What are your experiences in this lockdown? How do you feel about this arrangement? We all have different answers to these questions. So let me share my thoughts as well.
Frustration. Frustration is the first word that comes to mind when someone mentions lockdown. It has been an emotionally draining ride; a ride we didn’t even sign up for. But I must confess that in the beginning, the idea of getting a break from the challenging routine was appealing to the point that I was excited about the lockdown. After all, no one likes the daily grind of classes and assignment deadlines, especially when you have to leave a warm bed too early in the morning.
I had in my mind all kind of activities that I could do with so much time on my hands. There were so many books to read, too many movies and series to watch and loads of things to browse. But all that excitement started fading with the increasing duration of this confinement. At this point in the lockdown, I feel like I have lost all the motivation and spirit to do even the smallest of tasks. There is no drive left in me to get up from the bed and do something productive. People say it does not take long to form a habit and considering the amount of time that we have spent in this arrangement, we should’ve grown accustomed to it. But for me it is the opposite; that is; no matter how much time passes I will never get comfortable with this.
There are so many things I look back on; things that I took for granted when everything was easier. I think that the time I spent outside with my friends gossiping and getting worried over the daily tasks is what I miss the most. And how much I miss that tiring bus ride to and from my university, the traffic noise, that daily dose of surrounding change. It all seems so distant now.
But like every other person, I too have learned some valuable things while facing these harsh times. Being confined in my house has made me realize the importance of these small blessings and the value of time one spends with loved ones. Watching people suffer loss has made me value the little things I have and also the people that surround me. I now know that all this abundant time I have might be someone’s only wish; something they would give anything to have.
Ending this on a prayer that we all soon get back to our normal lives; whatever our definition of the word is. I hope that we can make up for the lost time while thinking back to these days when the only conversations were around the terms “join the meeting” and “you are on mute”. I wish for the world to recover soon and I pray that our hearts and minds get healed along with it.
Regards,
Laiba Kazmi
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MAT-12B