The hardest part of this has been the inability to interact and socialize with some of my friends, and then losing friends due to the distance over the pandemic. Where I live, the rules are supposed to be mask on everywhere except when doing outdoor activities when alone, and business shutdowns for most of the pandemic. They were put into place roughly around April of 2020. For the majority of the pandemic, I did not leave my house; however, as things have started to improve, I now go to school for 4 days a week. I think the restrictions will most likely be entirely lifted by Spring of 2022. The situation has taken a mental toll, and I’ve definitely had my struggles. However, at the same time, the pandemic has been a time of growth and personal insight for me. I’m not particularly glad about being at home, and it does become rather boring often. To pass the time, I’ve taken up regular exercise, and spend plenty of time listening to music. School has mostly been virtual, however recently we adopted a “hybrid” model, allowing students to return to school or stay virtual, and that has worked rather decently; I like being in school a lot. People where I live generally do not follow the rules to the fullest extent, however at the very least people will wear a mask when prompted. My advice for others is to simply stay patient.