Sometimes life gets tough. With COVID-19, having to stay at home and being isolated from everyone, it can be hard to stay positive. However, there are always two ways to look at any situation – focus on the bad or choose to see the good.

For many people, being stuck at home creates some difficulties. There’s so much time being spent alone, missing friends and the people we usually see every day. Although it’s normal to feel upset and sad about the situation, there is a great opportunity to make the most out of what we have been given.

The truth is, what we have been given is a lot of time. Time to either dwell on what is happening or time to better ourselves as individuals. Many times in life we are given this choice and we have to choose for ourselves if our happiness is greater than our fear.

For many people, this time is for growth. Time to grow closer to family, for religious individuals time to grow with God, and very importantly, time to grow oneself.

Being stuck at home with family may seem a little difficult at times, however, this time is precious. We can use this time to pay attention to our siblings more, play board games, go on walks, be with the people we love and have the time to do things we usually don’t do.

“During this time at home, I have re-discovered my passion for the arts. Because of this, I have decided to make cards for the workers and patients in the hospitals to help bring joy in this tough time and give them a reminder that there is a bright future ahead,” said freshman, Amanda Reeves.

For some, this is an opportunity to help others. There are many individuals making cards, sewing masks, and raising money to give to the hospital workers that have been working day to night taking care of the sick.

With friends, it’s complicated. It’s tough not being able to see them, especially when we usually see them daily, however, maybe this is the time to strengthen friendships. It’s the time to call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, FaceTime your desk partner or even group video chat with your friends while watching a movie. Yes, it isn’t the normal we are used to, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing.

Right now isn’t a normal time for anybody. None of us are used to the lifestyle we now need to adjust to. However, there’s a silver lining in every situation and we should rethink our idea of normal. Shouldn’t being with family, going on walks, waving to neighbors be a “normal” thing? Shouldn’t taking time to focus on our health be something we can always make time for?

Self-reflection can often be taken lightly. Usually, we are so occupied with school or focusing on others’ needs before our own. It’s amazing that we can be there for others, however, everyone needs some time to focus on themselves every once in a while.

In this circumstance, where we have so much isolation time, it’s a great opportunity to think about our own identities and take care of our mental health. Maybe this means doing face masks every night, binging favorite t.v. shows, or whatever it takes to give ourselves a break from all the craziness in the world.

Simple things and parts of our daily routine, like going outside, hanging with friends, or walking to class usually go over our heads. Now, when we no longer have that freedom or those privileges, we recognize how much we miss them and how grateful we are.

“With everything going on right now, I’ve gained a new appreciation for how much people mean to me. For instance, because I can no longer see the friends I am usually with on a daily basis, I’ve realized how big of a role they play in my life,” said Reeves.

Even with all the bad happening right now, we can still recognize what is good. The truth is, we can’t see light without any darkness and the time we have right now is a gift. Doctors, nurses, scientists, and the front-line are working very hard to help the world battle through this difficult situation, so all we can do is stay inside and stay positive. Even when we can’t see it, there’s always a piece of good in every seed of bad.