One Year in a Global Pandemic

It does not seem like it, but it has been one year since lockdown and Covid-19 took over the world. I still remember it like yesterday because it genuinely feels like we are all still living in March 2020. Everyone has been talking about Covid in the month of February, but March was when it got real. I remember there was a huge party on March 7th at UCLA and that was the last party that my friends and I  would all attend for  a while. It was also the last time I have seen some college friends of mine in person whom I have yet to see again because of lockdown. One year is all it takes for your life to become drastically different, and in some, ways remain the same.

In the month of March, I remember I had to move back home from campus because the campus was shut down during finals week and I was crying because I couldn’t see campus again. Tik Tok blew up even more, especially all the different trends on TikTok starting from whipped coffee to the “Bored in the House” tik tok to all the Chloe Ting challenges. Several events happened during each month ranging from the BLM movement to the most recent scandal, Oprah’s interview with Prince Harry and Megan Markle. In addition, the rate of cancel culture has become higher than everyone becoming cancelled for one reason or another.

Reflecting back on the one year of lockdown, it was honestly very hard. It is sad to spend your senior year of college doing online university and having your commencement ceremony cancelled. I and a lot of other seniors can definitely vouch for that. It is hard to be motivated during online school to do your work and attend class everyday when everyone is hiding behind a camera.

My eight year old self will never believe my 21 year old self when I say how much I miss carrying a backpack, getting coffee from UCR’s Coffee Bean, and especially sitting in class taking notes. The things I used to complain about are the things I miss the most. Ultimately, everyone did make it through quarantine, and it shows how strong we are and to prioritize yourself first, our mental health above all and of course the most important lesson I learned from quarantine, manifestation. I am manifesting now that this pandemic will end very soon and for all of us to live our dream lives out.

• COVID-19
• pandemic