Coronavirus Diaries is a series of diary-type entries written by students and staff documenting the day to day activities and experiences in quarantine. If you are interested in submitting an entry, contact us at [email protected] 

7:00 am – 9:00 am: I’m a semi-early riser, so I usually wake up around 7. Until 9, I use this time to read. I love reading, and the first thing I want to do when I wake up is submerge myself in another good book. Nearer to 9, I eat breakfast.

9:00 am – 9:15 am: During this time, my family gets together and read from the Bible. One of my younger siblings or I (there are 6 of us) choose a verse; we started in Proverbs, and are continuing through that book to begin. After, we then discuss our plans for the day.

9:15 am – 12:00 pm: This is my family’s “productive time.” I am signed up for the online version of EPF, and so I work on about four of those lessons a day. Afterward, I study for my other respective classes that we will be returning to April 14th. Usually, at about 11, we take a break and I read a chapter of Holes aloud to my younger siblings while we eat lunch.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: This is my work out time. I play field hockey and soccer, and so I spend this time running on the treadmill, weight lifting, and improving my technical and tactical skills in my sports.

1:15 pm –  3:00 pm: I am also a writer, so I spend the first 30 minutes after I shower typing up the sequel to my book, Luna V. Moon: Part Time Human. Afterwards, I handwrite more pages in book two and am hoping to finish soon. I recently have reached past 200 pages Luna V. Moon: In the Dark!

4:00 pm –  7:00 pm: This time is more towards free time. I either hang out with my brothers and sister, read, or finish studying. Sometimes I decide to bake and/or make dinner. My brothers usually opt to play video games 🙂

7:00 pm: This is roughly dinner time, and my dad comes up from the basement. He’s a real estate agent, so he makes calls and podcasts downstairs for his work. 

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: After dinner, we watch a family movie together; although this time is reserved for historical documentaries, to further our education. Usually, they are hour-long episodes of a certain historical time period or of a significant figure’s life. For example, we recently finished watching a series on John Adams. 

8:30 pm – 9:00 pm: After the historical documentary, my family watches something more light-hearted; usually it’s a comedic show, such as the Office.

9:00 pm: My siblings and I get ready for bed and fall asleep 🙂 

Although the world is in turmoil, we can each find little blessings throughout the day. Previously, my family was so busy with sports and school that we didn’t have very much quality time together; now, I am glad we see each other all the time (although they get on my nerves sometimes hahaha). I’m glad I have more time to read, I’m glad I can still stay in contact with my friends, and I’m glad for the people who are still healthy. I do miss my friends, teachers, and activities, and I am tormented with a feeling of helplessness for those infected with Corona, but the only way we all are going to rise out of this trying time is to focus on the positive and remain strong. This time has allowed me to grow closer to God, have more time for personal projects I previously had been too busy for, and have a little bit of a respite from the whirlwind that is life. I know life is strange right now, and probably going to get even stranger. Reaching for the light in the darkness, the one shooting star in the black void, is the only way to keep hope alive and come out of this trial of fire with bones forged of steel. Although humanity is weakened and loved ones are suffering, we will rise up stronger because of it.