Since the advancement of technology and medicine, we have completely forgotten how infectious diseases took a large number of lives in the last century, which is why this situation is so unexpected and confusing. A number of restrictive measures, including work from home, online classes, and a ban on gatherings have disrupted our daily lives. People are known for their social nature, which is why this situation was extremely difficult for a large number of them.
When I look back on the months we spent sitting at home, I realize that it wasn’t really that hard for me and that I always found something to do within my four walls. I had time to dedicate to everything I had left aside. I read a number of books that were on the waiting list, watched many cult movies, and even returned to learning Japanese. A lot of free time also allowed me to finally dedicate myself to some physical activity, since in normal conditions I am often out of the house for various lectures and extracurricular activities.
The only thing I missed was meeting my friends. Sometimes we would hear each other through video calls, we would talk via social networks, but that could not replace our gatherings around the table with a cup of badly brewed coffee talking about what crazy things we experienced that day.
As a Red Cross volunteer, together with a team of my peers, I helped my elderly fellow citizens with the purchase of food and medicine, at a time when they could not leave their homes due to the state of emergency. Through that experience, I realized that people of my age were not so much affected by this situation, because for the most part they had no contact with the outside world. When you see the deserted streets of your city, which were otherwise bustling with life, you shudder with fear and discomfort. Everything seemed rather unimaginable and unreal because it was out of our sight. However, not so far from us, the hospitals were full and for those who saw that, I guess it seemed very real. It also seemed extremely real to people who had to go to work every day and put themselves at risk, as well as to those who had a family member affected by the virus.
Like everything else, this will pass, although it will certainly leave a mark on the lives of many people. Be it due to the loss of loved ones or due to the deterioration of living standards in the midst of the collapse of the economy. Fortunately for us, humans are stubborn and persistent beings, so we hope that scientific research will bear fruit as soon as possible and that we will overcome this epidemic, as was the case with previous generations.
Author:
Maja Rudinski
Subotica