INSPIRATION: Welcoming the ‘New Normal’ on Post-Quarantine Life

I still can remember, 12 midnight of January 1^st when we are all boosted by the cracking noise of fireworks, the blow of horns, shouts, foods and shots. Everyone are engrossed to welcome this year with mere hope that 2020 will be a prosperous year, based on the predictions of Feng Shui experts.

But how far have we gone this 2020? It’s been only 4 months and we all can ascertain that it’s a tough year. It all started from the unpredicted eruption of the Taal Volcano preceded by the abrupt news of the death of Kobe Bryant and his little daughter and now this unprecedented CoVid-19 pandemic.

This phrase sounds cliché now but it happens, everything changed. It seems like the world is shutdown. Our travel plans have been postponed, malls are closed, schools and works shifted to online mode, check-points on every boundary. In short, our social life has shutdown.

Since it is still April, maybe it’s not too late about April fools. Maybe it is also not too late to reveal that all of this is just a crazy prank. But even if we spend an all-nighter thinking about this prank-thing, maybe we better go to sleep. Either you accept it or not, this is real. Our life before Quarantine have succumbed to darkness.

There are few days left before April 30, the end of Quarantine if it will not be extended, and we can now escape this room of boredom and loneliness. But have you ever thought about how life would be after this long period of home-isolation? How much preparation are you availing yourself for the Post-Quarantine life?

The end of this Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) doe not also mean this Covid-19 pandemic is over. We all are aware how many plans were postponed or, even worst, cancelled. Everyone is longing to live their life similar to what it is before this crisis. This is why it’s natural to feel joy after the lifting of ECQ. It is somehow coming back to life of the whole country, but not really. This time is not yet the time for victory celebrations. This one is a pain-in-the-heart but I want to tell you that IT IS TOO EARLY TO FEEL SAFE AND LAX.

We have to undergo this period of adjustments. Some things need modifications. I know that what life would be, or even life itself, is unforeseeable but this thing I am going to tell you is one which is predictable. We need to ready ourselves and adapt with what will be the NEW NORMAL.

Before, we have the luxury to wander everywhere barefacedly but now no more. As how the campaign of celebrities goes, “Mask is a Must.” This may not be providing us the comfort but consider this now as a part of everyone’s fashion. We need to wear one everytime, especially when going to public areas getting contact with the people from the crowd.

Another thing, if before we don’t mind seating beside strangers inside a public transportation; now, you cannot. Before, it is totally normal to offer a handshake; now, you must not. If before you have the privilege to talk near anyone; now, please don’t. After quarantine, we need to maintain Physical Distancing. What was then normal to mingle with anyone and anytime is now something we need to refrain from. Keep in mind that staying distant is the NEW self-care.

All of these may be unusual for now but let’s start to embrace and be comfortable with it because this is the NEW NORMAL.

There are lots of shifting and changes and I know you are emerged with the phrase YOLO- You Only Live Once. Yes, we need to live this awesome life to the fullest. But maybe now is the time we can consider to not only live this life in full blasts but to also make it the longest possible we can. Let’s live a healthy life with no worries and no hesitations. Lastly, we need to control ourselves and avoid to panic because, with God’s grace, this pandemic will soon enter to its own grave.

Remember that – Safety is the key to Make It Long Enough because You Only Live Once. SMILE because YOLO.

INSPIRATION: It’s OKAY to not be productive this time of Quarantine

This unprecedented event has made almost everything changed. In just a glimpse, what was then a normal world turns into isolation inside our own homes. It was mid-March when President Duterte declared the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or lockdown, as what others prefer to call it. As it nears to its end, the stricter implementation by different Local Government Units (LGU’s) is being imposed.

Almost all of our outside habits are shutdown. We are to experience more suffocation inside this cornered rooms. No morning runs. No hangout sessions with friends. No socialization, for now. Imagine how burdensome our life during this lockdown which goes with the panic factor brought by this pandemic.

All of these is a sudden switch, from normal to a work- all from home. It is unforeseen and a huge adjustment is needed which includes school, aside from work. Yes, we need to switch from the traditional style to a virtual learning style or the so-called online classes.

Different hashtags of movements against online classes went viral on twitter. Different posts by students from universities nationwide voicing out their sentiments regarding this matter circulates on social media sites. All of these became fruitful when numerous universities have already suspended their online classes. Despite this suspension, activities are still being provided by professors to be submitted upon the resumption of classes after the lifting of this ECQ.

If you are one from the many that is overwhelmed by school works in the mid of this crisis, I want you to always mind that it’s okay to not be productive this time of quarantine.

Research says that living in isolation, similar to what we experience now, can implant anxiety and psychological distress to persons. Yourself then might not be the same as what it is now and this is none of your fault. Everyone may experience it and in fact, I am too. While I am writing this now, I can feel something strange inside of me and being overwhelmed by the sudden bursts of my notifications from different professors. But this experience also made me write this blog.

I want to tell you to turn your back from stress. Don’t ever feel guilt if you are accomplishing little to no task from your list. While this global-pandemic is on, our life must not focus more on our daily grind but divert yourself to activities that can give you some kind of relaxation.

I understand that as a student we need to have all these tasks done but our focus on these online activities is really different from how we work before this quarantine. I want you to know that you are not alone in this. Just consider that this time we are all in a state of “work from home” and the essence of such is to have your own time, to work at your own pace and to work when your body permits.

Amidst this problem, there are a lot of productivity tips online that you might want to consider but if nothing of these helps, I know something you want yourself to divert with. Call your friends. Maximize the advantages brought to us by the technology. Talk to them or you can even discuss and work together your school activities through video conferencing.

You can also try writing on your journal. Write all your thoughts, experiences and insights. Also, entertain yourself. Watch your favorite films or series on Netflix, laugh yourself out on various vlogs on YouTube. You can also publish your own blog, no matter how bad it is just like mine.

There are lots of activities online you can emerge yourself to. Make this quarantine time your ‘me-time’. Focus on yourself and not too much on your workloads. I know you need to accomplished them but a little count of check on your list-of-activities is enough. It is normal to stay out of focus this time of home-isolation. Don’t stress yourself out. Don’t forget that your holistic health is far more beyond your productivity.

INSPIRATION: The SECRETS behind those stacks of BOOKS.

Maybe you are wondering if it’s only you who prefers to do nothing than read. No, I also did. I have experienced the same struggle as yours, to not love books back in my childhood. Of course there are those bookworms but I know you’re not, we are on the same page that’s why you’re here.

Now that I’m in my 20’s I do now experience the loss of not investing my time in browsing those pages, I do but not for fun but just for the sake of compliance. This is one of my biggest regret in life. I hope I knew these things before, the importance of reading. That’s why I want to share with you these secrets I only realized now, too late.

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.
VERA NAZARIAN

First thing is the real essence of these freaking books. Getting afraid of turning those pages is not a fault of yours. I am blaming the system for this. Students are always asked to read a story, even the shortest one, then answer questions at the end of these readings. Is that right? No. It’s giving the reader anxiety that he needs to be keen on every detail to be able to answer the subsequent questions. It’s depriving the readers of their right to pleasure.

That’s the reality but I want to tell you this, books are not created to generate those answers but it was written to be read, to be enjoyed without being so obsessed with micro-elements. There’s nothing bad in missing details. Just read and let your mind process. You have all the freedom.

Another thing rattling the butterflies in your stomach is the thick, bounded, paper infront of you. Oh no, don’t deny it. I know we are again comrade in this fear, we’re both weakshit. But not now, because I got to tell you this secret. Those lengthy piece of paper is not the real jerk, it’s our mindset. We tend to overthink. I have this one thing you need to always remember; it is okay not to finish reading fast. Do you know what is not really okay? To not read at all. Yeah, that’s true.

Those stacks of pages that overwhelms you are to be flipped and read and not just scan and speed-read. If you can finish it one time, well and good but if not, it’s still okay, you can continue whenever you feel to. You can work at your own pace. In the end, it doesn’t matter how fast you’ve done it but how well you’ve enjoyed and understood it.

I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.
HAROLD KUSHNER

This next thing I’m going to share you does not only demotivate me but also made me read nothing. That feeling when you have resources available but you don’t know what to pick-up and read first until you left everything not reading even a page or two. Not sure if you also encounter this but I always think that this paper, that journal, a newspaper or whatsoever will not benefit me and it’s not what others read. I always wanted to read the same material as they do because what I am randomly reading maybe a piece of shit and a waste of time.

But why do I realize it only now, that whatever you are reading might contain a different content, context and structure from what others read but it is the same nuggets of knowledge. Read whatever you have, consume every piece of written materials. Don’t compare what you read with what others read. There are lots of genres out there as well as the probability that what others enjoy is different from yours.

No two persons ever read the same book.
EDMUND WILSON

Enough with those monster image of books, just remember that we just tend to overthink. Let’s focus on the bigger picture, what you might reap when you indulge in reading. I know you have this moment of your life that others are talking about something not familiar to you. It is because they read and you don’t. This is the first and biggest fruit from the tree, knowledge. Everything is not learned in school, many of them are behind those pages. You get to know concepts and stuffs depending on what you read.

Of course, when you read you encounter millions of words and half of those are unfamiliar to you. Fear not these brain-whacking words. Let them be there and as you encounter them numerous time you get to be friend with them and be poured onto your vocabulary-pocket. It’s like those plants at your backyard, let them be there until, unconsciously, they bloom.

There are more I want to share but I want you also to traverse the same path and let you realize these things you grow when you invest your time in reading. I want to leave you this reminder, books are like friends with benefits, there are struggles but remember that it is for pleasure. My description is green but I have read it from a book. Now see how reading also influence your way of writing.

Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood.
JOHN GREEN

Congratulations, you made it this far. Happy Reading! More, more, more more…….!

DISCLAIMER: The quotes I inserted are all from the internet. Only shared it because I guess it adds up as ingredients to this dish of inspiration.