Things I learned in Lockdown

The period of the lockdown was tough for everyone, but not all people were ready to accept it. As a result, there were some surprises that changed my life completely. Although most people were scared and fearful about the disease, I learned a lot during this time.

I learnt how essential cleaning is; how important personal hygiene is; how many items are necessary in order to stay healthy, and many more things. However, despite these experiences, I experienced an overall fear in terms of taking the virus seriously. There was a major turning point when I realised how serious the pandemic had become.

I noticed myself spending some time watching news on TV and wondering about ‘what if?’ as the world went into a state of widespread panic. People were terrified and the government responded by imposing strict curfews and restrictions and controlling almost every aspect of our lives (“Lockdown 2nd wave: What you can and cannot do”, 2017).

Despite these measures being effective, people continued to get infected. It became apparent that the level of infection was much higher than previously thought and many people died. At first, I was just afraid to go outside because of this fear, but eventually I realized that I needed to do something about my fears. Many countries imposed stricter regulations, but I knew that I could get over this fear. Even though I was scared, I knew that all this was worth it because I would be able to stop worrying about getting infected.

The second biggest thing I learned was how difficult it is to maintain a standard of living with a lot of uncertainty surrounding me. Although I know that this will happen, I never really had any idea about how much time and money I would need to buy new clothes or put together new furniture, especially if it had been left incomplete previously. My whole family was worried as well as having enough food or other necessities that we all desperately needed.

But fortunately, everything turned out in our favour. When I bought a bunch of clothes at Bonmarche, I knew that I would have access to good quality stuff for sure, so I didn’t have to worry anymore about buying clothes again. This was good news and my family took joy in knowing that they would always have good food. All in all, people should appreciate each other and learn that none of us really wants our freedom being taken away from us.

Despite the fact that the country had already dealt a heavy blow to millions of small businesses, I also found comfort in learning that one day, the country will turn on them. To help struggling entrepreneurs, I started making my own meals, which I then gave to others as well. One day, I realized that I was starving myself without even realizing what I was doing. After a little while of fasting, the food tasted amazing, and after several days of this type of treatment, I never thought that I could recover from this problem. My health improved very quickly, and although I wasn’t expecting it, I now enjoyed cooking. So far, this has only happened once in my entire life. Not long ago, I was running short on food due to illness, but now this problem is no longer a problem.

I know that this type of experience makes you realise that sometimes, one needs help to survive. For instance, I used to work 9 hours per day, 4 hours per day, but during the Covid-19 lockdown, I had to take a sick day. That helped me to understand that even though nothing is certain, I should be prepared for it whenever it happens. Unfortunately, when it happens, I have to adapt to it and remember how lucky I am to have access to such a terrible situation. With this knowledge, I now try my best to keep myself in good shape, because I know that no matter what is thrown at me, I will find a way to keep up and remain safe. I know that I’m going to die, no matter what I do, and that is good enough for me. Also, I realize that even though I could spend the rest of my life differently, it doesn’t mean that it is bad. In my opinion, both positive and negative sides are necessary. Everything changes during times like this, but at the same time, there is nothing else I can do to change anything. No one will be able to tell me otherwise and no one can make me feel better. I hope that I will never have such a moment again in my life.

In conclusion, I realized that even though this situation made me anxious about the virus, it taught me to love what I have. I learned how to cook; how to cook, and why I love to cook. By making use of my skills, however small, and using them when needed, I made friends, families, and finally myself. I learned about self-improvement, about finding purpose, and about being grateful for what I have.

On the other hand, the fear of dying and having to think of other options was terrifying. Thankfully, I learned a lot about myself and what I’m capable of.

Some things I learned:

1) How valuable each and every day is.

2) You never know what your body was meant for.

3) Your body is not just a tool for you to get the things you want. And….

4) If you don’t take care, you will lose. We have spent months fighting against this virus and yet there are still people who aren’t concerned about their own safety. Regardless of whether they agree that the current way of life isn’t right, we still love them because we are reminded that they matter, and they deserve attention too. This pandemic has been hard for so many people, including many in the middle class. I hope that this experience will teach young people to value themselves and their communities. Therefore, I wish people to learn to live within their means and become as successful as possible. Everyone deserves an opportunity, just like everyone else!