Payton Blake is a senior who is forced to deal with online education. Instead of letting that impact his behavior and mood, he decided to take a trip down memory lane and remember all of the fun things he did before quarantine.

In the photo above, Blake [middle] can be seen smiling and having a great time at lunch with his friends. Upon further reflection, he realized that he is no longer the same person he was on June 2, 2016.

 “I’d describe myself as care-free, happy, and energetic. Care-free because I had little responsibilities at the time given it was the end of the school year, happy because I was having fun and enjoying myself in that moment, and energetic because I always had energy and always wanted to be moving around,” Blake said.

 He never had too many responsibilities until he reached high school, which is why he had a pretty care-free attitude. He always seemed to be happy and looked at things from a positive angle. He was naturally full of energy.

 “I’m not too much different now, though,” Blake said.

Now, Payton Blake can be best described as dedicated, energetic, and outgoing. He is dedicated to his passions and to perfecting his craft, he still has to constantly be moving, and he is very social and likes connecting with different people. 

“Ever since I joined football, I became dedicated to do my absolute best at whatever I’m told and towards activities I love. I still typically have a lot of energy and I just enjoy being active,” Blake said. “Once I got into high school, I became very comfortable with myself and have connected on a personal level with a wide variety of people. I’m glad I’m able to be myself and live the life I want to live.”

Overall, Payton Blake is a genuinely happy person with lots of passion for what he loves. It’s crazy to think how one photo from the past can show a perspective of one’s past self that was forgotten about!