The whole world has moved one step ahead and every aspect of life has started to change. This all started 3 months ago, when I got to know about corona virus (COVID 19). I could never have imagined how it would change the world around me, and how people would adapt to this disruptive change. Back in the early months of 2020, the news spread like fire across all TV channels, social media, and of course the newspaper. I witnessed that only few students from my university, IoBM, had started to adapt to this change as some of them would wear a mask while taking classes and be protective. This was in mid February 2020, when the news came out about the first case of corona virus in Karachi. Can you imagine that the same people who laughed or joked about other people wearing a mask, were themselves seen wearing one. Everything was going as planned and we were taking regular classes. People would be seen chatting with their friends at Student Activity Center (SAC), students running across the hallway to their classes and how can I forget the “IOBM Dhaba” and other food stalls where all students used to gather with their group of friends after every class.
I remember that we were having our first hourly exams and just 2-3 days before my “Banking laws in Pakistan” exam, I was at a friend’s house attending a Bar B Q party and having a great time when I got to know that the government had announced the closure of all educational institutions. This was the first step taken by the government for the closure of all public places including malls, clubs, cinemas, wedding halls, restaurants and other recreational activities throughout the province followed by a complete lockdown across the country. The lock down was imposed on 27th March 2020 for a period of 2 weeks and it was further extended for another 2 weeks and still exists now in a partial state.
Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.’ – Stephen Hawking.
After reading this quote, I got motivated to move forward in my life. Being a university student, our university opted to conduct classes through online video conferencing platforms such as Zoom meeting and Google Meet. I had to sit in front of the laptop for 3-4 hours to attend classes of all the 6 courses in which I was enrolled in. It was a very difficult time for me because my routine had completely changed. Waking up early for my classes made me nostalgic about those days when I waited for the point (Transport service for IOBM students) to arrive at my place. I can still recall the sound of the horn and a call on my cell phone from a friend telling me that the point is just a street away from my house. I still recall the conversations we used to have on the way to IoBM with the group of unknown people when I took the point service who today I call my friends. I seem to remember all those songs we used to play on the way to IoBM. Attending classes during the lockdown period was quite hectic. Sitting in front of the laptop for long hours attending online classes I did not get the feel of taking classes at IoBM that I was looking for.
Do you think life during quarantine has completely changed? Well it sure did for me. My time was consumed either completing my assignments or working on new ones that our teachers had given, spending time with my family and distributing iftar during Ramzan. Staying at home is not that bad, after all. The lockdown period was a great time to explore and try on new things. I tried to do things which I did not do before. Trying out new recipes on my own and spending time with relatives whom I had not met for quite a long time, this way I would stay connected with the others and be active on social media websites. During Ramadan I distributed Iftar and this way I was involved in some activity to stay connected. Cyclist groups would utilize this time by going for a ride and keeping the social distance to keep them fit. The closure of parks, gyms and clubs has also resulted in people going out for long walks on the streets, which was not a practice before. The idea of going outside and meeting people has in fact become dreamlike, especially after spending 2-3 months at home. I heard from my friends and observed that they are just looking for an excuse to either go to the nearby grocery store or any way they can spend some time outside. This has been a craze for many people and I also felt the same until I got a chance to go outside for a while. My quarantine routine has also helped me to stay fit. I wake up early and exercise and sometimes drive around in my neighborhood. All these activities have kept me busy during the lockdown.
This was the first Eid of its type where we had to follow SOPs given by the government with respect to meeting people on Eid. There were no celebrations on the streets for “Chand Raat” and greeting others on Eid was different because of social distancing. If you have a roof over your head, a loving family, and a palatable feast, be grateful. A pandemic cannot deprive you of your gratitude, self-discipline, and kindness.
Written By Muhammad Usman Shoaib
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