There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on American society. It’s killed over 200,000 Americans and required drastic changes to nearly all aspects of our lives. A vast majority of recent news, and a majority of this special issue, has been dedicated to documenting those challenges. 

However, just as every cloud has a silver lining, COVID-19 has also led to a few positives. It has sparked some students to take up new hobbies, reconnect with their families, and discover creative ways to spend time with their friends. 

For some whose families have not been directly affected by the virus, the lockdown as a result of COVID-19 has given them the opportunity to focus on self-development. Students have found new methods for self-care, picked up new instruments, taken up painting, or learned to bake as a result of the statewide stay-at-home order. 

Students have also been able to use their spare time to focus on their families. Some have gotten to know their parents and siblings more closely with their newfound free time. Others have discovered new family activities, like going on walks or eating meals together, that have helped them bond. 

From socially distancing at parks to connecting over the internet, the lack of normal routines also gave friends new ways to create meaningful experiences and relationships. Students took to newly popularized platforms like Zoom and Discord to hang out while staying apart, and planned activities like picnics or bike rides that would allow them to see each other while staying six feet apart. 

COVID-19 has indisputably had a net negative effect on our community, and its various impacts have been chronicled in the 24 pages of this issue of the JagWire. However, we believe it is important to recognize the positives that have come from this chaos, if only as a brief break from the overwhelming challenges the pandemic has created.