I am a high school senior and since March 12, I have known what it is like to feel as if my life has abruptly stopped and has slipped out of my own control. I have been in quarantine for a little over two months to date. It has been a challenging adjustment. I went from attending school and coming in contact with teachers and friends every day to attending Zoom calls, completing online assignments, meeting on Facetime, and spending my day’s entirety at home.

My daunting questions are around graduation, attending college in the fall, saying final goodbyes to friends, and about the health of loved ones are in play. Yes, I am part of the graduating class to make history, the class that had to sacrifice the bittersweet end of an important milestone due to this pandemic; but none of us asked to be guinea pigs.

While I have been sheltering, medical first responders are working tirelessly around the clock to save the lives of COVID-19 patients all around the world. These people are not just nurses and doctors, they are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, dear loved ones to their own families. They are constantly risking their own lives to put others first. Their days consist of tough decisions, attending to multiple patients, hardships, and dedicated efforts while preforming each task at hand. It takes immense amounts of strength, bravery, and resilience to put on their medical attire, which is now a days an entire body suit, and face the new obstacles each day may bring. These are our nation’s true heroes.

During these uncertain times with being kept in quarantine, I have created COVID-19 posters to show gratitude for doctors and nurses, along with providing hope and lifting up the spirits of infected patients. I plan to distribute them to South Shore Hospital and Mass General Hospital.

These posters consist of inspirational, motivational words, phrases, safety precautions, appreciation, and slogans produced in colorful displays to exhibit hope and positivity through this frightening historical time. These three posters above are titled “Thinking Ahead to Stop the Spread”, to show certain safety measures that are needed to be abided by in order to keep individuals safe, “Knock Out Corona”, which resembles the medical field symbol on a punching glove implying the hard work medical first responders put in to ending the spread of the virus, and lastly “Strong Powerful Survivors”, to show patients who have greatly suffered that there is hope and to keep fighting and believing in themselves that they can overcome any obstacle, specifically COVID-19.

I have two goals. My first goal is to put a smile on each patient’s face and for them to realize there are people out there besides their own loved ones who care and are willing to show support as well. My second goal is to help medical first responders feel that they are greatly appreciated and to give them the motivation to keep pushing through these difficult times.

Life is all about overcoming obstacles and learning new skills that will help us prosper. I believe that this obstacle, this hardship, this confusing time, is meant to be overcome. Our successes as the Class of 2020 will not be diminished because of this virus. COVID-19 can never take away our experiences, memories, and achievements accomplished over the years. We will always have those to reflect on.

I hope everyone continues to stay safe and healthy and make this a time where your true persona shines the most. Support those around you and shed some positivity. There are only amazingly bright futures ahead for us.