With spring comes new beginnings. The last 6 months of “almost normal” school have flown by, and as the days become longer and we edge closer to summer, it’s time to celebrate and reflect.

We have come a long way from March of 2020, or even December of 2021. It seems as if our world and surroundings have been constantly changing for the past 2 years. Whether it has been everchanging COVID restrictions, relationships or our personal goals, our lives have been marked by ever-lingering uncertainty. Uncertainty that has taken its toll on all of us.

The Omicron wave of COVID-19 has subsided, and it seems we are getting closer and closer to our pre-pandemic lives. As of February 16, California no longer has an indoor mask mandate. On February 28, California’s Department of Public Health will give an update on the state’s school mask mandate. According to the New York Times, 71% of 12-17 year olds in California are fully vaccinated, and everyday it seems as if school and social events are getting more packed. It feels as if we are edging closer and closer to normal, rewinding the clock to mid-March 2020, like nothing has ever happened. A sense of hope, which has dissipated for many of us, has returned.

I, for one, am overjoyed by these recent developments; we have all struggled with COVID and the effects of mitigation efforts. But in order to appreciate all the good that is in our surroundings, we must take in and fully understand the past. Let’s acknowledge all the hard work we have done, the perseverance that it took for us to get this far. We have all had to adapt to change, and make the best of a novel world.

We still have work to do, and in no ways am I trying to sugarcoat the world we live in. Not all has been won, but it’s vital to take life 1 day at a time, and remember to live life day by day, cherish the good moments we have all had, and make small changes to make a better world.