Submitted by Stella from New Trier High School in Illinois.
I once heard someone say, "Where you are now will be different then where you are in 6 days, 6 weeks and 6 months." They were 1000% right. I heard this right around my eighth grade graduation last June. I had always known that exact phrase from that day, and I will always remember it. That day, I cried, I was happy, I was sad, I was forgetful, I was so many things.
Today I am something so different and it goes to show you how fast things change and how quick things turn. 6 days after my graduation, I started this tennis summer program at my new high school. I was so excited that when I got there I instantly started to make friends. Within the first week a super nice girl asked for snap and I was so excited she wanted to be my friend. I met some other girls that summer and at the end of our tennis program we went for lunch together. Today I am still friends with most of them too and I am so glad I met them. That was 6 days from graduation. That is a positive thing, right? Well hate to burst your bubble but not everything is so smooth. 6 weeks from graduation, pretty much done with my tennis program, got a new backpack to start high school off right, took a trip to Georgia to see my family. You could say I was having the best august ever.
Fast forward, 6 months from graduation, Im well into my freshman year of high school and to be honest, it was rough. Making friends was not that easy, getting cut from teams I put waaaayy to much effort into, and discovering the kinds of things that come with going to a massive school. Within half a year, 26 weeks, it felt like nothing, however so much had changed.
Now I am more happier I have ever been and I have the friends and Instagram pics to prove it. Anyways, you are probably so sick of hearing about my life so I am going to leave with a peice of advice. Right now, is obviously a tough time for everyone. Hethcare workers are working their butts off while teachers are struggling with a new way of teacing. Parents are WFH (working from home, for those who dont know quarantine slang) and so are their kids. This is a whole new lifestyle that everyone is experiencing together. But think about it like this: 6 days, 6 weeks, and 6 months from now, we don't know what school will look like, we dont know if anything will change. But we dont need predictions to tell us how to live our lives. Every day, or every couple days remind yoursef where you were 6 days, 6 weeks and 6 months ago. Weather you were happy then or struggling think about it. 6 days ago I was home, probably playing rummikub which is my new favorite game by the way.
I remember starting to see more people outside in masks and more social distance, which made me happy. That could mean seeing my friends sooner, I miss them tons! 6 weeks ago, was the exact week we were told to go home, and pack all of our stuff in our lockers up. We were told to take everything. Some kids were yelling and screaming in excitement while others were sad sports were over and clubs were cancelled. Now, six weeks later we are in a remote learning groove, where some sports are doing Zoom conditioning and online practices in everyones backyards. A few clubs are meeting online while other are cancelled completely. Now, six months ago, this Coronavirus was not big yet, and it was unknown as a pandemic by any adult. It spread so fast, and had caused many cancellations and issues towards everyone social and work lives. Now, 6 months from now, which is so far in the future, I am hoping things are somewhat back to normal and school is back in session. In 6 months it will be halloween time, but what will trick or treating look like? How will my baby cousin dress up to go get sugary candy she doesent need from the neighbors, if social distancing is still an issue? Everything we are used to doing is now either virtual, or totally different. So take two minutes, on ur phone, a post it, or on a current work project or school assignment, (bc no one will see it) and write down your predictions. Make it a game, make it your own. But I promise from experience that just thinking about how good things could be in the future can make your day. If in 6 months you go back to the note you made, and your predictions are not even close to reality, then try for another 6 months.
Stella :)