It’s in times like these where I like to remind myself of the wise words from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: “DON’T PANIC”. I’ll not lie to you, I’ve been trying to get this written for almost a week. Now that we’re all on lockdown, it’s a perfect time to reflect on all the madness Coronavirus has inflicted on the planet so far.
Across the globe, thousands have been killed by the virus. The stock markets the world over have gone into free fall. Places of public gathering have been forced to close until further notice. Pubs, restaurants, clubs, clothing and electronic shops and all the other things that dominate modern life have given way to the new social distancing rules which now dictate the ways in which we live our life.
As of the 23rd March, we were all instructed to stay indoors as much as humanly possible by our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. With the exception of one piece of exercise per day and a trip to the supermarkets to shop for essentials, we must stay at home to slow the spread of this virus.
The next question is, of course, how should we spend that time?
As long as you’re abiding by the rules of social distancing, keeping 2 metres apart from people outside your home, now is a great time to do those things you’ve been putting off for the past however long! That could be redecorating your home, starting a simple fitness regime, or binging a specific game, film franchise or TV show you’ve not had the time to enjoy up until now!
Read More: Perfect Trilogies For Procrastination During Isolation
To those working from home, be it for university or your job, know that you aren’t alone in isolation. As oxymoronic as it sounds, we’re all in this same storm and you needn’t feel as though you’re in solitary confinement. With apps like ‘House Party’, you can enter into a chat with anyone you’re friends with and just talk about anything you would usually talk about when you meet up! On the other hand, services such as WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are just a drop in the ocean of ways to video call your loved ones for a chat.
“Where do we go from here?” I hear you ask; to which I repeat the words of Douglas Adams written at the very beginning of this article, “DON’T PANIC.” We will get through this and we will get through this together. By washing ya hands, keeping your distance from people you don’t live with and shopping responsibly, we’ll come out of this better, different people.
This being said, stay tuned to The Indiependent for your doses of fresh content in times of hardship. We’re calling this series ‘Keeping Up With the Coronavirus’, featuring thoughts from a multitude of perspectives, such as scientific, economic, or political angles, to name but a few.
Stay safe and keep washing those hands. To those of you still making unnecessary trips outside, take some advice from an icon of our time, Kourtney Kardashian:
Words by Jacob Fleming