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Back in the later parts of 2019, Covid-19 pandemic took the world by surprise when it first struck China. And according to an article in the South China Morning Post, it has spread across the globe ever since. Because of this, our lives have changed drastically, and we have had to switch up our routines completely. This has extended to online classes, people having to work from home, and some even losing their jobs. With the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, it's tough to remain positive during these trying times. That being said, let's look at some things that happened throughout this pandemic and how it changed our lives.
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Back in March, when the Movement Control Order (MCO) first took effect, almost everyone was forced to stay at home. We had to find other things to keep ourselves occupied. This led to people turning to social media platforms, like Instagram and Twitter, where they'd post updates and moments of their lives during the lockdown. The Internet can sometimes be a glorious place that kick starts trends for everyone to participate in, and this year was no exception. The birth of trends like the Dalgona coffee, TikTok dance challenges and many other kept people occupied and entertained.
With most of our time spent predominantly on the Internet, there was a change in how we interacted with it. According to the New York Times, even though popular sites are growing in usage, people still want to do more than just message each other. We want to connect with one another. And this has made a lot of people resort to video-calling apps that allow groups of people to video-call one another or even play games! Even Instagram was becoming more interactive due to accounts sharing quirky, engaging Story temples that were either Bingo or 'Would You Rather' orientated. The rise of these trends, among many others, were what made the first few weeks of lockdown less boring. Social media was a driving force in what helped us stay connected with our friends and family when we couldn't see them in the flesh.
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The lockdown was a period where we could finally try to pick up a new hobby or skill that our typical schedule would usually forbid us from doing. Like maybe you've always wanted to draw? Or perhaps you had a pile of books waiting for you to read them? Since we weren't allowed to eat outside, some took up the idea to make tasty dishes at home and continually planned ahead for the next meal to try out. With the extra time on our hands, we could do the things we wanted to do, and it also provided us with the chance to switch things up in our lives.
The unfortunate outcome of this pandemic was the fact that many people were not able to work. Thankfully, we live in the 21st century, and we have the privilege to connect to the Internet and find work. According to the Jakarta Post, this led to some small businesses venture to open online stores and gain income from there. In doing so, companies can still connect with customers to meet their daily needs while supporting themselves.
It's safe to say that 2020 did not turn out as many of us expected. But what comes after this? The current landscape won't be like this forever, so we should look towards our future and prepare for the day when things are calmer. I would like to remind all of us to cherish the times you have with your loved ones. The lives we have are often taken for granted, and this pandemic has proved that anything can happen. So even if you're busy during the week, try your best to carve out time to spend it with those you love. Those precious moments count the most.
By Chloe Yong