2023 Print Edition I BelongMagazine.com by UniFIED Efforts

Life During the Pandemic

By Kamal Quickley

I was sitting at home around 4:00 p.m. one day, around the late spring of my ninth- grade year. I was 14. I chose to abandon the rest of the world, and what I mean is, I chose not to be outside so much. What made me decide that? I was very excited to hang with my friends before COVID hit. I could vaguely remember coming home around four o’clock, changing out of my school uniform, and doing schoolwork in the event that I had any. I'd go outside to hang with companions or whoever was outside playing basketball. Playing little rounds of one-on-one or group games or being on the playgrounds where everybody would play tag, chill, actually

really play on the playground, or simply play football in the field of the grade school around my home was great . Loaded up with giggles, we would all discuss with one another, talk about stories, tell jokes. Actually, every day we'd all go to the store and return with as many snacks as possible and share them all. It was always a good time. A few people abandoned their efforts to stay connected. I was one of those individuals. I lost interest in being outside with others; it was unpleasant. Why return to what I was doing when I could remain in the house and get into a

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