It’s been a while. The last year has been one hell of a ride. Strangely enough, it has felt like five years in one but nevertheless very short. Nothing exhilarating happened while on the other hand so much has happened. It was and is a confusing time for all of us. For now, I just want to share what happened in my life since Covid-19 came about.
Like many, I made fun of Corona and how people apparently didn’t know how to wash their hands. “It’s like having the flu – no big deal.” At this point, I’m not sure if we’re using humour to avoid the topic or if we’re serious. February was an awkward time we knew the virus was out and about, but we tried to live our lives to the fullest. The feeling of lockdown approaching was getting more serious every day, and then the day came. Game over. No more going out and seeing your friends. At first, I was hopeful that it wouldn’t last long and that we could have our lives back by May or so. Therefore, I wasn’t super upset about the situation. Anyway, I tried to make the best out of it. I called my friends every other day, worked out, went for walks, drew and read a lot.
After a couple of weeks, it was clear that Corona would stick around for much longer than anticipated. At that point, I was still living with my host family, who I love very dearly, but as time passed the urge to move-out got bigger. So I made the decision to move out during the pandemic. It was quite the experience with online viewings and etc. I was really pumped once I found a house share and was ready to move. So at the beginning of June, I moved out. Although saying goodbye wasn’t easy, I was really excited – I was full of adrenaline. It felt good to be around people my age and not kids or middle-aged adults. After months of suspense, I could finally hug my friends again. It felt like I could finally, take a deep breath again.
A few weeks later I flew back to Austria to visit my family, who I haven’t seen for seven months due to the pandemic. I felt so relieved when I saw my whole family happy and healthy (felt kind of magical).
Excuse the quality
I have to admit the pandemic did have one significant side effect. If it wouldn’t have been for the lockdown my now boyfriend and I would have probably beat around the bush for a few more months. It “forced” us to spend more time with each other, and we ultimately couldn’t escape one another anymore. So during the summer months, we spent a lot of days just going on walks and enjoying the mild English sun. We both didn’t really have a plan since no matter what plan you made, it got cancelled anyway.
In October I started studying at university (again). However, a much more interesting event occurred in the same month. Unfortunately, my grandma got sick (she’s fine now, dw). Hence I decided to go back to Austria for a few months, and to my surprise, Marlon (my boyfriend) was ready to come with me. For the last few months, we’ve been living in Austria figuring out what we’ll do once we go back to the UK.
To be honest, I had a hard time staying positive in the second and third lockdown. Although everything was fine with my family and friends, I was and still am struggling. The end of Corona is unknown, what I’ll do once I’m back in the UK is unknown. The great unknown took a toll on me. At the moment, I am trying to take everything in one day at a time. (journaling really helps) One of my goals for this year is to be more patient with myself and giving myself more time to make decisions, so cheers to a thoughtful year (or something like that). I am actually looking forward to 2021 because I’m sure even with the virus around it will still be amazing and filled with unusual experiences.
I hope you’re all happy and healthy (including your mental health)
Anita
Btw if you’re curious I also started an etsy shop just in case you want to take a look:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DesignArtAnita?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
ANITA 