I thought I had it all figured out. I was in my final semester of college and anticipating the start of the new upcoming chapter in my life after graduation. Some of my plans had already been defined and I was ready for the future that was so close I could almost taste it. What I wasn’t ready for was the entire world changing as I knew it.

In a matter of days, life changed. Nobody was prepared. It came like a static shock, knocking out every power source and burning up our goals. The COVID-19 pandemic came with a wrecking force and made 2020 one of the hardest years for most of us. This was a year of hardship, death, anger, grief, and struggle. The stress was endless, the fear was rampant, and the inner turmoil was severe.

Last March, my university transitioned to online classes for the rest of the semester and my graduation ceremony ended up getting canceled twice. I received my diploma through the mail and was given no opportunity to ever get my graduation cap and gown order. I had to move back home with my parents since I was unemployed and could not find a job anywhere in my degree field. My state was on lockdown and there was nowhere for any of us to go.

For a recent college graduate who had most of her life figured out before the world went dark, I didn’t have any clue on what to do next.

There is no manual or guide on how to survive a pandemic. Or maybe there is and I just haven’t found it yet. That probably would have been extremely helpful. Either way, I don’t think any of us really knew how to move forward from this. We just had to take it day by day. That’s how I learned how to keep pushing through in this unexpected world.

(An additional google search shows there are survival apocalypse books out there: How to Survive a Pandemic by Michael Greger; How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It by James Wesley Rawles)

I have never been the best at accepting unexpected change when it came to my own life. I like to make lists and be on a timely schedule. I basically do the same routine every day and never stray too far from it. It unsettles me when I have to drastically change up my routine and organization. But if 2020 taught me anything, it was to expect the unexpected and just roll with the punches (figuratively, of course).

I never thought I would experience living in a world of chaos where fear and turmoil ran uncontrolled. But here we still are now, trying to survive and live among the pandemonium that is never-ending. The world as we once knew it is gone. We live in a completely different time and it’s been a difficult adjustment to the new current “standard.” The standard meaning wearing a mask everywhere and staying at home as much as possible. The past months in quarantine during lockdown have been challenging to say the least. It’s been almost a year since the entire world changed and there is still not a solid horizon we can see yet.

I have learned a lot since the start of the pandemic. Being isolated and spending all your time at home really helps you come face to face with things about yourself. Here’s how I have been coping with the rough terrain our current world is.

For me, it was important to try and keep on my normal schedule as much as I could, so I could have some sense of normalcy. As someone who thrives off schedules, this was essential for me. I also started to incorporate different habits into my weekly routine, like reading books and cooking/baking more.

It’s easy to get stuck into a rut, so I tried to keep myself busy around the house. Whether it was cleaning, doing laundry, or rearranging my bedroom, I found ways to preoccupy myself and remain semi-productive. I also took walks daily to get some vitamin D and exercise. I would listen to music and light candles around my room, meditating and relaxing my mind. These were all things that made me happy and feeling sane. They helped me cope with the grey world.

I stopped checking social media as often as I used to. Before 2020, I would constantly be on my phone looking at the latest trends and news of the social world. But that changed extremely quickly. I set app time limits so I wouldn’t spend hours looking at the depressing and hateful content everyone regurgitated. Social media just created more stress and mental anguish for me, so I only checked them once a day for a few minutes. Sometimes I didn’t even check once a day. I found myself feeling happier when I wasn’t on my phone at all. I’d be so preoccupied doing something else that I wouldn’t even remember about checking my phone.

I never was a big fan of social media since its origin, but this past year showed me that it mainly spreads negativity and toxicity. When I would scroll through my social media, immediately I would say, “Why did I even get on here?” Not even five minutes in and I already regretted my decision. I just grew tired of it all, so I don’t check my social media as much anymore. Doing this has helped me develop new, healthy habits and has shown me that it’s more rewarding to be in the present moment. Your phone is not everything, there is so much more out there than a 60-character post.

This was the biggest lesson for me this past year. I learned how to just be. I didn’t think about the concerns and stress for the future, I just laid in the moment, basking in the freeing feeling. I didn’t think about the struggle of finding a job or how much I miss my old life and friends. I just sat in the present, enjoying the way my mind relaxed and hugged nature. I purged away the fear and concern I had about my life and I focused on being present, witnessing the true beauty of the nature that surrounds us. This has helped me greatly with coping in this dark world.

During a pandemic, you learn very quickly on how to adapt. There will always be something in life that knocks us down, but we have to keep going. We can’t quit and give up. There is still light and hope out there. One of the most important things we can do right now is to keep making ourselves better and persevering through the storms. Eventually, we will all find the rainbows we have been waiting for. Remember that rain doesn’t last forever.

*Written in January 2021*

This post has an updated 2022 version: Believing in the Unexpected