2020 has been… rough. I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a difficult year for everyone. Months of quarantining due to COVID-19 has left me with a lot of time I neither expected nor wanted.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the simpler, carefree days of restaurant and concert-going of the pre-COVID era. In hindsight, I wish I’d known then how fondly I’d look back on life’s simple pleasures of existing maskless in close proximity to other humans on a crowded train or in a bustling supermarket. I wish I had known how much I’d look back fondly on inviting a team member to my desk to chat in person about a design concept or sharing a smile with a colleague as we passed in the hallway.
More important than my own grief surrounding lost experiences though, I grieve the profound loss of life that the world has seen in recent months. Our country alone has seen nearly 200,000 lives lost since March, and thinking about the immenseness of that number in any depth can quickly bring one to a dark place. Within that number are thousands of lost mothers, fathers, friends, grandparents, children, siblings… it’s a truly immeasurable tragedy. My deepest sympathies to those that have lost loved ones to this awful, world-upending virus.
In tragic times, we all still try our best to find joy, and I am no exception. When things seem especially grim, I often try to put things in perspective by reminding myself of the things I have to be thankful for. It’s a fact that I have found hope in many unexpected places this year as I’ve found creative ways to fill the copious amounts of freetime I now have. We could all use a little more cheer in our lives, so I thought I’d share.
A list of things that brought me joy in recent months:
- I collaborated with a small group of quarantine pod-buddies to plan quarantine adventures such as…
- Hosting a space-themed birthday party where we ate galactic themed snacks, watched Cosmos, and played “pin the mustache on Neil DesGrasse Tyson.”
- Arranging a camping trip in our living room with a tent, a tv screen with a crackling fire, christmas lights (a.k.a stars), and scary stories by lamplight.
- Playing dungeons and dragons for the first time (and we’re starting a remote league soon!)
- I joined a weekly photography group which has encouraged me to practice capturing life’s beautiful details in a creative fashion.
- I spent a lot of quality time with my dog (Ollie has truly never been happier).
- I spent a lot of quality time with my partner (Unlike Ollie, Nitish has seen better days).
- I started a new job within my institution, taking on a role as a UX/UI Designer for an application called SAIL (yay new title and new challenges)!
- I took on a student team of 5 aspiring UX students and led them through the entire UX process (surveying, persona-creation, user-testing, data analysis, etc.) which culminated in a presentation to organization leaders on their findings.
- I moved to a new city. Goodbye Boston, hello Houston!
- I spent time nurturing my green thumb (I have about 30 new, thriving plant babies).
- I spent time cultivating my eye for interior design (my boho-inspired home is close to photo ready, and I can’t wait to share).
- I’ve completed dozens of art pieces using a variety of mediums, something I always wanted to do, but never found time for.
And last but not least…
- I began handwriting and sending postcards to get out the vote in swing states through postcardstovoters.org, and I got quite crafty while doing so. I hope to send at least 400 by election day.
May we all find ways to find joy, but also to spring into action if we’re able to. These dark times call for change, and there are many calls to make, postcards to send, friends and relatives to speak to, and funds to donate to so that we change paths as a country into a brighter future.
Take care, friends!
