends and family, but I am so grateful that I have not been personally affected by this pandemic. I understand that staying away from others is a different battle for different people, but I wish that people would do their part and stay inside to stop the spread.

Now that I’m off my soapbox, I’ll get back to my journal: it was time for me to have breakfast. I had a beautifully homemade sandwich. Having breakfast at 3:00 p.m. is weird for others, but I’m a night owl and have cemented myself into a routine of about 3:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Following my meal, I sat on the couch and worked on the scarf I’ve been crocheting for the past week. I half-watched some TV while I was working to maximize my entertainment.

Once I got bored of my scarf, I decided to call my friends and try to get a socially-distanced bike ride going. To my surprise, I was able to convince two friends to come out and enjoy the weather with me.

I pumped up my bike tires for the first time in seemingly ever and headed over to my friend Alex’s house. My other friend Mia met us on the bike path, and we rode and enjoyed each other’s company. It was inspiring riding around the neighborhood seeing people having barbecues in their yard while still staying six feet away from each other or people going for a run together. Even if I couldn’t get within six feet of some of my best friends, I was so happy to watch the sun set with people I love dearly.

It’s hard not to be negative when you can’t invite your friends inside because it’s getting cold. It’s hard not to be upset when you have to leave the wallet your friends left in your backpack on the front porch instead of handing it to her. It’s hard to be living in a time like this. There’s no one to blame, and there’s nothing you as an individual can do to change it. It’s frustrating to see people on social media having a “Quarantine Party” when they should be at home stopping the spread of this virus. People never want to do their part until it affects them personally. The thought of someone I love getting this virus because of something I did terrifies me. As teenagers, we aren’t the generation who has to be worried. We should be proactive and socially-distance ourselves to protect our parents and grandparents.

After the bike ride, I watched a movie with my mom and had popcorn for dinner. Having time to do whatever I want is very rewarding, but I do miss school and my teachers.

As I work at a local shelter and I am a foster family, I have a quarantine kitten, Marley. I am seeing firsthand the unintended consequences of shelter-in-place. There are so many animals stuck in the shelter, and it truly breaks my heart.

I ended my day with another movie and another craft project: Fred: The Movie and baby blocks. Making baby blocks is a family tradition that stops for no global pandemic. My aunt and uncle had my tenth first cousin yesterday, and this is our way of welcoming Anna to this crazy world. Happy Spring Break everyone!