Hi everyone! I am Maria Mitzi Antonio. I am a third year student of Trinity University of Asia in the Philippines. It is my second year as a Scranton Scholar and I am very grateful for this opportunity.

I suddenly had the thought of posting something today but I don’t really know how and where to start. I am just very thankful to the people around me and of course to SWLC for being an inspiration to move forward. The year 2020 until now was a very challenging year for us; our personal problems, the school activities, and the pandemic all piled up but knowing that there are people who are always by our side, supporting us, it just feels better.

I believe most of us are restricted from doing a lot of things these days and if we are to go out, it is only for our basic necessities. Our situation right now is very frustrating and devastating. It’s so scary because no one knows what’s in there for us in the future. It’s so hard adjusting to the new normal but I know we can overcome this.

Moving on, though we can’t go out, we can do a lot of things at home to be productive. Just like what I did, I discovered something I didn’t know I could do alone. I got to enhance my skills in baking. Before, I only assisted my sister when baking, now, I get to bake on my own. It was so fun and I also got the chance to spend and enjoy it with my family as well. They became my pillar when everything was overwhelming me because of school activities, personal problems, and also this pandemic.

Anyway, I hope we all continue to hold on. I hope you are all doing great even if our situation is unstable. Always remember that this too shall pass. Nothing is permanent and we will all get through this.

To end this, despite the struggles that I have been through, I am still very thankful that we are all safe and healthy. I am also praying for the people who are also struggling in this time of pandemic. I believe that we will all overcome this and we’ll continue to move forward. The things that we went through last year was hard but let’s not forget that God is always here for us and He will not forsake us. He will always be there guiding and praying for us. Let us be safe and healthy all the time. Watch out for your health, drink lots of fluids and eat healthy food. Thank you everyone for reading. God bless us all! 

Just a tip! If you are feeling scared and sad, listen to worship songs. It is very effective.