Is This Really a Pandemic or a Gimmick ?

Who would have known Spring Break would never end! Don't get me wrong, the idea of a never ending spring break would probably seem great if we weren't stuck in quarantine because of the coronavirus. That immature ideal ended though, when all our plans of returning to South Carolina State University to finish the semester abruptly ended. Parties, classes, graduations and several other things got cancelled and we got an extended summer that we didn't ask for.

 

My Friends and I on Spring Break Before We Knew We Weren't Coming Back to School

A lot of people didn't take the Coronavirus serious over this off time we call summer, myself included. Stores were still open and people were still living normal lives. Then, all of a sudden death rates of victims  who tested positive for the coronavirus increased.  Celebrities we were familiar with tested positive and even people near my city. Stores that weren't essential were closed, workers that weren't essential were asked not to go to work and mandatory curfews were set in place by Gov. Henry McMaster. 

After all that, I started to feel like things went from bad to worst. It seemed like we couldn't go anywhere or do anything. I began to worry if I'd ever be able to finish my last semester on campus but little did I know, that that hope would've gotten shot down too. Not only that, but the wrongful death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor made things hit home even worst especially for the black community. Being in quarantine made everyone around the world feel sad, hopeless and even angry.

Over the summer, I began to do a lot of self- reflecting since everything had seem to be taking a down turn. I learned a lot of things about myself that I didn't know as well I did others. I started to tap into my more creative side all while spending alot of time with my family doing so. I made sure to stay safe and keep my mask on as well. 

 

My Family and I Celebrating Mother’s Day 

I started to have so much fun it didn't even feel like there was a Coronavirus or pandemic. The death rates and infected people seem to have gone down ( I didn’t even here of anyone dying from it so I began to think it was a hoax) , stores were opening again and people were safely reporting back to their normal activity/lives.

Since everything seemed to be looking up I planned my 22nd birthday. I refused to let the “Coronavirus” ruin it. I planned a rose gold theme party the weekend before my birthday , got my first tattoo, had a birthday photoshoot and had a dinner party the day of my birthday. In preparation for all the birthday fun, I went Amazon crazy and bought a bunch of decorations .

Overall my summer turned out to be pretty great. I spent a lot of time with family, enjoyed my birthday, and discovered new talents. This pandemic, or should I say “gimmick” , has taught me that hard times will either make you or break you , but it ultimately depends on you and your own mindset.