Learning About Myself in Lockdown

May 1 2020 Evelyn O’ Donovan 5^th Year

Our world has turned upside down and inside out since the start of this great year we call 2020. The year started with Australian bushfires, possible World War Three and the whole Brexit ordeal. But little did we know the worst was yet to come. A pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan, China was first reported to the World Health Organisation on the 31^st of December 2019. Coronavirus was declared a global pandemic on the 11^th of March by the World Health Organisation. Schools shut down on the 12^th of March and suddenly our normal lives disappeared.

During this time in lockdown I find it very interesting to keep up to date with where this all started, and how. Now, it is not advised that you read about it every day on the news as it could have an effect on your mental health seeing the numbers hospitalized and the unfortunate amount of deaths each day. There are a few theories as to where COVID-19 came from. The disease appears to have originated from a Wuhan seafood market where wild animals; including birds, rabbits, bats and snakes are traded illegally. The most intriguing theory is that the virus is actually man-made. Now the thoughts that this was made purposefully is bizarre, but people can only speculate.

Keeping busy during this time and being stuck in the house is proving to be a real challenge, although thanks to school, work seems to take up a lot of hours during the week. Living in such close proximity with your family for weeks on end can be a bit frustrating at times, but that’s where the daily walks come in handy (within 2 km of course!). I’ve tried baking, cooking, running, playing cards, quizzes and games, anything to help pass the time.

During this time, I have found out a few things about myself. I have found that this is the only way I can save money because I can’t spend it in town. Online shopping still doesn’t help though! I have found that I have absolutely no will power when it comes to eating junk food. Surprisingly, I found that I missed being around people. Now that might sound a bit strange, to be surprised by missing people, but I have always been a person who enjoys being home alone, enjoying my own company. Please don’t get me wrong, it is still great when I get the chance of being home alone these days when you can be free. But I miss being around other people, laughing and joking. Even the sounds of people talking as you walk through town. Everything seems so quiet when you’re outside. Some people enjoy this normally, but I for one like a bit of an atmosphere when I go outside.

Personally, my family went into lockdown on the 12^th of March, when the schools shut down before the official lockdown was announced. As with many people all over the world we were too afraid to leave the house and jeopardise the health of us and our oved ones. So, we are now going into our 8^th week of lockdown, which has felt like an extremely long length of time, but we getting through it together.   

No one really knows what’s going to happen anytime in the future as the world has come to a standstill. But I do know one thing, I will never take for granted being out, free and around people.