Submitted by Sanaya Tonsekar from the Oberoi International School in India.
I love being around people, I love interacting with others and doing things in the outdoors, but I never realised all the things I could do while being quarantined at home. When authorities told us about the lockdown, every individual in my society had no idea how to react. The stores were running out of supplies within an hour of opening, the streets were empty and soul-less. Seeing an empty street in Mumbai is rare, and witnessing these empty streets for the past few weeks has been shocking.
There's so much I've done at home during this lockdown, it's pretty crazy! Other than binge-watching shows on Netflix, or just laying around on the couch and not doing anything, I feel like during this lockdown I got a chance to do things I don't normally do. On a normal school day, I would have dozens of tests, projects and tasks every week, leaving me almost no time to pursue things I like. I have a newfound interest in painting, and although I'm not particularly good at it, I enjoy being creative. And, I'm not going to lie, I haven't been the most productive during this "break", but that's okay, I don't mind just relaxing and spending quality time with my friends and family. I facetime my friends everyday, that way I can still talk to them for hours and hours about a million different things. Although I would love to step outside and meet my friends at our favourite restaurant, I appreciate the time I've had in these past weeks to unwind and relax at home. Another new experience for me is online school, and so far it's pretty cool!
On a more serious note, this lockdown has shown be exactly how important it is to be thankful for all that I have, and how it is important to be empathetic towards people who need support. I’ve never seen an outbreak like this before, but it has shown me the importance of adaptation, and how to work together as a community to improve the situation.
Sanaya :)