There are a number of things that quarantine has taught me so far. After 8 weeks of being indoors, your mind starts to wander into those dark places and really think. With so much time on our hands and such a life-changing experience, we should reflect on the current situation.

So, what has quarantine taught me?

1) Life can change so drastically and so fast that you don’t even realize what’s happening. I remember when school was issued by the government to temporarily shut down, I hurriedly packed some of my things from my apartment in Malta and quickly headed to Gozo. In a matter of two hours, I changed my plans for the time being. I knew that the lockdown wouldn’t be for just a week. A pandemic strikes and it remains there for a while. And of course, we now know that that is true. We’ve been locked up for what feels like forever.

2) We really need to appreciate the things around us. Just a few months ago, I was in Michigan and New York and now both of these states are being hit badly by this pandemic. If only I knew back then that this would happen, I wouldn’t believe it. You wouldn’t think something like this could ever happen. But it did. And it should shock us.

3) We aren’t going to change after this. My best friend mentioned this to me yesterday and it is so so true. We aren’t going to change after this. The civil wars, terrorist attacks, concentration camps in China, the racism, the destruction of the environment, the poverty… they’re not going to stop. We are not going to learn the value of life after this. Hundreds of people lost their lives to this virus and we will not care to improve ourselves as a human race. Why? Because we did not learn from the hundreds of wars in the past in which thousands and millions of innocent people died. So what makes this pandemic any better of a chance to learn from?

4) Once lockdown restraints are lessened, we are not going to be socially the same. I can vouch for myself in which I sometimes tend to be a hermit and avoid people except my three family members and closest two best friends. I am a social person however when I’ve been away from people for so long, I tend to accept being away from people and find it hard to become social with society again. That is definitely going to happen after COVID-19.

5) In times of a pandemic, or a war, or apocalypse, us human beings become numbers. Our governments take care of their inner circle first and then try to help out the little guy. The people who are dying in this pandemic are not our government officials.

6) Working from home is absolutely horrible. Why do people want to work from home? How do people take online learning courses? Personally, I cannot do it. Can you relate?

7) A friend of mine once told me that motivation is an excuse. If you want to get something done, don’t wait around for the right moment because it will never come. You need to make now the right moment. I truly believe in this, however quarantine must be the exception. When your normal lifestyle is no longer available, how can you produce work with the right mindset? How can you be motivated in this quarantine lifestyle? Yes, I do not feel mentally motivated to do anything because my life does not exist right now. I’ve said this in a previous post; our lives are on hold. Paused.

8) If Americans had any reason to dislike Trump pre-coronavirus life, they definitely have plenty more reasons now. The things that are coming out of his mouth during his briefings or on his Twitter account, are preposterous. If Trump gets elected again, I will loose my faith in the right to vote.

9) This summer isn’t going to be the usual Gozitan summer we all love. We aren’t sure if Grotta will open. Feasts are not going to be held according to the Catholic Church. Tourists are definitely not going to come to Malta this summer. I’m going to miss hanging out with my friends and cousins from America and Australia. However, I think it will be a summer that we will learn from; partying is not everything in life. Due to our limited entertainment in Gozo, we simply drink and party because nothing else is available. Now, we have the opportunity to make those other forms of entertainment available. Maybe this will be a life-changing summer.

Finally, I can’t wait for this virus to be over. Hopefully soon. Safe home. Stay safe.