Believe it or not, it has been almost one year since Minnesota and the rest of the United States locked down due to the threat of the infamous Coronavirus. It is better known as quarantine: the time when we were all forced to hibernate in our homes for a few months and occupy ourselves with whatever amused us. In fact, some of us were so entertained during this period of time that we actually enjoyed it. Some even go as far as deeming this era nostalgic, which seems unrealistic given that we were (and still are) fighting a global pandemic. So what aspects of quarantine 2020 made it so memorable? Here’s a few that may jog your memory!

If there’s any day we remember the most from this time, it was the first one. The date was March 12th: the day when the COVID hysteria reached its breaking point. For many students, this was the last day of in-person school they would attend for the year. More unfortunate was the class of 2020’s case, as March 12th was their last day attending school in person. At some point in the afternoon, we all received an announcement via the loudspeaker at school saying that the next day, Friday, would be virtual instead of being on campus as planned. At first, it seemed like this was going to be a temporary thing, but the continuous updates that communicated we were going to be virtual for an extended amount of time convinced us otherwise. BSM’s first extended plan was announced on the following day, Friday the 13th. The many unknowns of the new virus had caused everything to shut down indefinitely, including our school and the athletic activities we participated in. It was no longer a matter of checking the red dots representing cases on a computer screen, for the virus had somehow made its way off of crew ships in coastal California to nearly two thirds of the 50 states. The reality of a widespread outbreak was just settling in.

The paranoia of the virus took a different turn after in-person school was tarnished. Instead of running their kids to their extracurricular activities, anxious parents hit the grocery store, buying every single toilet paper and lysol sanitizing package in sight. Toilet paper was now a nice present to gift to your neighbor, as it became very scarce to come by for a while. Grocery stores not only experienced a lack of household items but also were drained food-wise. Everything from fresh produce to canned goods were cleared out of aisles. One could barely buy pasta or bread, as the shelves in the stores were emptied by people taking excess amounts of them.

As the fear of Corona continued to unfold, us teens became increasingly bored by the day. Minnesota’s classic never-ending winter persisted well into spring, so it wasn’t like we could go for a nice stroll outside or bask in the hot sun. It was not surprising when we woke up to snow on Easter morning. Very fitting, at least for Minnesota. Anyways, because of conditions like this, we were confined inside on our phones, with nothing to do but join Google Meet classes and watch whatever Netflix came out with next. This was our new life for the following three months: extremely uneventful and filled with computer screens.

In terms of our phones, there really wasn’t much to do on them other than checking the news periodically and posting those “weird” Instagram trends on our stories. Some of these challenges included the “Until Tomorrow” trend where one posted a funny photo on their account with the intention of deleting it the next day, while the others included ways to burn time, such as drawing a carrot or random vegetable if nominated by a friend. TikTok was also a popular distraction- if you wanted to watch and do viral dances or see some good old COVID-19 dark humor. Over time, people began to get bored of these apps, leading them to the next biggest thing: Netflix.

Unlike many of our favorite pastimes, Netflix did not let Corona get in the way of keeping us entertained during quarantine. The first binge-worthy series to land on the streaming service was Tiger King, the hit reality show that caused everyone to become obsessed with a woman named Carol Baskin and her corny phrase “hey all you cool cats and kittens!” Though everyone was hooked on it for a while, the hype didn’t last, as two other equally addicting shows were released later in the spring. All American, was the next center of attention, as it told the inspiring story of a high school football team in California that overcame adversity to win a state championship. About a month after All American was released, another teen drama, Outer Banks, stole the show and people became obsessed with it. It was almost impossible to resist watching the show, as it was the only thing people talked about into the summer, not to mention the millions of teenage girls on TikTok debating whether John B or JJ was the true leader of the Pogues. People even went as far as dressing like the characters, as the coastal vibe of the show made all of us northerners want to pack up and take a trip to the lake. Together, all three shows managed to not only keep us happy but also ruin our sleep schedules. Late nights were a common part of quarantine, as time seemed to disappear as the warm air and summer crept closer.

On the non-technical side, some people indulged in various methods of self care during quarantine. This meant increased exercise and healthy eating, as many who partook in these habits developed a solid daily routine. Online school allowed people to take care of themselves more, with many of us being inspired by the balanced meals and foods posted by our peers on instagram. Along with the healthy foods came the not-so-healthy “innovative” ones. By innovative, I mean the creation of some substance called “whipped coffee” with some snacks that included “cloud bread” and “pancake cereal.” Who would have thought so many new culinary creations would come out of such a food-lacking time! But the people, mainly girls, who participated in these trends didn’t just treat themselves; they made sure to work out too! Many of these workout regimens included watching YouTube courses by an exercise influencer by the name of Chloe Ting, who taught many eager quarantiners how to build muscular and abdominal strength at home. Health habits such as these kept the serotonin flowing throughout this socially-restricted time.

Though the quarantine caused so much pain for a lot of people, it is important to recognize the goodness it did for many as well. People were able to spend a lot of quality time with their loved ones and family members, which bonded them closer in the process. As shown, many people discovered new passions and shared new ideas with others, which contributed to a healthier society. The more we look at the positive in life, the more grateful we are for things we tend to ignore and we tend to have a happier outlook on life. It is from lessons learned like these that we grow as individuals, to better ourselves as well as the society to benefit the future generations.