Time goes by much slower these days.

Sometimes I don’t even know what day it is, because all the days of the week seem to mesh together. And other times, the days of the week go by so slowly, it feels like you have ample amounts of time to get things done, yet you never do.

I’ve always been one to move at a fast pace. I hate taking things too slowly, and I never give myself enough time to stop and enjoy the little moments in life.

But a time like this gives you all the opportunities to do so.

You tend to forget about all of the privileges you have when you get to live with those opportunities everyday. As soon as they’re taken away from you, you panic and realize how much you’ve taken for granted.

I miss walking outside with my roommates and enjoying the fresh air on our way to 8 a.m. classes, and I miss Thursday game nights in Murray Hall with all of my closest friends.

Now, I can only reminisce on those times.

If I had known that March 17 would be the last time seeing my friends until next semester, I would have hugged them a little tighter and talked a little longer.

The silence in my room reminds me of a time before I moved to college, when it was just my family and I.

But the world is so much bigger than that. College opened my eyes to new people, some of whom I consider to be some of my closest friends.

These days in quarantine have given me time to reflect on those who mean the most to me, and that list has only gotten longer since going to college.

No one knows when this will all be over, but when it is, I plan to take more time to enjoy the little things in life. Nothing will be taken for granted once quarantine is over.

Leila Weah can be reached at weah7721@Stthomas.edu.

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Leila Weah is a first-year journalism student at the University St. Thomas. She is in her first semester of TommieMedia and will return as a reporter in the fall. Leila enjoys interviewing people and writing stories for TommieMedia. Leila is isolated with her family in Albertville, Minnesota.