A Note on Gratitude during the Coronavirus Outbreak

For over a month, the panic and stress induced from the coronavirus pandemic has been wildly increasing. One week ago, I saw my university campus filled with happy and carefree students enjoying the weather and immersing in outdoor activities. Within a matter of days, classes were canceled, students were asked to leave residences, say goodbye to friends, go home and socially distance themselves- a term that was barely known two weeks ago. Although it is relieving to have a delay in assignments and evaluations, as well as not needing to wake up early for class, there’s a much larger issue at hand. This past week, every corner I turned to and every conversation had around me revolved around the coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak was on everyone’s mind and the amount of panicking and anxiety being experienced was unfathomable. It was hard to accept that the virus will slow down every-day life and harm many industries- including our education. With many jobs being lost and many life changing opportunities that people are being required to cancel, we are all losing something close to us. For some, it may be the routine, a lifestyle and a sense of self. For others, it’s a lifeline. All in all, the uncertainty of this pandemic has wreaked havoc.

For all the seniors of the class of 2022 who are not able to have graduation celebrations, for the athletes who are not able to take part in important games, for doctors who are giving up time with their families to protect people- we are all temporarily being challenged to step back from our path and adapt to the current situation. If there’s something we continue to learn throughout life, it’s how to accept difficult situations and embrace every part of it. One thing this all boils down to is gratitude- for our health and the small moments in life. Most of us are blind to the small things that have a massive influence on our lives until we lose connection with them. At school we must be grateful for the abundance of education, the intelligent professors we can learn from every day, the classroom culture of high-level discussions and fresh young ideas. In our day-to-day lives, we have our families that show us infinite support and love, the friends that we make lifelong memories with, the amount of freedom and most importantly, our health that keeps us going. We forget that if it weren’t for our health, we would never have a chance to involve ourselves in the aforementioned life-changing experiences.

The sudden step back from one’s routine and daily encounters allowed me to realize that showing gratitude about the family/friends I have, the opportunities I’ve been offered and my physical and mental health that has been supporting me throughout life is imperative. Rather than panicking and complaining, I urge you to take this social distancing or self-quarantine time to reflect, spend time with family and friends and potentially doing something you’ve been putting off for a while. This can include reading a book, learning a new skill online, listening to a podcast, doing at-home workouts, checking in on family abroad, etc.

Before this pandemic, most of us took going out of the house freedom for granted and yet, now we are highly aware of how privileged we are to have such freedom. To me, that’s the biggest lesson this whole experience taught me- to be grateful for the small things in life and never take your health for granted. As the future is unknown, it’s critical to acknowledge the resources we have to survive and show gratitude for the opportunities and life we are given. In any difficult situation, it’s important to keep in mind that the future can be better than the present and you have the power to do so.