Before COVID-19, my life was just a routine: wake up, go to school, finish homework and sleep. Of course, I had many activities to do in between, but my main schedule consisted of those tasks. I rushed through everything I did, attempting to balance every activity and event with my already-structured day. When schools closed in mid-March due to COVID-19, however, I found myself slowing down during my activities.

At first, I felt unproductive but I reminded myself that in just a month, I’d be back at school and back to my normal routine. However, after two months of quarantine, I found myself still taking my time and taking things easy as I finished my daily tasks.
Even though at first I felt that taking my time was unnecessary, I’ve learned that slowing down really makes everything more enjoyable. I used to rush through dinner so I would have an extra five minutes to do my homework. Now, I spend time helping my parents cook, and I stay much longer at the dinner table.
As gyms, parks and stores began to re-open, many did not hesitate to jump back into their previous lifestyles. After all, they claimed that they lost time because of the quarantine placed for COVID-19. However, we should remain careful when adjusting back to normal life. Just because we have grown accustomed to the numbers of cases of COVID-19 does not mean the virus is completely gone. I, for one, am taking the lessons I learned during quarantine and applying them to my readjustment.
Just like how I slowed things down during quarantine, I realized that I should slowly readjust to my normal routine. Slowing down will allow us to not only avoid a second wave of the virus and more cases but also allow us to return to our normal routines in moderation.
It’s important to slowly readjust our activities, as in just a couple of weeks we went from disinfecting every foreign object that entered our house to going out with our friends. When you resume your life, I advise that you stay safe and take many precautions. If you decide to spend time with friends, try to stay in smaller groups. Avoid going to that party you know 20 people will be at. Human contact is important, but staying safe precedes it.
If you are going to a public area, stay cautious of your surroundings and avoid unnecessary touching. At the end of the day, whatever you decide, remember that moderation is key to a better life after quarantine.

The views in this column do not necessary reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Calina He at [email protected]

Read an opposing column by Rhea Acharya here.