Covid-19 has affected all of us. No matter your age, race, gender, the virus has changed all of our lives. Who would’ve guessed Friday, March 13 2020 would be the last day in the classrooms for the rest of the school year. No one was prepared for what had happened. Teachers spoke with uncertainty, kids scrambled in confusion but odd excitement of a possible “two week break.” Nobody quite knew what to expect for the Greater Latrobe School District, or more importantly, the world.

After that Friday, worldwide relationships were coming apart from the seam. The virus had distanced friends, families, boyfriends, girlfriends, enemies, everyone imaginable. It is the heartbreaking truth that not only did this pandemic affect us all physically, but mentally as well. Everyone tried their best to stay together in this time of separation. It was mentally draining not to have the social lives modern day teens knew and loved. Through long FaceTime calls, video games, sharing memes, late night texting conversations, the world found its way to stay together. The sad fact is, none of this really made up for that sense of incurable loneliness we had felt. We craved real life scenarios, not just virtual.

The first interaction felt euphoric. It was almost dreamy to be with another human being, who did not live in the same household. The nostalgia of being with one another once again was like waking up on a spring morning to see the snow of a long, harsh, winter melting away. It was like meeting a stranger and spontaneously having everything in common with them. They have lived a life without you for so long, and it was time to catch up: Finally being able to release the tension of being locked up for so long. Finally able to finish that conversation that may have taken place months in advance.

Most say, including society and social media, the virus has torn us apart. I have to disagree. I believe it brought us closer together. What once we took for granted we now deeply appreciate, and all went through hard times together and came out on top. Though the virus is still out there, we are getting through this. America, and the rest of the world, has never been so close.