Chasing Emotions
Due to the current pandemic, many of us (myself included) have been social distancing or completely isolating at home. This transition has been hard, and I'm still constantly in a process to try to adjust to the ever-changing situation. So many things in the world right now are scary, disappointing, and sad. However, these dark times have also brought about some light as human compassion can be seen worldwide. Humans helping other humans, caring less about borders or class boundaries and instead working towards a greater good. People are still finding ways to stay connected (thank goodness for the internet and telephones, right?) while love and loneliness seem to walk hand-in-hand.
This post is based on the journaling prompt from the "Chasing Joy" podcast that asks people to write down their experiences and feelings in response to COVID-19. The prompts are as follows:
1. Disappointments caused by COVID-19
2. Fears in the current situation
3. Things you're missing right now
4. Current appreciations and gratitudes
Before I begin, I just want to plug a quick reminder and disclaimer: I don't need to tell you that things are weird right now. We, as humans on this planet, are going through a form of collective trauma that none of us have ever experienced before. The present and the future are uncertain. I'm sure you can look anywhere on the internet and find hundreds or thousands of things relating to COVID-19. I honestly considered not writing anything about it since there is so much already, but it's your choice on whether you want to read on. A disclaimer: some of the things I say may not be significant to you, or may seem insignificant or pale in comparison to the difficulties many people are experiencing right now. Those who have contracted the virus, the people who have lost loved ones to this disease, the amazing health-care workers and scientists who are out there fighting this pandemic, and all of the people working to keep our society functioning. From teachers struggling to get their classes online, students hanging in there, people without a job or whose jobs have been changed to online, janitors, maintenance workers, post-office and mail service employees, and so many more who are doing their best even in these trying times.
I encourage you not to compare yourself to others. I know that is an entirely different challenge in itself, but remember that just because your problems may not be as bad as someone else's that doesn't mean they are insignificant. You are allowed to feel sadness and disappointment, fear and anger, frustration and every other emotion in response to what you are going through.
So I encourage you to try responding to these prompts, to work through your emotions and hopefully learn something along the way. Each one of these categories is important; to see what's been hanging over you, to check in on how you're feeling, to notice what things you will be even more excited for in the future when things (hopefully) go back to normal, and what you can take comfort in right now.
1.Dissapointments
All the things that got canceled that I was looking forward to doing…
Orchestra concert
Contradances
Half-marathon (&other races)
Club activities
A cooking festival
Travels...
Summer job/internship opportunities
Being away from certain people, places I miss now that I'm back home and not at college anymore...
With myself for struggling so much with classes as they've transitioned online
I'm still taking 19 credits and 3.5 labs that have all found a way to go online, and with the changes of transitioning to online learning I actually have more work to do than before and more stress than ever. Basically, the work and stress is a lot and I am not performing at my best which is very disappointing to me. And stressful. Especially with exams and finals coming up.
2.Fears
Not knowing when this pandemic will end...how it will affect everything, and everyone
Someone I love contracting the virus and dying
Me accidentally giving someone the virus if I unknowingly came into contact with it
That school in the fall will be changed and I won't be able to go back and see my friends, take all the classes I want, study abroad in the spring...
Struggling to maintain good health (physical/mental/emotional/etc)
3.Missing
Friends
Hugs/human contact
Dancing with other people
Club activities
In-person classes
Being able to talk face-to-face with people
Burlington
Summer/spring weather (currently snowy and a high of 20˚F in SD)
Community...college in general, cafes, restaurants, fun events, concerts, religious gatherings, libraries...
Freedom to travel, freedom in general
4.Appreciations & Gratitudes
That myself and most of my loved ones are safe and healthy
Being able to connect with people through phone calls and FaceTime
Finding some connections with others
Reading (On book seven of seven of the Throne of Glass series, started just over two weeks ago and have probably will have read almost 4,000 pages by the end of this series)
Cooking ventures...homemade pasta and pesto from scratch, cinnamon rolls, sourdough starter (even with the multiple explosions), and more
Nature, sunshine when it appears
Family, including the dog (most of the time)
Hope for the future, that things will get back to "normal" or a better version of normal as people will have a greater appreciation for all the small joys of life. Being able to go to a coffee shop with a friend, walk down main street and stop into a art museum, listen to a concert at a little hole-in-the wall restaurant, bike in the sunshine to the farmer's market, and so much more.
I'd love to hear your answers to these prompts if you're willing to share, please feel free to post in the comments below! Best,
An Adventurous Aquarius