LOCKDOWN: In the midst of offline and online classes by SUHA

We are living in a tragic world. World of fever and fret. More over the continuous waves of Pandemic. All are affected by despair. Lost near and dear ones. It’s really a dooms day. Everything changed utterly. And changed forever. But life lived is a great achievement. Having memories and reflections is a bliss. Here is a story of a young school going girl whose mind and heart suffered a lot. Troubled by the loneliness, depression. She missed daily routine, distanced by school. But found she has something to console, abled to read and review. It’s a new light. Read her reflections in the midst of offline and online classes.

Suha

It’s 7th May 2021 and we are still at home. Holidays are going on. Break from online classes is finally here. Relaxing at home for a month without online classes but still, home is home. Sweet home. I started to compare after lockdown and before lockdown.

Before lockdown it was like a normal student life. Friends, family, trips, shopping, school and then home. But now, home, home and home. Lockdown routine became normal and earlier student life seems so special right now in this pandemic.

When lockdown started, I was happy, but my happiness didn’t last long. Being at home was horrible. Thank God, I got to know early. Online classes started, so suddenly with unknown teachers. They were upsetting. No friends, no gossip and no naughtiness. It felt like a forceful job which was meant to adjust in all these alone and gloomy days.

In my opinion, online Classes in the pandemic times were kinda good for over all personality growth.

Teachers were teaching to monitors, celling, walls etc. They are teaching and we students are just listening. It’s all a kind of drama, just a play. Then, we realized that offline is better than online. Teachers were so, clueless. Online classes were enough for God’s sake, they even added study hours and it is like a burden as if carrying a carry rice bag on my shoulders. I didn’t do study hours. Kinda proud of myself. Suddenly, my eye sight got double within just one year, how harsh. But still, I did my best in presentations without studying. These Online classes, how should I put this, if it was a person, we would have hanged him for the torture we bared. Yes, we had such a stress and with that effect seems any time my head may explode.

By the way there is brighter side too. In my opinion, online Classes in the pandemic times were kinda good for over all personality growth. Though having all kinds of mood swings, felt likes, dislikes but gained so many new experiences and enriched a lot.

It’s depressing. I was like another person for few days in that phase. My mom was also worried about me.

I was feeling lonely at home. Not scared but just got tired with home and classes. Infinite holidays. I got tired and everyone is tired and letting my frustration randomly ‘no one can eat dal everyday’ it’s boring and tasteless as time passes. And it effected as I was a teenager obviously. It’s all a new experience. Reasonless crying, reasonless worrying. Everything is messy. Suddenly slipping of glass cup out of my hand and that scared me to hell.

It’s depressing. I was like another person for few days in that phase. My mom was also worried about me. So, she took me too my grandma’s home. I got relaxed a bit. Earlier, I thought it was me alone feeling such a way. But came to know that all my dear friends are in such a trouble. They used to share and let their worries be felt and lucky that I was supporting and advising them. I too was motivated by myself by saying, this too shall pass.

This story is maybe related to business and marketing but for me, its accepting the change and adjusting in the context. Just think positive!

There was one video which my class teacher sent me in WhatsApp for motivation of moving on and accepting the reality. I really liked it. It was a speech from one old women she said “there was a shoe company, they sent two sellers to Africa for knowing their sales in Africa. Seller A to north and Seller B to south. After some days they came back. Seller A said “No one here wears any shoes, there is no market for us here!” and Seller B said “No one here wears any shoes, shoes are being brought in huge percentage, send another stock!” So, this story is maybe related to business and marketing but for me, its accepting the change and adjusting in the context. Just think positive!

I may not be confident in other activities but photography became a gift for me and I loved it. When I want to be happy, I clicked photos. Nature is my solace. I don’t want to pursue photography as career but I Wanna keep it as hobby.

Even my photography career got on plane of improving. I would say I used lockdown in the best photogenic way. Am proud enough to say. Maybe I was fortunate enough for living in an awesome land scape, Wonderful fields and soothing back waters. Had even of a Mountain view. In fact, my home looks like a resort for foreign people with the view.

Maybe I was fortunate enough for living in an awesome land scape, Wonderful fields and soothing back waters. Even of a Mountain view.

My mom too supported my passion and became my model. We enjoyed lockdown with fun and worked on different themes. Shot so many pictures and they were worth of a gallery. Indeed, I do compliment myself.

Ultimately I have passed 9th standard. It’s a mixed feeling. A kind of joy besides certain loneliness. Both existed. Schools started in March 2021 with final exams of 9th grade and I don’t know anything as I was in lockdown. Got lazy and tired and the interest of studying flown into the air. Not only me, my friends but also classmates who have lack of interest in studying. Though exams went well but unhappy for not getting satisfying marks. As it seemed like daily routine is back, no it’s not back. Sanitizer and Masks became part of life. Removing mask only in launch break.

After one month span of time, when school started, I became chubby. It scared me. But, me and my friends spent more time outside than inside in campus and that’s wonderful time in deed.

But let me tell you one thing, what is school for me is a refreshing phenomenon.

But let me tell you one thing, what is school for me is a refreshing phenomenon. Teachers teaching in offline is bitter sweet. Sitting in my seat, seeing my classmates listening to classes and chit chatting, my friends irritating me in between of class, copying notes from blackboard and seeing outside of window when not in mood, playing and gossiping in breaks, sharing foods, writing homework in school, studying and talking to teachers is called school for me.

As I mentioned seeing out of window, there was a basketball court of memories, my goals and lot of teaching by P.E.T sir. Now all has vanished and only an empty wind blowing with dried leaves and sand, makes me sick, lonely.

Earlier, it was like routine, going to school and coming back. But now it was like a dream. Now am inevitably dreaming of going to school like that old happy normal world.
I like watching new stories every day in the form of series and movies, animation films. It’s in fact a reality because it makes us alive like we live the character and we experience them emotionally and connects with their acts.

Lockdown helps us to realize things we didn’t realize before.

I like foreign entertainment industries. I’m into K-pop (heart core fan), K, C, J-dramas, fantasy, animations and anime as teenager it’s obvious to like this kind of stuff. Mainly I like music stuff listening songs helps everyone to heal. My personally liked album is BTS-Be album it helps to go through this present situation, Pandemic. As life goes on and fly to my room. My Army-ness is blooming here.

Lockdown helps us to realize things we didn’t realize before. For example, reading your favorite book for a longtime and seeing new words and expressions every time you open that boo. It’s an opportunity to cherish. It’s nothing but ‘Knowing about yourself too. What a comfort and consoling times we had.

Lockdown is a great opportunity to spend time with family as everyone says, But for me being with family is good in working days, only without conflicts and useless stuff as I am cold daughter of a cold mother. It isn’t as good as some people think. My friend has a four member family but still she struggles to get through lockdown. So, ‘Not everything is good every time’. Perspectives changes at time being.

One day, we encountered a Corona case or story. So, our neighbor said that a shop owner’s brother came from north India and he got corona. So, obviously it’s terrifying. I used to see how many cases in news, but never heard a case before it made me realize these all-stupid situations are real. Pandemic is really happening. Human extinction is happening outside of my house and my world.

At this juncture, saying I’m not afraid doesn’t really mean that, I’m over confident or a coward.

What struck my head is deaths of the loved ones. As rumors fly from far it reaches me at some point. That happened. Well, deaths are unexpected and unstoppable. We lost most famous people and our loved ones.

At this juncture, saying I’m not afraid doesn’t really mean that, I’m over confident or a coward. I will try my best to survive in this fast – running world of pandemic.

Note, this a video game, try to survive this game with health and hygiene and move to a higher level to fight and protect.

Another note for those who hate or dislike video games, this a drama, at the end of the day you and your loved ones will be with you as your character grows with emotions, responsibility and joy.

Thank you! Stay safe, stay home and Stay gold.

Suha is tenth standard student of Paramita school of Karimnagar. She is a poet at heart and musician in spirit. Wanderer by free will. This story not only reflects her mind but students at large in the pandemic times.