As the second marking period gets underway, students yearn for the holiday season. With COVID-19 guidelines still in effect, it is crucial to be thankful now more than ever.

One might wonder how to stay thankful at a time like this. Senior Nazanin Taheri sheds light on the matter. “I think that in order to stay thankful, you need to occupy your time doing the things you love the most. In a safe way, of course, one should take the time to create memories that will last a lifetime; you never know when your time is up,” Taheri said.

The pandemic has made individuals frantic and stressed, for no one knows what is to come. Students partake in various activities, with hopes to liberate the tensions caused by COVID-19. “After all of my classes are finished, I go to the park near my house to play basketball, as long as it’s nice outside. I have also recently been going to Topgolf with my friends and it is always a fun activity. I am thankful I found a few activities to keep me occupied during times like these and that I am able to see my friends,” sophomore Sebastian Rodriguez said.

Shortened class time and school off on Wednesdays call for additional leisure time. Individuals express their gratitude towards the flexibility in their schedules due to the pandemic. “Ever since we went on lockdown in March, I have had a lot more time to draw and sketch. Although I miss being in school and seeing my friends everyday, I have found a positive out of it. I am almost out of pages in my sketchbook that I started at the beginning of my sophomore year. In other words, I am very thankful to have this much free time to do what I love,” junior Maddison Hosking said.

There are several methods that one could take in order to stay calm and give thanks during these times of uncertainty. One of these approaches includes ending each day with a reflection on what to be thankful for, leading up to Thanksgiving.

Students share their endeavors with this process. “At the beginning of November, I started writing down everything I have to be thankful for. It reminds me that even though we are experiencing unprecedented times, I should not take my life for granted. Each night I jot down a bulleted list of at least three good things that happened to me and why I should be thankful. I plan on sharing some of the list with my family on Thanksgiving,” freshman Bailey Luts said.