The coronavirus pandemic is everywhere. It has affected everything in our lives, from our college schedules to our lifestyle. Personally, what i feel is that the aftermath of our lives after covid would never be the same as it was before this. We will have a new “normal” to survive in. We would naturally inculcate certain habits in ourself which were never really there before this lockdown happened. As a 20 year old college girl who has always wanted stability and comfort in life(although i know it’s unfair to always expect comfort in life) coronavirus has not only upended my life, but it has made me feel privileged in a way i have rarely felt before. Although like everyone, i am stressed and afraid of what the future holds for us indians and how bizarre the impact of pandemic could be. The fact that i am not away from my family like some of my college mates (unfortunately), is a relaxing feeling in itself. Also, being able enough to have access to all basic needs of life in contrary to some others who are suffering from lack of money and food in these days, i feel blessed and also a sense of responsibility to share what i have with the less privileged ones. For most of other people my age, this lockdown situation has turned out to be a troubling one because they are obviously bored , unable to meet their friends or hang out at random places for fun. Although, even i am bored sometimes but being a “homely” and “introvert” person all through my life, i am not having that much of trouble to be confined in the four walls with my family. Honestly, my life has just changed for good. I feel i am away from any kind of materialistic obsessions for a while. A couple of months ago if somebody asked me that if spending my weekend hanging out with my best friend at a restraunt and for a movie was a privilege, i would have laughed at that person. But, situation has brought us to a depth of life where all these things certainly look like a liesure to me now. My father is a buisnessman and he has always tried to teach me the value of money and resources in life. The fact that how he has been working days and nights tirelessly for the last 40 years to provide his kids all that he could, I would have never felt this sense of gratitude about the sacrifices he must have made in his life to give us a life we can enjoy. There are a number of posts circulating over social media stressing on how every person should learn this , do that and develop this much of skill, utilise this time to be productive, make money from home etc is not what my idea of this lockdown is from the begining. Although, I am learning Russian language online to pass my time and also because i wanted to do so even before lockdown happened. But, certainly there is’nt any peer pressure to transform myself and my life in these days for the sake of being poductive. Watching motivational videos online on how to transform your personality and use your time in lockdown is not my cup of tea. What is more important to me is being at peace mentally and learning to survive in all that i have, learning to let go in life , learning to live in present and spending great quality time with my family. Honestly, i have never felt more connected to my father in my life until now. My school and college life, his work hours were always on a clash and i never got to spend such lovely time with him , listening to all his childhood stories and life lessons. If not anything else, i have learnt the way to “value small things in life”. The impact of this pandemic is huge and unimaginable. While many across the globe are experiencing the worst, for most of us it is still an occurrence that is arduous or maybe unnerving.The coronavirus lockdown has taught me to live my life , not just plan to live it.
Like many, people i didn’t live my life so much as i planned on living it. I was always busy making plans about what i was going to do.
Short term plans, like which place to go eat out on the coming weekend. Medium term plans, like what to do in the summer holidays. Long term plans, like what kind of job to look for etc.
And in living in this time yet to come, without knowing or realising it, i was losing out on the present that was still mine to relish. Life is so peaceful and simple these days. Just like old times, as my grandmother says so. We are free from any showoffs and addictions for a while, spending time with real companions more than digital ones, and just simply going with the flow. The nature is recovering too. What lockdown is to me is a time for us humans to introspect the mistakes we make in life.
Practically saying, I know it will be definitely troublesome for me to adjust in the busy and hectic schedules after life goes back to what it was previously, but what i have felt in these days is that there is a sense of content, satisfaction and silence now. Lockdown has Taught me More Than a Thing or Two. But what i am unsure about is Will the Lessons Last? Though, I hope they do. Initially, the quarantine period left me annoyed. Over a period of time, it taught me lessons of life. The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call for humanity to reform its ways.
written by : DEEPAKSHI SETH
Street Paradise 
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