Reflecting During This Period of Uncertainty

It has almost been a year since Covid-19 transformed our lives. It was around March where students believed that spring break was going to get extended for two weeks which then changed to believing students were getting a month off from school. But, little did we know, that months later we would all be connecting online and attending classes virtually.

Almost everyone can agree that these months have been difficult because they have been different. Who would have thought we would experience a pandemic that would drastically transform our everyday lives? Finding a silver lining in the pandemic can seem difficult because many places are still closed, many places have restrictions, and it may seem as if we put a halt on our lives for the foreseeable future. However, this past year has taught us many lessons that we might not have learned if it weren’t for the pandemic. After all the darkness and uncertainty, we can all say that we grew as people and learned something about ourselves that we did not know before.

Here are just five lessons that Covid-19 has taught us: 

1. The world is interconnected. We usually think that every country is different from one another, but within months the virus spread to almost every country, causing Covid-19 to be declared as a global pandemic. Everyone around the world became affected in some way or another, which highlights how different countries, economies, and societies are all connected regardless of where in the world they are located. 

2. During the dark times, we all come together. Within the first couple of months of the pandemic, there was a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Many health care workers were reusing their same disposable masks for days or even weeks at a time. As a result, many community members joined together to gather masks, whether it was by sewing masks or scrub caps for health care workers. Additionally, restaurants began to donate food to hospital workers and first responders. Many communities gathered together, and it showed the kindness of people and how in tough times, we can come together and support others.

3. Be grateful for what we have. In the United States, over 439,955 people have lost their lives to the pandemic, which makes people think about how precious life is. Covid-19 has been a reminder to appreciate the things in our lives, even the smallest things. While we may not be able to see each other in person, facetime calls and text messages have become even more important, and it shows you how we value connections.

4. It is ok to be bored. Many people do not like to feel unproductive because they feel as if they are just wasting time doing nothing and not accomplishing things.  However, it is ok and essential for our mental health to take some days for self-care. We should not be so hard on ourselves. 

5. Know that your emotions are valid. It is ok to not feel happy every day. Although it would be amazing if people would feel happy every minute of the day, happiness would be meaningless if people didn’t feel sadness, anger, pain, or frustration. Therefore, when you are feeling any emotion, ask yourself why you are feeling the way you are feeling and if there is anything that you can do to help better the situation. Don’t ignore the feelings because you think they make you feel weak; instead, acknowledge them because they will help you grow as a person.

It is important to reflect and see that we have learned many things over this past year. Although it might not seem like it, we are all in this together. We are all playing an important role, whether that is limiting our daily activities or being on the forefront as essential workers, and most importantly, we should not feel as if we just lost a year; we should acknowledge that we have learned and grown over the past year. 

Sources: 1, 2, 3

Photos: Her Campus Media

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