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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

As I look at the wall in my room, I notice a large sheet of unlined paper I pinned to the wall from an artbook of mine. On it, I wrote the names of 5 of my close friends, along with the title <strong>"Post-Corona Plans"</strong> with a stylized crown on the side of the letters. Next to each of my friends' names is a briefn list of activities to o after coronavirus is over, some say travel, some refer to specific restaurants to visit, and others are activities like hiking. I made the list sometime around April or May, about a month or so into the start of the virus becoming so prevalent in the country. <strong>When I wrote the list, I assumed that at a hard date when the pandemic was officially declared 'over,' I would be able to do all of these things</strong> with my friends. However, as I look at my list now, with some items being crossed off, others crossed out, I realize that <strong>my list is serving as a metaphor for how the world might open up, how it already has, and how the pandemic will come to an end in the future.</strong> Some of my items have already been completed, such as hiking while maintaining proper distance, and going on a birthday road trip with a friend after we both tested negative for Covid. <strong>I realize that the end of the pandemic won't be the difference between black and white, but a soft gradient </strong> of an end, with restrictions being lifted slowly over time until one day, we'll realize that things have gone back to normal after months or years of things easing down. I hope that as things continue to open safely and slowly I will be able to complete all of the items on my list soon, as the pandemic made me realize how much I value the times with my friends, and I really can't be away from them for much longer.