The slow, peaceful days, salad deliveries from dad, long walks with mom, basketball games with Luke, tea during school lessons and movie nights... all in pj's. I've loved this! My heart also goes out to all those who may have battled in this time though, maybe lost someone special. We've all perceived this time so differently, and I'm simply grateful for the experience I had... fully aware that for some it hasn't been easy!
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Hey everyone, happy happy happy happy Saturday! Hope you’ve had an amazing week filled with God’s peace & joy! This week was our first back at school at school (at the actual school location) and yeah it was cool. I personally prefer school from home and love the whole idea of studying just in my bedroom and at my desk, drinking tea & snacking while I work, but, at the same time it’s also so lovely to be able to see friends again, to go café hoppin’ and all of that. Anyway, I just wanted to spend today’s blog post reflecting on this time in quarantine; how I felt about it, what I experienced during this time and what my thoughts are towards everything being almost completely back to normal.
*Rewind three months to March 2020
So basically, just before quarantine began when we were still in level 3, I remember myself and a few friends jokingly saying that going into complete quarantine would be quite nice in terms of getting schoolwork done with less distractions; no need to change classes or wait to ask questions. I, personally, was so excited about perhaps getting the opportunity to work from home because I felt like there would be more time for me in the day; I could get my schoolwork done quickly and then spend the afternoons with family, relaxing, exercising, baking, working out... whatever! Just so much more time. Honestly, in the afternoon of that exact day, it was announced that New Zealand was going into level 4 complete lockdown... We all had to pack up our stuff (all our stuff - every book, file, bag, EVERYTHING) and our parents fetched us... that was that. Because my mom is a teacher at our school, she had a two hour meeting before we could leave, and so my brother, Luke, and I went to the mall with one of our friends to pass the time. I remember covering my face with my school blazer as we walked into the mall because I suddenly felt a bit scared, like “wait, if the whole country is about to go into level 4 of lockdown, why have we just walked to the mall!!” haha. Anyway, we then went home, safe and healthy.
The first two weeks of quarantine were a time of holiday for the schools and so I was just getting into the new swing of being at home full-time, embracing the whole experience for what it was. We went on long family walks and I did a lot of workouts with friends (we would do a group call over Instagram and Pamela Reif workouts together - which I totally recommend btw!!) and it was just so fun! I found that I had so much time to go for runs, and to do hill-sprints, to work on my creative side, bake or cook and so much more... so cool!
Then, after the two weeks of holiday, school-from-home began... And(!), the first two weeks of school-from-home were, I have to say, quite rocky for me because I love having and following a routine or a plan, it kind of just motivates me, and so this complete change to normal daily routine was quite an adjustment for me. I had just gotten used to being in year 12/grade 11 of school (which in itself is already a massive jump from year 11/grade 10) and now had to readjust to doing school at home, with the teachers not very near. Those first two weeks of school-from-home were also quite difficult in terms of time management because I had initially perceived lockdown as being a time where it would only take two or three hours to finish school and then after that be able to relax for the rest of the day... which, obviously is not true. I was so unsure of how to handle school-from-home, and so when my mom and I were on one of our long walks (which we went on fairly often because... lockdown), I began telling her all about how I felt, asking her how I should get all my work done in time, and quickly, how to make time for resting etc, and my mom’s response really really made so much sense and changed the way I thought about the whole situation for the better. She basically reminded me that if I was at school like normal, I’d be at school till 4, then have sport till about 5 and would then still have to come home and do homework and so if I have to work till maybe 3 or 4 during lockdown, its still three hours less than what I would be working if it weren’t quarantine. I totally took her advice and decided to work from 9 or 10 to 3 or 4 everyday which meant I had time for long mornin walks, yummy breakky’s and lotsa time in the afternoons for creativity. From that day I spoke to my mom, there was like a complete turnaround and I ended up LOVING school-from-home.
I thought that to sum my feelings towards quarantine up best I would just do two little lists of the things I loved about lockdown and then the things I’m excited about with now being out of lockdown.
What I loved about lockdown:
I absolutely LOVED being able to drink tea while I worked.
the ability to determine the length of my school day.
the countless scenic walks and chats.
yuuuum mornin breakky’s before the day began (we’re talkin poached eggs on toast or bacon, eggs and pork sausages!)
I loved the opportunity to make my parents breakky some mornings without having to rush around - filled my tank knowing that I was helping/blessing them. I remember thinking to myself “ah! I can’t wait to become a mom and do this full-time. To make my children breakky, then drop them off at school, come home and work on my blog” and/or whatever I’m doing at that point.
spending time enjoying my bedroom. Before lockdown I didn’t really spend a lot of time in my room because I was busy all day and would only be in my room when I was sleeping. Now after being through quarantine, I feel so blessed to have such a beautiful space to embrace, to blog, to workout, to rest, to dream, to inspire and feel inspired. I love my room...
getting to work on my creative side! I was too busy to think creatively before quarantine. Once quarantine began, I felt called to begin blogging, and so that’s exactly what I did. I launched my YouTube channel and my website and my blog and its been so fun being creative... I’m so so glad I decided to follow my calling! Although I’m back at school now, I’m going to continue with this aspect of my life because it feeds my souls and I’m so passionate it.
What I’m excited about with now being out of lockdown:
seeing friends face to face. Although I loved and appreciated the Zoom calls, I kind of felt slightly self-conscious on the calls (like people could just be looking at my face on the call haha - do ya know what I mean!?) and there’s always a slight disconnect when it’s online, it’s just not the same as being face to face, chatting and connecting in ‘real life’.
being out-n-about.
being able to have friends over.
being able to ask teachers for help with questions face-to-face/more easily at school.
Anyway guys, with alllll of that said, I just really felt to do this blog post because it’s something really cool to reflect back on in a few years time like “ah remember when we were in lockdown and how I felt about it!” We’re back at school now in New Zealand, back into the normal day-to-day life and for me, lockdown and quarantine were a time of resetting and refreshment for all that is to come in the future. More and more I’m appreciating and enjoying just being able to see friends and fam again, go shopping, explore and find new cafés. It feels like I’m looking at the world through fresh lenses and appreciating the little things, like catching up with a friend over coffee. It’s such a cool time to be alive, ya’ll!!!
Happy weekend, ciao!
grace charlotte
gg blogs
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