In my freshman year of college, the outbreak of pandemics forced me to return to China and stay with my family. Despite being home, it was far from calm. Due to the time zone difference between China and the US, I had to attend all my classes online late at night, leaving me to sleep in the mornings. Unfortunately, my neighbors decided this was the perfect time to start a full house construction at 8 am everyday (YES INCLUDING THE WEEKENDS) and end at 5pm. As a result, I was lucky to get 3 hours of sleep each day. The pandemic meant we were confined to our home, which had deteriorated my mental and physical health :(((((( To cope with feeling powerless against the noise and the situation, I tried to do things that can make me feel calm and peaceful. I play classic jazz music, write calligraphy, drink tea, play with my dog, and be a kid with my brother as my escape and comfort.

Shoutout to Kenny G!