70 days and counting
Hey there! I am no writer, just a 22 year old girl trying her hand at something new amidst quarantine. I have never written anything remotely like this. So I am writing what I feel, the best way I know, to whoever cares to read it. This write up probably lacks composition, structure and what not but hey a girl’s gotta start somewhere right? After all, perfection is a deterrent for beginners! (Apologies in advance if this is going to be too lengthy).
Like you probably guessed it from the title, this is about the last 70 days of my life (that’s how long I’ve been indoors for smh). If you are looking at this thinking “Oh no, not another person shoving their ‘Quarantine Inspired Productivity’ down my throat” – I hear you!
Before diving right in, a little bit about me. I wouldn’t call myself the most social person neither do I call myself an introvert. I do enjoy spending time outside with people even it’s just for brunch, for a drink, for a movie, going to the beach, making spontaneous plans (I live for spontaneity) and going out of the city over the weekend. But at the same time I do enjoy spending my days-off at home cuddled into the pillows on my bed watching Grey’s Anatomy, reading a book, listening to Maroon 5, going for a run by myself and spending quality time at home with my family.
The first two weeks of lock down, needless to say like most, I was frustrated with having to work from home for 9 to 10 hours or longer only a month after I started my first job since I graduated (still waiting for the official graduation btw), taking half hour breaks for meals, sleeping, waking up and repeating. I simply didn’t have the mojo to do anything exciting. Weekends didn’t feel like weekends anymore because I felt like I was just stuck at home (which I was), I lost track of what day it was, I missed hanging out with friends, I would just complain about how frustrating it has been and … you get it. I basically hated it (my third world problems haha). Only bright side was I got more time with my fur babies and enough and more time with my parents (it’s come to a point that Iam starting to think they like it better when I lived away for 3 years jk).
So, despite my self-professed lack of juices flowing, I was compelled to realise how this is going to be the new normal (ofcourse thanks to the many ‘Quarantine Inspired Productivity’ posts all over social media haha). Me complaining and waiting for the day I could return to the rat race that I’ve been missing so much, will not get me anywhere.
If there is one thing I can be grateful for during quarantine, it is building self discipline than I’ve ever been able to.
Ever since I was done with school so did my involvement in any sport or anything fitness related (yes, bad idea kids) except runs my father would drag me out of bed for and occasional gym work outs. By week 4 of quarantine (also birthday week hehe) I started getting into a fitness routine after ages (and I mean ages). I started yoga (it’s day 55 ya’ll wohoo) which I start and end my day with (shout out to #yogawithadriene), getting a work out with a few equipment at home atleast thrice a week, and playing badminton in the evenings. This was not with the thought of having a killer body post-quarantine or anything (Iam far from it and you’ll know why in a bit). This was purely to feel fit again and to get that burst of human jet fuel.
Not-so-fun fact: I barely step into the kitchen, I’ll cook simply for survival (which I had to when I was living in Malaysia– never really enjoyed cooking) and that’s as far as my culinary skills would go! Being deprived of going to different cafes in town with my friends over the weekend to have gooey chocolate fudge brownies, the best key lime pie there is and that scrumptious blue berry cheese cake (can you tell I have a crazy sweet tooth by now?) really pushed me out my comfort zone to make the perfect brownies to satisfy my never ending sugar cravings. I must have tried twenty odd recipes attempting to perfect it (Still trying, it’s all about trial and error ya’ll). This probably isn’t much to many of you, because who can’t bake and cook now? But my point being someone like me who didn’t even step into the kitchen (other than to devour what ever that’s left to eat) grew to enjoy making a dish or two that is actually pretty good if I say so myself (teehee) just so that I can gain all that weight I loose working out :) Diet rule #1: if nobody see’s you eating it, it doesn’t contain calories!
If you are still reading, yay! I will get to the point of this write-up soon (hopefully). But if you want to phase this out to clear your mind, go ahead! I will not be offended (I am all about #selfcare these days haha).
Anywayyyys, onto ‘What else Nisakya does to stay occupied ?” I picked up some new hobbies and some old ones too. I learnt to play a song or two on the organ after so long (yes now I can actually play something other than ‘happy birthday’ geez). I was never an artist but I did love painting and throwing water colours around hoping for some sort of art haha. So I got back into abstract water colour painting and doodling around. Also something that caught my interest was calligraphy. This has been something I’ve always been asked to do and been wanting to do since I was in school but I always wriggled out of it. I started doing some hand lettering to kill time which led to a fun little project now. This has been so calming and has really helped my impatient self to develop some patience and even helped me with any work stress!
Nevertheless, I actually enjoy working from home now (yay for not having to deal with rush hour traffic) with an incredible team who keeps me on my toes. While tackling project tasks I get to work on so many online courses from recognised universities giving me the opportunity to enhance my soft skills which has been a huge learning curve for me.
This new normal has affected all of us in very different ways- both good and bad. Some of you might be in search of jobs right after graduating, amidst job transitions, pay cuts, job losses, struggling to find the motivation to submit those online assignments or even wanting to get away from issues at home, the list goes on. My initial frustration about life being monotonous at home seems rather trivial in comparison.
There’s also people out there literally saving lives and doing so much to the community (hats off to the real super heroes), people setting up their own little ventures during these trying times, people coming up with content like we’ve never seen before, and doing so much more (or even managing to get those cookies out of the oven without burning it- you are doing great!). I am someone who hasn’t really worked on myself as much as I should have, so these small changes I’ve made for myself during this time (which might be insignificant compared to most out there) is a start for me.
Okay, maybe I did go on about the little bit of productiveness I’ve been able to reach and finding gratitude amidst this quarantine. But I guess if there is any point to this write-up it would be, if we try to take this situation and turn it around how ever the way we can, if there is the slightest self improvement in you, that is something to appreciate. Because you are better today than yesterday despite the circumstances. And I think more people need to hear this!
Slow progress is still beautiful progress and it matters more than you know.
Let that sink in.
Until next time!
-NC