Life is a chance that each of us has been given to make the world a better place. Some of us don’t choose the way to take that one chance they have. Even the world pandemic does not prevent such of us from making ourselves and the world better.

I spent a two-month quarantine in the countryside. I was in physical isolation but in constant contact with friends and especially professors. I used that time for myself and for others. I used the benefits of the village for walking, running in the woods and meditating. I read, wrote and researched and listened to concerts of friends.

The biggest challenge of all was adapting to online learning. Everything in life that we do for the first time is difficult, painful and at times irritating. However, when we get used to a new way of functioning it stops being new and becomes something we live with. Therefore, online learning was initially strange and tedious, but over time it became a normal way of functioning of the professor-student relationship. In the end, it proved to be effective because I came out of quarantine with two complete research papers waiting to be published.

A large number of my friends used the time to read books that had been waiting a long time to be read. However, what we read we also had to share with each other. So we just organized an online reading room where we talked about the books we read, shared impressions and recommendations.

I also enjoyed the music. A friend, a professor from a music school, organized an online classical music concert that brought together many friends from all over the state that I probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise given the distance. However, a noble thing like music brought us together in one place where we enjoyed the music, talked and were supportive of each other in the challenges we faced.

Eventually I met my goals and set new ones in terms of physical activity. I started running intensely and getting ready for the half marathon.
Whatever the circumstances, life must not stop. We have to work hard, every day to use the chance to do everything to be better, thus making the world better.

Author: Elmin Fehric