Farida Abdel Malek 
I was obsessed, OBSESSED, with wanting to know when this pandemic was going to end. I mean it couldn't last forever...that's what I told myself. Am I still wondering? Yes. Am Iying to you with this title? No. I genuinely feel like I've made my peace with accepting the fact that there is no use in saying, "When corona is over, I will..." COVID might never be over. I'm not trying to be negative, it's just that it might be something that we just have to learn to live with. And even if it does end, do we really think life will go back to the way it was? I really doubt it. So, I wanted to take things with a lighter note and talk about the reasons I've stopped, or trying to stop, waiting around for the pandemic to end.
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1. Like I said, it might not end. Or might not end anytime soon.
2. Who knows what other virus is ready to hop on next. Guess we need to start getting used to masks.
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3. My anxiety has had enough. The fear and terror I lived with in the beginning, terrified that something would happen to family, was all consuming. There is really nothing I can do other than be careful and hope for the best.
4. I got it. Now this doesn't make the situation worse or better. It's just that ever since I've had it, I'm less terrified of the element of surprise. Of course I was very lucky that my case was mild. So I'm in no way saying that getting it will make things better. It's still very dangerous and deadly.
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5. I stopped looking at the news. I really don't want to know anything about the virus anymore. The information I get is brief, concise and straight to the point from family members, and I try not to ask questions so that the anxiety door doesn't open.
6. I'm really enjoying my bed. I know it's lazy, unhealthy and not recommended, but for the time being it's bringing me joy, so I'm not complaining.
7. I really don't want to go back to the office. Do I love working from home? No? Do I miss my colleges? YES, so much. But what I don't miss the hours and hours spend in the car, that really do drain the energy out of you. I'm aware this won't last forever, but I really need to work on not letting the traffic get to me.
8. I have a new found appreciation for dressing up. Every time I leave the house, it's like I'm playing dress up and I try to wear whatever I like, because who cares? I'm not leaving the house everyday.
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9. I have a new found appreciation for the outside world. The sun, the air, the greenery, and even the noise. Those first few minutes of stepping outside. I take them now a lot less for granted.
10. You know when Ross (In F.R.I.E.N.D.S) said, I've been given the gift of time... This pandemic has really shown me that the feeling I had of always running around was not because of any outside factors, it was always in my head. During lockdown, I was at home all day and yet I still felt like I was running short on time, despite having all the time in the world. Now, my relationship with time has really developed. I've learned to slow down. It's a slight change, but it's good.
11. And now for the most important part...Living. 'Living' is not just what we're used to. We can still live now and maybe even live better, because despite how horrible this has all been, everyone agrees that is has taught us so much. So, instead of 'waiting around to get back to life', I'm trying to look for ways to try to enjoy and live now, as much as I can.
Main Image Credits: Instagram @srhmikaela
