While many anniversaries are looked upon fondly, the countywide anniversary of March 13, 2020, is one many students and teachers would rather forget. The date marks the last in–person classes Cherokee County students attended for the 2019-2020 school year, cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

While school was only meant to be shut down for two weeks, quarantine ended up lasting much longer than suspected.  Most stsudents expected to be back after the two-week period. Obviously, that was not the case.  

COVID-19 has brought many changes in the past year, but the one that I believe has affected me the most is wearing masks. Before the pandemic, I had never seen anyone wearing a mask. Now, I do not leave the house without one and have become accustomed to wearing it.  

Along with mask-wearing, the phrase “six feet apart” is something that has become a new way of life. Some musicians have even used this phrase as an inspiration for songs. Luke Combs, country singer, released a song, “Six Feet Apart.” It focuses on his quarantime experience and the struggles of staying away from loved ones.  

Before COVID-19, I was used to hanging out with friends and going to highly populated places without worrying about my health. Now, I am used to staying home and taking precautions whenever I do go out.  

One change that I do not believe will ever go back to normal is the way I shop. Before COVID-19, I spent hours at the mall browsing the racks, but I am not doing that anymore. Instead, everyone is shopping online, which many seem to enjoy more. It takes more effort to get dressed and drive to the mall than it does to grab a laptop.  

While these might seem like reasons to forget this infamous day, one of the saddest by far is the number of deaths that have resulted from this virus. Unfortunately, more than 516,000 lives in the U.S. have been lost due to this disease so far, and the numbers are only increasing.  

In a short amount of time, the world has changed in so many ways, and it will never be the same. There have been countless changes in the way I live, and there will be many more to come. While this year’s anniversary was not the best, I hope for a better one next year.