2020 has almost come to a close, and so far it’s been the worst. This doesn’t seem like the time to look at the glass as half full, but that is what we will do. This is not meant to neglect how difficult this year was. Lots of people have lost loved ones, some people are struggling, and some are just sad and scared. It is OK not to be ok right now. Just do your best with what you have and try and get through this. Now let’s talk about some positive stuff! 

Out of quarantine, many people get extra time with family, and because of COVID, people have become more creative on things to keep themselves occupied. The first positive thing I would like to focus on is John Krasinki’s Some Good News Youtube series that he created earlier this year. John is an actor who chose to create a series of videos to find good news around the world and show it to the public’s eye. These videos got a lot of love and they were truly inspirational to watch. The videos showed people helping others as well as random clips of people having fun and enjoying themselves even during the quarantine. One of these random video clips involved John picking videos each week of someone talking about the weather and trying to lighten the mood. It was sometimes a little kid with a suit on, talking about how sunny it was, and sometimes it was a teenager. Elijah Tolton who is a student at CHS said, “The weather clips brought me thoughts of a better time.”  The best part about it all was that he was bringing people together even at home. This is just one of the many creative ways people have tried to help brighten others’ days during the quarantine. 

Everyone has had to find ways to get rid of their boredom. One of those ways has definitely been Netflix. During quarantine, people got to bond over the show Tiger King. Not exactly sure how people connected through that show because it was some of the craziest stuff ever but it worked. Also, drive-in movies made a little bit of a comeback because all of the movie theaters are closed. There have been a few drive-in concerts around the country as well. Another very creative way people have adapted to the times is getting back to old hobbies. Reading, board games, and puzzles were definitely a good break from screens for many people. Of course, going on a walk or hiking has gotten people outside and getting exercise. Many people started sewing and even made masks for people who need them the most. 

People not only helped other people in the community but also helped many animals during quarantine by adopting pets. Everyone was definitely lonely and wanted someone to hug/pet. So people all over got dogs and cats to give their home a little more happiness each day. Ian Bolton said, “Adopting a dog helped me regain the sense of companionship from not seeing my peers.” Overall adopting a pet was a huge hit this year and it brought many people a lot of joy. There have been many negatives to COVID but when we all look back on everything that has happened each person can find some positive to what they have gone through.