Lessons from the Pandemic and More

Today is March 7th 2021. As I write this I’m scrolling through Instagram looking at all the memories that happened during March 2020. Or at least the first two weeks of it.

(Laughs in despair)

For me March, the first two weeks was a glorious time, a time to enjoy, a time to bunk classes and a time to tick off every single thing that was on my bucket list. It was after all, the last month of college and I’d promised myself at the beginning of my last semester that I would complete all the 40 odd things on my bucket list.

And then it happened. COVID 19. The single most important incident of 2020 and a situation that would change our lives. Forever.

When the pandemic hit India, I wasn’t really concerned about it becoming bigger and bigger. In fact, even with Maharashtra having almost 100 cases, a lot of us in college went out and celebrated Holi and went on a rampage on the streets. None of us really cared about the repercussions.

Probably the only time it got real for us, is when college decided to shut down until further notice. Even then, I think we took it quite casually. I remember sitting in a fairly crowded bar in Viman Nagar toasting the success of our graduate film when we got the mail about college shutting down

The next morning, I told my parents about it and they asked me to come home immediately. I didn’t quite understand their anxiety, but at that time, I thought it was better to take their concern seriously. After all, I was studying in a city 800 km from where I lived, and apart from their general concerns about my well being, this whole fear of the pandemic would make the distance even harder for them. After all college shutting down was a precautionary measure and we’d open again soon right?

So I decided to pack for two weeks, and asked my dad to book the bus tickets. Just after my dad sent me a confirmation message, I got a call from my cousin. He told me to come straight to his house and stay there for the week. Sensing something was off, I asked him to tell me what’s up and his voice dropped

“Uncle tested positive for COVID 19 a week ago” my cousin said. “and you parents have been put under precautionary quarantine.”. You have to come here right away. It’s dangerous out there”.

My mind went absolutely numb after hearing that. I couldn’t quite make out what he said afterwards. That’s the thing about some incidents you know? You can’t really react to them right away and it feels like the soul is falling from your body. I finally gathered my thoughts and told him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow”

As soon as I reached Bangalore, a kind of dull dread washed over me. I can’t quite recall that week at my cousin’s house because it just passed by. The only two incidents I remember are college suddenly deciding to graduate us without exams and meeting my dog from 6 feet away and not being able to say hi.

And I was back home in a week. Just in time for the Prime Minister to announce a two week lockdown that would decrease Covid Cases. (Inserts joker Laugh)

And then began efforts to make use of the lockdown. I sat and made a list of things I would do. Start a podcast. Read a lot of books. Start a medium account. Learn how to cook. Learn to do pushups. Make a tiktok and watch a dozen new shows/movies and make full and amazing use of my Netflix/Prime/ Hotstar/Zee5/Liv membership.

And a year later, here’s where I stand

• Make a Tiktok: Done
• Pushups: Done
• Learn to Cook: Somewhat.
• Podcast: Recorded two podcast episodes and discarded them halfway getting sick of my voice.
• Medium Account: Done

And watching a dozen different shows was replaced with watching Modern Family and trying not to get intimidated by every single update I saw of people trying new stuff.

I also developed an obsession with the film Lootera and I watched the same film close to 26 times and I cried every single time. Maybe the catharsis was good, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that Amit Trivedi has created one of the greatest albums of all time and the cinematography is stuff of legend.

My feelings toward time was an ever changing thing during the last year. For the life of me, I can’t seem to understand how the last year went by in the blink of an eye, yet had moments where it felt excruciatingly long.

And it was long. Long enough for all of us to experience different things and have different realizations. Long enough for me to gain weight, lose weight and gain weight again.

With everyone trying to adjust, live and function in the new normal, it’s been quite an ask to look for jobs, internships and chalk our life plans in this sea of uncertainty.

Now with almost an year passing, there’s a lot of people feeling the blues and people struggling in regards to thoughts about the last year.

Everyone’s had their own experience and their own silent fight. As much as it feels like the situation outside is getting normal we need to start addressing the struggles of the previous year and having conversations with our closest friends, acquaintances and everyone we meet really on the impact last year has had on each of their lives

Because these conversations are important. With people struggling, we have to lend a helping hand. And we have to be kinder to ourselves.

We’re also lucky enough to have all the content that we can consume. In the spirit of content that provides an escape, here’s my list of films/series to watch!

• Arrested Development, Season 1–3 available on Disney+Hotstar
• Modern Family all seasons on Disney+Hotstar
• Brooklyn Nine Nine, Netflix
• Udaan, Netflix
• Forrest Gump, Prime
• The Terminal, Prime
• The Intern, Prime
• The Internship, Prime
• Premam, Hotstar.
• Anandam Hotstar
• Kumbalangi Nights, Prime
• OK Kanmani, Prime.
• Thithi, Netflix
• Kota Factory, YouTube
• Panchayat,Prime
• Hostel Daze, Prime
• Jerry Maguire, Prime