I Have No Good Excuse To Wallow During Covid-19 But I Am Because It Sucks
“We’ve taken up knitting!” beams my mother, craning the camera to show me her latest creation over Facetime. It’s a hot water bottle cover and despite its questionable shape, it’s an achievement. I can’t help but feel a pang of internal frustration.
Sat in my comfortable apartment with a secure job, doting boyfriend and no children to worry about home-schooling, I am ashamed to say that I have felt utterly dejected since Covid-19 took over our lives. Having always prided myself on being adaptable and embracing change, I can’t seem to shift the persistent gloom that descends on me when I wake up each morning.
This might be partly down to the news cycle. I’ve taken to the habit of scrolling through the news as soon as I get up, far more so than I did before the outbreak. The live updates are as bleak as ever. An increase in cases, an increase in deaths and a message from the British government that this is only the beginning.
Yet so many members of the population have stepped up to the challenge and are responding to this crisis with determination and drive. Key workers are leaving the house each day, selflessly putting themselves at risk to help keep the population safe.
As a driven individual with goals and aspirations, I’m struggling to find a purpose in this disconcerting time. Normally, my routine involves a long commute to work followed by a busy day of meetings with my colleagues. After work, I’m straight to the gym for my daily workout before rushing home to cook dinner and cram in a bit of downtime before I’m back at it the next day. The change of pace I can cope with, but staying at home and doing my bit to protect the population somehow feels like a bit of a cop-out when people are risking their lives each day to ensure hospitals have resources and supermarkets are stocked.
The world has changed significantly in the past few weeks, and I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we’ve barely had time to register...
