8:30 A.M – This is the time my first alarm goes off (on weekdays), but I tend to snooze for another 30 to 45 minutes. 

9:30 A.M – I’m usually awake by this time, and I make myself breakfast. My favorites are parfaits and Chia pudding. While I eat breakfast, I scroll through the news on my phone. 

10 A.M – 1:30 P.M – This is my semi-productive time. I catch up on work from my classes, or work on assignments related to extracurricular activities. I’ve also been on somewhat of a cooking craze, and this is my time to experiment with lunch recipes. Recently, I made fettuccine alfredo, sweet potato chips and boba!

2 P.M. – 6 P.M – This is my “whatever time.” I can usually be found reading a new book or working on random projects. I’ve had more time to upload on my newly created Youtube channel, where I sing covers and originals (go check it out!). I also finally got around to cleaning my room and am working on redesigning it. It turns out I haven’t updated the style of my room since I was around 6, so the walls are still lined with garish pink hangings, old class projects and scribbled self portraits. I didn’t really notice it before, but since I spend a majority of my day within this room, I’ve spent some time updating it to reflect who I am now. 

6:30 P.M. – 8 P.M – I do a Zoom call with a friend from dance class, and we workout and chat! We’ve been pre professionally training in Bharatanatyam (an Indian classical dance) for around 11 years, and although we haven’t been able to go to the studio, we’ve been trying our best to hone our skills. We start out the workout with stretches and then practice some of our group and solo pieces. We finish with Chloe Ting’s ab workout on Youtube, which I highly recommend.

8:15 P.M. – 12 A.M. – After a quick shower, I eat dinner with my parents. While we eat, we call relatives from abroad on Zoom. My family is scattered in basically every corner of the world, so it’s hard to organize a time when we’re all available, but we make it work. Even though we don’t get to have a ton of conversation because of the sheer chaos of the call, I’m just glad to see their faces. On weekends, I watch movies with my parents before going to bed. I developed a recent interest in cinematography and film, so we generally try to watch critically acclaimed films from all over the world. My daily schedule is in no way concrete, but it bears semblance to a general routine that I try to follow as closely as possible. 

Today marks the 76th day of quarantine. It’s crazy to think that this will be in the history books one day – that our posterity will learn about the coronavirus epidemic and the implications that it had on society. The experience will be reduced to mere words and pictures on a paper. Living through it, however, has been a whirlwind in a multitude of ways. I want to start off by expressing my deep gratitude for all the brave individuals who are working on the frontlines and serving us in these trying times. My heart goes out to all the families who have been separated from their loved ones, to all the marginalized global communities who have lost access to basic resources, to those who have lost their jobs and struggle to make ends meet. If you are struggling or just need someone to talk to, just reach out! In this time, more than ever, we must find strength in each other and contribute back to our communities. 

Although the epidemic has taken a massive toll, I’m learning to roll with the punches and see the positives. There is something so beautiful about isolation. Instead of the usual traffic jams and hustle bustle on the interstate, I see the unhurried passage of cars. I see nature regaining its strength. I see introspection and a regained vigor for passions left behind. Above all, I see society pushing beyond partisan values in their conscious volition to quell this disease. It may take a while to attain a degree of normalcy, but I am a firm believer in the power of grit and the resilience of humankind. This too shall pass.