Can you believe it has been almost 17 months since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? Yes, time flies fast.
People have faced a lot of hardships and challenges during the pandemic. They have lost their loved ones, lost their incomes, faced salary reductions, and lost their homes and shelter. The economy slowed down like never before. Needless to say, these past 17 months have been tough.
However, despite all the hardships and challenges, we have learned a lot from the pandemic. We have learned lessons about humanity and unity. People have come together to help the frontline workers fight this virus. They have cared about their community and followed all the guidelines to contain the virus. The lessons we learned were very valuable.
I learned the following lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- United we stand tall and straight – Government authorities, medical staff, social organizations, and various kinds of people have come together and respected the guidelines, adhered to the travel restrictions, and helped in managing the virus. Despite all the obstacles, we performed our duties as responsible citizens and protect our nation.
- Social bonds grew stronger – The COVID-19 pandemic situation was new for all of us and unfortunately, it didn’t come with an instruction manual. We all depended on each other because we were all in this new and scary situation together. We also realized the importance of life and loved ones when we couldn’t meet them. This helped us make an effort to strengthen our bonds with our loved ones.
3. Allowed us to reflect – Everyone found the first 6 months of the pandemic quite hard because we lacked social interactions. People were finding it difficult to accept that masks had become a mandatory accessory. Lots of people even developed social anxiety when things started to open up because they had started to become used to being at home. This phase was very hard because people experienced many unpleasant things, but it gave them the chance to reflect on their priorities. They figured what mattered the most to them and it helped them fight the pandemic.
How technology helped us during the pandemic:
- Our style of working was redefined – One of the new normals the pandemic brought with itself is the concept of work from home. Around March-April, everyone went digital and started to work from home. People wouldn’t have imagined that they could do all the work that they do in the office from home. Now you weren’t unnecessarily traveling to work and wasting your time. This also helped the environment because it reduced the pollution caused by traveling. In my opinion, work from home will be practiced even after the pandemic.
- Learning and up-skilling became faster and cost-effective – Believe it or not, online learning has a lot to offer. There has been exponential growth in online learning options. You can choose a wide variety of courses from reputed institutes. Since these courses are delivered online, they have become cost-effective and easier to learn. Everyone now has the opportunity to learn and bridge the talent gap.
3. Senior citizens became technology-friendly – Senior citizens are categorized as “high risk” and are advised to be safer. They were not advised to travel or see their family. This pushed them into befriending technology, and for me, this is the biggest takeaway from the pandemic. I mean, what is cuter than your parents and grandparents on a video call learning and trying to figure it out?
We have all come a long way in collectively managing the pandemic with the belief that “this too shall pass“. Let us continue doing what we are supposed to be doing and say goodbye to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kudos to all the cross-country medical, paramedical, and essential services workers who risk their lives and selflessly protect others.
Stay healthy and stay safe!
Frequently Asked Questions
We can protect ourselves by wearing masks, sanitizing our hands regularly, maintaining distance, avoiding travel, and getting vaccinated as soon as we can.
Work from home requires a laptop, a stable internet connection, and any video calling app to have a meeting with your team.
Online learning is cheaper than in-person learning since you don’t have to pay for the infrastructure or the traveling. You can sit and learn new skills from the comfort of your home.
While working from home, employees are more happy and productive. You also save the time you would otherwise spend in traveling and the environment is also saved from all the pollution.
