I started this semester ready for it to end. I was tired, sick, and stressed. I was ready to be at home for a while and have time just to rest. Little did I know it would end so soon.

I've learned a lot from this pandemic, and one of the main things has been not to take what I have for granted. Being on campus is like staying at an all inclusive resort for me: I have a meal plan, a place to stay, and all the activities I could desire. Yet, I still complained and wanted to go home. But when I finally got what I wanted, I found myself really regretting not taking advantage of what I had available to me in Starkville.

I feel like a lot of us can relate to this. It felt like we were just getting into the groove of school again after break, and we were finding a lot of new things to do and new people to love. I personally just joined a sorority and made a ton of new friends, and I was enjoying my life on campus a lot more than I had previously. Obviously, I was pumped for spring break. But I also didn't want to stay home forever, and I was looking forward to the things I had planned for the rest of the semester.

Once Corona fully hit and break was extended, I was still a pretty happy camper. I was glad to spend another week with my sweet boyfriend and hang out with my family. Then when classes shifted to online, I thought, "Okay, now I'll have time to rest and hang out with people I haven't seen at home in a while." Then they said these online courses would stick around to the end of the semester, and I started getting a little sad.

Yesterday, I moved out of my freshman year dorm. The parking lot was empty, the Union closed, and I saw a total of 10 people on campus. It was an eerie feeling. I wasn't ready for this yet.

Now more than ever is when people want to draw near to each other, but the virus makes that generally impossible. All the people I was excited to spend time with are now self quarantined or practicing extreme social distancing, and it makes me really sad.

So, I'd like to urge all of you to please take advantage of every situation you find yourself in. Even if you're a little unhappy where you are, enjoy it as best you can. I wish I would have stopped complaining my freshman year and instead started appreciating what I had.

Even in the midst of global crisis, we can still find ways to be joyful. Facetime a friend, read some books, spend time with family, or even just watch a show you've been meaning to watch. The world needs some positivity lately, don't you think?