20 Things 2020 Taught Me
If you told me on 1st January 2020 that I had stayed up all night to countdown to a year where humanity would face World War III threats, endless natural disasters, and a global pandemic leading to a worldwide lockdown, I would have laughed.
I had believed that 2020 would be the start of an exciting decade of change and a time of increased wealth, purely because the 1920s were known to be “The Roaring 20s”, a decade of unprecedented economic growth, prosperity, and endless partying to Jazz music. Turning 20 in 2020, life felt so full of promise, and I was ready to party my heart out but now that we are ending the overwhelming reality that is 2020, here are 20 things I learned:
- Washing hands is important.
Do I need to elaborate on this? Washing hands save lives!
- Planning is important, but sometimes things don’t go as planned, and that is okay.
As the Oscars winning film, Parasite, puts it “You know what kind of plan never fails? No plan. No plan at all. You know why? Because life cannot be planned.” Life is much more unpredictable than we think. I had planned two internships – one during my Summer break and another during my Winter break but both were cancelled due to the coronavirus. Often, things do not go the way we envisioned them to, and I learned to be comfortable with it.
- Everything is temporary.
One moment, I was singing karaoke with my friends, and the next moment, it became illegal to meet them. Everything is truly transient – the bad and the good. It all passes.
- It is okay to be bored.
During the circuit breaker, I was so bored that I realized there were worse things in life than being bored. For instance, I could be hooked on a ventilator instead. I am sure many of us felt unfulfilled, dissatisfied and even like we are not doing enough. But it is normal and okay to be bored because surviving is itself an accomplishment during a global pandemic.
- Importance of diversifying my income streams.
As the country’s unemployment rate goes up, I realized the importance of having many streams of income so that even if I lose a job, I can still rely on my other sources of income.
- Screaming into the pillow is an effective stress management tool.
You should try it too!
Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash
- Slow down, you don’t have to be productive all the time.
Do you ever get the feeling that everyone’s going way too fast? We are constantly under the pressure to be hyper-productive, and never take breaks. But, taking some time for yourself is not lazy or selfish. 2020 taught me that it’s okay to relax, and that rest should not be a reward. Let’s not hesitate to allow ourselves some time to recharge.
- Healing is not linear. It happens in layers.
Some days are good, but some days it still hurts, and it doesn’t feel like I am getting better.
- Going out of your comfort zone can be terrifying, but it is so worth it.
The only exercise my core ever used to get was laughing but this year, I decided to be more active and joined the school’s bouldering club. While it’s embarrassing how weak I am, it’s incredibly satisfying when my muscles ache the day after training!
- It’s OK To Be Yourself – even if you are … “boring”
Growing up, I was afraid to come across as a boring person. I constantly felt the need to be exciting and have my ‘orientation group leader’ persona switched on all the time. However, this year taught me that as long as you are happy with who you are, it’s okay to be “boring”. And honestly, it’s strange to expect someone to be interesting and fun all the time.
- Perfection is overrated.
It’s so tempting to want everything to look perfect especially when the media is constantly shoving society’s idea of beauty in your face. But somewhere along the year, I decided that I am just going to accept who I am and be happy. Beauty is subjective and if I say I am beautiful, who is to say I am not?
Photo by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash
- Clean your room!
Working/Studying from home has taught me the importance of cleaning my room. A cleaner room = a happier, more creative, and energetic me!
- Setting boundaries
This year, I mastered the art of saying, “Sorry, I do not like this” and as a former people-pleaser, I am glad that I am learning how to set my boundaries.
- Volunteering can be fun!
I volunteered more than ever this year and have come to realize that volunteering can be so enjoyable and fulfilling!
- You can talk yourself into being CONFIDENT!
You need to tell yourself “I got this, look at me, I am totally amazing” 10 times a day.
- It’s okay to dream simple.
Circuit breaker gave me a lot of time to be alone with my thoughts and truly figure out who I want to be. In the past, I wanted to accomplish big things, to be crazy rich, and attain high status. Now, my dream is to make the world a better place and fully enjoy each day!
- Be grateful.
The pandemic has taught me that being alive itself is a miracle and we should be grateful for everything little thing in life.
- Always hug your family and friends
The circuit-breaker and months of social distancing make me realized that I should always hug my family and friends when I have the chance.
- Things always have a way of working out.
Dale Carnegie summarized this nicely, “Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn’t you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn’t most of them turn out all right after all?”
- A lot can change in a year but there is always good to be found.
Most importantly, 2020 showed me that even in a difficult time, there are positives to be found. More so than ever, this year, we witnessed communities coming together, and people rising to the occasion to volunteer their time, donate money and food, and to care for strangers. Despite all of the bad, let’s not forget the good.