QuaranTalks: Pandemic Panic!

I said 2020 will be an epic year.

2020 was a year of exciting times. I even spent the first new year of the new decade in a different country. We got to celebrate it with my family in a amusement park complete with a concert and fireworks. Though accidentally my phone dropped and some of the screen had cracks. It was still working yet not as flawless as before. However, it seems to be an omen of an upcoming dangers as I started the year.

I thought that the year would be just like any year with some exciting parts. But even at the start of the year we are already shocked with news such as wildfires in Australia, the threat of war in the Middle East, and even the eruption of Taal Volcano. Both natural and man-made events stir worry to many, and I have to admit that those things scare me too.

But then came the next months and now being introduced with viral disease of COVID-19, prompted many countries into lockdowns, quarantines, and other strict measures. With the disease infecting fast and is also lethal, abrupt closure of businesses, work, and school was enforced. 

Grocery time during GCQ

For us bloggers, events were cancelled and this also disrupted our incomes and time to meet our colleagues. My last one was on the brink of the lockdown at that time. Though it was a necessary move, but it made me worried of the coming days... or months.

Our situation right now is a mix of survival instincts and fear. We fear what lies ahead as resources and work opportunities are limited. Our survival instincts tells us to focus on our necessities and use them to generate more resources or opportunities. Despite my optimism, I also look at the current reality of our lives.

Honestly the situation drains the optimism out of my soul, it is sad yet it is also reality and survival. We welcome those help that we got from friends and family, which somehow gives hope and inspiration.  As the days go by, we also acquired the quarantine routine, where we woke up at lunch, do groceries on specific dates, make new recipes, and also try new hobbies.

Speaking of hobbies, I also tried out more of gardening at home and learning from it. It was  trial and error with different plants having different needs. I'm also making content with it now which will be a great addition to my own content. So far I have Kangkong, pechay, leeks, tomatoes, sili, and squash. If I were in a farm, I would have planted more.

Cooking is also a favorite chore with doing food experiments, using new ingredients, and utilizing our stocked equipment to create new and exciting dishes. There was also experiments in making dishes, yet it did expand my experience with some help from TikTok.

Oh yes, Tiktok also kept me sane (or the other way around) through these months. Aside from dance and skits, I love watching cooking, gardening, science, and trivia accounts which expanded my knowledge probably better than traditional schools. I'd also made some comedy skits just to take a break and now I understand why people are now addicted to it.

Finally, I also wanted to upgrade my skills while at home. Since there are a lot of free online courses, I would finish some of them on my spare time. Sometimes, I'm also learning a new language which could also be useful when I can finally travel. Improving oneself is not a obligation but is good way to use time while indoors.

Going back to the reality of the health crisis, I have accepted the change it brought to the world and many things have to adjust to keep us safe and still function as society. Life indeed is a unexpected teacher, with things we thought we can control suddenly shakes, we panic. Yet panic is a natural reaction, but we should not remain in it forever.

The pandemic panic is real, some are still in it, some don't believe it, and some becomes victims of sickness and/or death. But looking now on how we now value what we have, our loved ones, the opportunities and jobs we have, and high probability of survival during these times is something to be grateful of and help us shift and adjust to the new normal.

While it is still not over, life still does go on. Find your happiness amidst this gloomy period, as it is easier to see light in the darkest tunnels.

Tara, let's TikTok.

This story is an entry to ComCo Southeast Asia’s “Write to Ignite Blogging Project”. The initiative is a response to the need of our times, as every story comes a long way during this period of crisis. Igniting and championing the human spirit, “Write to Ignite Blog Project” aims to pull and collate powerful stories from the Philippine blogging communities to inspire the nation to rise and move forward amidst the difficult situation. This project is made possible by ComCo Southeast Asia, co-presented by Eastern Communications and sponsored by Electrolux, Jobstreet and Teleperformance.