b'FebruaryYesterday, I went out in the snow, as most do after or during snowstorms. While snow will always bring excitement, I have to say that its just not the same during the pandemic.A lot of what has always made a snowstorm so Illustration by Jennifer Lazo, third grade, exciting is, well, what the pandemic has broughtGotwals Healthy Pressus. Staying inside wrapped up with blankets and hot cocoa is my routine and has been since March 2020. I log on every day to school in my house. Having to stay in because of the snow doesnt pres- Have you seen the landing of Perseverance?ent a change whatsoever, because a big part of theThe date was Thursday, February 18, 2021, at excitement of a snowstorm was snow days: going3:55 p.m. It was amazing! I felt like I was in the to bed knowing that you will wake up tomorrow torover in person, but no! I was sitting on my couch. no school to go play outside all day. Obviously, thatWaiting, waiting, and even more waiting to see will probably never be the same.what will happen nextMe seeing the people that built and programmed the Perseverance biting But we are pretty resilient about half of the things thattheir nails, getting up and out of their chair, shak-are thrown at us now that weve been through some- ing, sweating, terrified, thinking will the rover land thing as surreal as the pandemic. Being locked in oursafely. I was shaking in fear like them! But when house for a couple days for some crazy weather isthey heard that the parachute opened, I could see nothing anymore, really. I think we will notice this withthe smiles on their faces! They were so happy I many things once we go back to our lives regularlystarted to smile too! I felt like this landing was go-again. For the rest of our lives, we will be more resil- ing to be a success! I was daydreaming right after ient about new things and things going wacky.I saw their smiles. I was daydreaming about them As a world, we have all been shaped and changedfinding life on Mars. by this. Briana Hernandez, third gradeAlexandra Carpenter, eighth gradeGotwals Healthy Press East Norriton Bulldog Bulletin 13'