By Nadja Lovadinov, Second Year, Geography
The Croft Magazine // 2020. Who knew a combination of four digits could elicit such emotion?
We have endured near enough 365 days of ‘unprecedented times’, ‘lockdown’ and ‘uncertainty’. The rose-tinted bubble of normality has been popped and replaced with support bubbles. 2020 has ripped off the band aid of our bruised world, leaving us all vulnerable to dramatic change in a spectrum of ways, exposing deep flaws and systematic injustices being brought to light.
Yet when reminiscing back to my Year Nine science lessons, I remember Mr Newton asserting that, ‘Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.’ Good comes with the bad, and I managed to find many shades of silver linings.
- Embrace life’s uncertainty
As students we are all making plans for the future, yet 2020 has bitterly demonstrated that life is unpredictable. Mostly I learned to live in the now, taking each day as it comes.
2. Value the simple things
During lockdown, us city folk flocked to the parks for our daily allowance of coffee strolls. I channelled my inner Wordsworth and park walks in hours of weariness, became sensations sweet.
3. Not everything has changed
In my experience, the pandemic has only amplified people’s personality traits. In my case, before the pandemic I only dabbled in the glass of fermented fruits, whereas now I satiate these desires in copious amounts. Basically ‘Dry January’ is not an option.
4. Like my spirit collection, we are stronger than we think
In 2020 I surprised myself with how much more adaptable and resilient to change I became. Essentially, whilst we can fear living too fast or too slow, life keeps on going and expects us to move along with it.
5. Creativity is important
As the world came to a halt, I ironically created my own still life paintings in celebration of lockdown. Motivated to become the next Monet, I also painted some very amateurish roses. Very therapeutic indeed.
6. Now is the time to pursue your passions
Parallel to the world’s ambivalence, I became confounded by a clouded mind, disillusioned with the world and seeking purpose in banana bread. Yet amidst these moments I realised there is no excuse to not create opportunities for myself and strive to be the person I want to be.
7. Never stop learning
My 2020 reading list was by far the longest I’ve had yet. I was grateful that books were able to take me to places that I couldn’t physically go to. Thanks for that 2020.
8. Reduce your daily doses of media
Watching the news became my opiate in 2020 and whilst it’s important to stay updated, I found myself feeling anxious. Not cool Daily Mail.
9. We need perspective
In this global age, a greater conscience is needed for us to be more human to each other. Fear should not control our actions and we ought to be patient with ourselves and others.
10. Do not take the Berkeley for granted
Featured Image: Unsplash / Matthew Gerrard
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