“What skills did you learn this pandemic?”  

 This question was asked by one of the hosts on a television program I often watch in the morning. When the pandemic happened many people were forced to stay at home and most people cannot just sit by and do nothing, most of us wants to make the most out of our time. So a lot of people are trying everything that might entertain them even at the comfort of their own home. There are those who tried to enhance their skills such as dancing, singing, drawing or painting, cooking and other skills. They usually take pictures and videos and uploads it on social media. One time, there’s this meme that says the community quarantine is actually “Quarantine Got Talent.”

So I gave the question a thought and decided to write about it.

Writing Blogs. Since I was younger, I already love to write. When I was a child, I find it really hard to communicate my thoughts and feelings to others, even to my own parents. Since we were never emotionally close, and I don’t have any close friend to share my thoughts with, I just write it all on a diary. I feel that it is better to write about my feelings than tell people about it, because when you write, the pen and paper will never condemn or judge you. So I started to like free writing. One time, I even contributed an article that was published in our school paper. But due to being busy with school works and later on with my daytime job, I forgot about writing my journals as I no longer have time to do it. Add the fact, that when I have a few time on my hand, I’d rather read stories on Wattpad or watch dramas. And I’d rather spend my day offs on volunteering and doing kind acts. But when the pandemic happened, I remembered my passion for writing again. I became tired of browsing social media every day and I want to do something to ease my boredom, so I started writing instead, and just in time, I also discovered read.cash.

At first, I was still skeptical if I could write and publish an article, so my first articles here were weird and funny. However, there is a saying that says “practice makes perfect”, since the day I logged in here at read.cash and published an article, I learned more to improve my blogs. Yes, I admit that my blogs are not yet on professional level, but I'm glad because somehow my mind doesn't become stagnant, and I think that my way of writing has improved quite a lot.

Studied and learned the Spanish language. I have Spanish roots and I often hear my late paternal grandparents using some Spanish words during our conversations. Since then, I became curious about the language but, being busy with more important stuffs in life made me forget about that curiosity. When I graduated from in college, there was a party at home, and we had Latino visitors from Spain who came with my cousins to visit the Philippines. It’s fun listening to them whenever they talk, and it revived my curiosity about the Spanish language. I started studying since then but unable to focus because of work. Then the pandemic came, and I was bored at home every day, so I thought: “why not continue learning the language?” So I started studying and learning the language again, and I can now somehow understand it and engage in basic conversations.

These are just two of the skills that I enhanced and learned during this pandemic. When we think of the pandemic, we often associate it with negative words, and we only focus on the downside. But if you think about it, there are also positive results that we reaped if we just try to look on the positive aspects of life.

How about you? What skills did you learn this pandemic?