Dear Suzanna,

I can totally relate to you and your text. For me the pandemic so far was also both a challenge and an opportunity. Of course it was difficult at first to not see your friends and family on a regular basis anymore and to not just go into a shop whenever you want to. But I agree with you that we could and can also learn from this experience.

Not being able to visit my family every other weekend was really devastating for me as well because I'm a family person. But after a while I got used to it and just settled for calling them whenever I've got the urge to talk to them about something.
And these are times I value the most in this pandemic. As you already said we came to recognize even little things like this or a walk in the park as the most valuable.

You said that you struggled to get used to remote learning. I think that applies for the majority of students, teachers and lecturers at first. It was very strange not being able to meet up with your fellow students or discuss problems in your study groups. In addition some lecturers and professors just gave us a pile of assignments without giving a lecture to this topic so that we were kind of lost in those courses. But for me remote learning also showed that in some cases being able to connect online actually makes sense and gives us some advantages. Especially in lectures where it's just about giving the students information and social interaction isn't required.

However as the months go by I have to admit that I run out of patience and energy. I just want to get back a piece of normalcy. I get the feeling that whatever we do, this pandemic won't go away and even if we can contain it, we will suffer the consequences that result from it long after the pandemic has passed. As you already said health goes beyond the physical part. Also mental health is important if not more important. But nevertheless people are required to stay at home and stay away from their loved ones. I myself am lucky because I live together with my boyfriend, so it hasn't changed so much for me. But people like my grandma who lives alone had to endure weeks of seclusion without seeing anyone except the people during grocery shopping. However not visiting her wasn't so much about the restrictions but rather the fear of infecting her with the Corona-Virus. But there lies the problem. Should we keep visiting our loved ones and risk infecting them? Or should we stay away knowing that in leaving them alone it could drive them into depression because of loneliness?

But as I read your essay I was reminded that I'm not the only one who struggles with those questions. People all over the world have the same problems if not bigger ones. The only way to get us through this pandemic is to stay together (even if it's just virtually) and keep to those people we can count on. For me it's my family, my boyfriend and close friends. We have to accept that life may never return to how it was and try to adapt to this new situation by sticking to the good things in life. And finally believe that every challenge in life only makes us stronger.

Thank you for your inspirational thoughts. Paula