My Life During COVID-19: Trying To Find The Silver Lining

By Shannon Szefinski
Co-Features Editor

When I first received the email from Sacred Heart University about shifting to online classes, I was thrilled. 

For months I had been running myself ragged and this would be the perfect opportunity for me to get some rest. 

However, this feeling did not last long.

Every day I would get notifications upon notifications of companies closing or states shutting down and sporting events being canceled.

Reality began to set in and the perfect summer I had lined up would soon come to an end.     

Ever since I got the call from NBC Sports over winter break that I was chosen to be an intern for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics I have been counting down the days until I started.

Never did I think that anything would get in the way of me fulfilling my childhood dream. 

Rumors were starting to spread through the sports world about a possible postponement of the Olympic Games.

I would scan my phone of all the news notifications looking for the words Olympics or cancelled” to pop out at me. There it was: Tokyo Olympics postponed until 2021.” 

All I could think about was the feeling I had just three months ago when I hung up the phone after accepting the position.

I had run downstairs and screamed and jumped around with my mom because my biggest goal in life was about to become a reality. 

But now everything is uncertain.

I had always been that person who found the silver lining in every horrible circumstance, but I just cant find it anymore. 

I know that everything is going to work out the way it is meant to and I know for a fact that once this is all over I will never take anything for granted again. 

This time stuck in my house has given me perspective, that it’s not all about me. 

This is a tragedy for everyone across the entire world and no one is benefiting from this. 

In a strange way, this has brought us closer as a population and helps us appreciate one another a little more.  

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