Jones: Going back to work saved my sanity

Olivia Jones

Bored in the house, and I’m in the house bored — until my boss called. 

Before I knew it, I was back at work and feeling a little more sane. 

My parents have let me go absolutely nowhere, and I really mean nowhere, by myself. 

During quarantine I felt like I was lost. 

There wasn’t really much of a routine or any social interaction for me. 

So going back to work has made me feel more normal. 

I feel like my old self is starting to come back slowly. 

I’m gaining my independence back, and really starting to feel the way a young adult should about life. 

It’s funny how such a small change can make me feel so much better. So much more normal. 

I really thought I was going crazy in my house. I was doing all sorts of things to get out of there. 

I would take hour-long walks, or go to empty baseball fields and stay there until my phone died. 

Now, three or four times a week, I can go out and see something different. Learn something different than whatever is happening at school. 

I get to be out of my house for 5-8 hours, three times a week. And it’s so liberating. 

So liberating it’s ridiculous. 

I feel myself being filled with joy the second I put my car in drive. 

I can blast my music as loud as I want.

If I have a long shift I go on break and get food from wherever I want. If it’s not too late after my shift, I can go to the store and get things that I need without having to ask anyone first. 

When I’m at work I can have a conversation, and for some reason, those conversations are so much more interesting simply because they are in person. Face to face.