Navigating a respiratory pandemic was not on the cards for our early 20s.
Teenage years aren’t great. There’s acne and first heartbreaks, trauma, and high school to navigate. That is why, precisely, I couldn’t wait to be in my 20s. Honestly, when I got into GWU, I thought that my life was set. I’d be studying what I love in the most important capital of the world. I’d dress up nicely and see my hundreds of friends and go on dates and live my life.
Wrong.
To say the least, being locked up at home is not ideal. I became a stay-at-home daughter and spent my Friday nights watching TLC shows in my high school room. In the last two years, I’ve forgotten what it is like to socialize with people outside of my immediate circle and have virtually discarded all dating options. Somehow, it feels like my teenage years have extended into my 20s.
I don’t think I was aware of the huge impact that the pandemic has had on me and my social and romantic life until one day I woke up feeling very, very lonely. I felt like I hadn’t been able to connect with people. It feels wrong to go into crowded parties. You can’t hug your loved ones as much as you used to. It’s hard, and this was not on the cards for my 20s.
Being the curious young woman that I am, I took to Instagram, the Gen Z version of a Gallup survey, and asked my friends and family how Covid-19 had taken a toll on them. Here are some of the responses:
“My communication skills are dead.”
“I feel like I’ve lost a great deal of socializing in my 20s.”
“I’m more excited to be with friends and appreciate our time together after being away but the risks of covid are still in the back of my mind, especially with the thought of dating and meeting new people who may be exposed to covid.”
“I’ve distanced myself from everybody. We have been told to social distance, when we should have been told to keep physical distance from others. Now, for me, being social has connotations to being in danger.”
Many people, however, answered this:
“I know who my real friends are now.”
Seeing your Instagram feed full of people living their best life while you’re slouched on your couch can be deceiving. It is okay to feel alone. It is okay to be alone. And while navigating a pandemic was definitely not on our cards for our early 20s, the best thing we can do is support each other and keep a grateful heart that we are still here, amidst all that has been lost. We will eventually get through this. In the meanwhile, keep giving your love to yourself and those who have loved you through it all.