april 2020

21 days later (and 3457394 days more), nothing has changed. Quarantine has surpassed a full calendar month.

After the first few weeks of May, I have finally plucked up the energy to document last month. They haven't exactly been easy, to say the least. However, on a lighter note, April consisted of BBQs, games of pool, excessively long dog walks and plenty of online shopping.

As much as I miss seeing my friends, coming home for the foreseeable future has made me appreciate spending time with my family a lot more than usual, as I usually never have the time. These moments are what you treasure when you live away from home, even if I am being forced to stay in the house with them. Nevertheless, they don’t know I came home merely to see the dogs.

Having a repetitive routine of waking up, eating, doing work, walking the dog, eating again, then going to bed becomes too mundane. It almost feels like we are stuck in a dystopian novel, unable to leave the house without worrying about your health and everybody around you. The initial shock of everyone’s lives turning upside down has started to wear off, with it feeling like the new ‘normal’. However, people aren’t taking it seriously until it hits home.

Keeping to the lockdown rules, we took the dog on our daily, one-hour walk alongside the river whilst the sun was beaming and the aroma of barbequed food filled the air. Just for an hour, it was almost impossible to remember that life isn’t exactly normal anymore. Breathing in the fresh air and a change of scenery is just what you need when your four walls become too claustrophobic.

With the gloomy weather returning, excessive binge watching whilst procrastinating from essays became the perfect pass time. I started watching the recent season of Money Heist, which was released at the beginning of April. Without giving away any spoilers, every single scene sends your heart racing. You never know when something bad is going to happen as you are constantly anticipating the worst, which I thought was genius as you never really knew what to expect. Whilst sometimes knowing what is going to happen, it can be even more heart wrenching waiting for it to actually happen.

Another series I binged instead of doing my essays was Outer Banks. After watching the trailer, I wasn’t so sure that I would enjoy it until my dad and my brother convinced me otherwise. Going in with lower expectations and having them disproved is one of the best feelings when finishing a programme or movie. I feel like they have such a bigger impact as I couldn’t stop talking about it. If you have watched the goonies, then this programme is perfect to see a much more darker version of teenagers looking for treasure. It has definitely been added to my list of favourites.

In another attempt of procrastination, I ordered a colouring book. The first of many online orders was an alphabetical colouring book full of serial killers. Interestingly, some of my friends approved and some did not. If watching documentaries about serial killers isn’t enough, then colouring them in is a somewhat stress reliever.

{Just a reminder to stay safe and keep soical distancing until told otherwise, because every life is valuable.}