As a recent college graduate who just entered the workforce not too long ago, the best way I can describe what is going on is that the simulation is glitching. I went into 2020 thinking this was the year and filled it with fun and exciting plans. Everything felt like it was canceled or postponed in the blink of an eye. I was supposed to finally walk across the stage at my college that I dedicated 4 1/2 years to, and now it seems like the chances of that happening are very slim. The people I care about most have had their dreams come to a halt. I don’t think anyone could have predicted something like this would happen this year, it seemed like the year everyone was going to win. But what goes up, must come down at some point, right?
It seems like people think we are about to be hit with an apocalypse. The toilet paper fiasco, wiping out stores to bare shelves and fights breaking out over the last loaf of bread. You don’t need to stock up on 6 packages of toilet paper, because the elderly couple coming into the store after you needs one of those. I would like to give a big thanks to the media for causing hysteria and paranoia, causing people to spiral out of control. We let the media do what they are best at: freak us out.
It’s eery to see huge cities that are usually hustling and bustling with people, be completely empty. So many industries are taking major hits, I can’t help but think, HOW are we going to come out of this? To some, it seems like there is no glimmer of hope. But if you look past the scary headlines and put out the fire the media is trying to fuel, there are good things happening out there. The selflessness, ingenuity and compassion, it is shining through to me more than anything else. Instead of people only thinking of themselves, I see all over my timelines and feeds, “we will get through this together.”
The biggest thing is taking this virus seriously. Stay home, and not only protect yourself but others. I don’t know about you, but I get peace of mind staying at home because I know I am helping myself stay healthy which is a domino effect for others to stay healthy. Don’t get me wrong, I describe myself as always “constantly vibrating,” ready to go out, be with my friends and family, be out of the house as much as possible because I get antsy otherwise. So to battle that mindset of mine, I ordered supplies to take up a new hobby, made a to-do list of Photoshop projects I want to do and told myself I would start watching Star Wars. Looking at what I can accomplish, rather than what I’m missing out on seems like the only way to get through this time.
I miss the guarantee of normal life, but I am staying optimistic knowing that it will come back at some point.
I am in my little bubble, but outside of that is a world in panic. COVID-19 is bigger than me, it’s bigger than you. Trying to quickly produce a vaccine while also trying to reduce the number of deaths. I see two mindsets in coping with COVID-19. You’ve got the paranoid people stocking up on a year’s worth of supplies and then you’ve got the nonchalant people saying this is overhyped and there is nothing to worry about. There is some truth to both sides, but finding a happy medium is what the world needs. We don’t need more panic. Staying healthy and doing your part to prevent the spread is the least we can do to protect our family, friends, and community. So no, don’t go on your vacation for spring break. If I had to cancel my Vegas birthday trip I also had planned for months, you can cancel your vacation.
I know many of us are upset about our exciting plans being ripped out from under us so quickly, but it’s happening so that way we can get back to normalcy as soon as possible.
Battling this pandemic is going to be difficult. We have already lost many lives, and now we are just trying to save the ones we couldn’t before. What I hope is after all of this starts to calm down, we don’t just go back to the way things were before. As a society, I hope we learned what needs to be done to ensure we are prepared if a pandemic happens again (let’s hope it doesn’t). I hope we become more of a united world, looking out for others and not just ourselves. If we do this right, we can look back and say we are a generation that defeated a pandemic and came out of it stronger than ever.
Stay safe and healthy out there, friends!
Marketing Coordinator