The Misadventures of a Pandemic Prom Queen

As we observe the one-year anniversary of WHO’s declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic today, I can acknowledge the fact that there has been a lot to take away from the experience. The past 365 days have brought about what many are calling a “new normal”.

With several travel bans in place, we were forced early on to find pleasure within our own environments.
One of my first calls to action was to create anew within my living space. I knew that because I was going to be cemented in my home (specifically my bedroom), that I needed to make it more enjoyable for myself. I needed a space that I was going to enjoy looking at—more importantly, one that felt welcoming.

So, like many others, I went to one of the few stores that remained open—Target. While other shoppers were seeking to hoard toilet paper, water bottles, and disinfectant cleaner; I picked up entirely new bedding and even bought a PlayStation to serve as entertainment when I ran out of shows to binge-watch.

Being the anti-social being that I am, I was not initially weary of this “new normal”. It was like the vacation that I had always dreamed of and I immediately rid myself of all responsibilities.

This brought about one of the greatest lessons the pandemic taught me—that life moves on.

Although I was very thankful for the downtime, it eventually got very easy to slack off. With the boom of TikTok and all the joy that it brings from cloud bread recipes to extremely detailed dance routines, it was hard to get myself back on track. I spent countless hours each day alternating from Hulu to Instagram to Netflix to Twitter back to Instagram to YouTube and HBO Max—that even that frivolous routine grew weak.

There were many thoughts that occupied my mind during this time, in which most of them had very little to do with work. My focus became peace. I allowed myself to dream and let my mind wonder.

Without delay, I began to put focus onto missed opportunities and all of the sort. What I deemed essential was the ability to hang out with family and friends, travel afar with my partner, host events for my business, explore my passions, and so much more.

I realized that majority of the demands of my 9-5 could be met solely from home in less than 8 hours (only reaffirming that a 5-day workweek is excessive).

FaceTime and Zoom are not replacements for skin-to-skin, but prioritizing your life is important.

When work and extracurriculars are virtual, appearance becomes a thing of the past. You learn to embrace your tutorial-taught hairstyles and in-home mani/pedis; and you become thankful that daytime PJ’s and cozy loungewear are the hottest trends of the season.

Minimalism and sustainability are topics that I have visited a few times here on Haute Green Tea.

In the event of another nationwide lockdown, it’s important to have a savings. Although, the process of starting a savings is hard when you have no money to save (which was the reality for many long before last March). At the height of the pandemic, the unemployment rate sat at 14.8 percent. Many people turned to stocks as a means to gain income because depending on government aid was injudicious. As for someone who maintained an income, getting started with budgeting was difficult, but there remained sources available with guidance on how to live a more financially-conscious life during the pandemic.

Plenty of small businesses had to close their doors or shut down their sites due to the lack of aid that was readily available to them. Although big corporations admittedly took a hit, I learned that ultimately they would survive. As per the fact that following the rise of Black Lives Matter protests this summer, we witnessed the looting of a Minneapolis Target in which the Target CEO announced the store’s rebuilding the next day. My consciousness was shifted to the need for support of black businesses.

Apart of budgeting is re-evaluating your necessities. Then comes the choice of where you acquire those necessities. Putting money back into your community ultimately serves you.

I had to reset my priorities often within the past 12 months. Stepping away from societal norms and requirements and setting my own path. I learned to show gratitude for each day and each lesson that they brought.