Surviving Self Quarantine (And Family) In Times of COVID-19

Self Quarantine days- I wake up at dawn with a blurred vision. Post a rare but much needed 8 hour long cathartic slumber, I pan my way towards distant noise of repetitive squeaks. I drop on the floor as I spot mice drenched amidst a heap of garbage mush. My mother is fighting the fleas squandering in my living room. Thud! And I snap out of my dream that brought the 14^th century black death into Disney’s Ratatouille to scare the living demons out of me.

I woke up but those shrilled repetitive squeaks only got clearer. I was dreaming of a pandemic only to wake up into one. It was the voice of my mother rubbing a muslin over the door knob of my room.

“Haan Coronavirus time puchke hi toh ayega”- classic brown mom sarcasm. (Yes, Coronavirus will arrive after checking when it's allowed?)

Surviving Self Quarantine Amidst Spread of Covid-19 - There are so many ways in which life has changed

The fear of the coronavirus infection has brought my family under a roof for longer than ever. We have joined forces as our schools, colleges and offices have shut down and released our survival instincts to wage a war against this nano threat.

When life was not at a standstill, neighbours would curse those who dare to beyond the peaceful decibels. Tables have turned, they are hanging out in balconies and singing in unison. We wanted days off. We craved for days wherein we could loiter around in comfort of our homes. It is getting harder day by day to be contained for we have only known how to live when life was not at a stand still.

Besides sanitizing all the door knobs, mother has involved my sister and I in other procedures to disinfect every nook and corner. The lobby stays shut to any one other than the members of the family.

Also Read: Then Versus Now - How Childhood has Changed for Kids

We have entered the stage wherein the virus is starting to spread via community contact. Maintaining precise precautions is necessary now, but the same is exhausting. Moreover, being isolated with family leaves one exposed to a cabin fever. Despite being on the same side of the joint forces, at times there are standoffs among us.

Picking up on activities to spend time

Before we drive ourselves insane, we have started picking on hobbies. Our house is witnessing trials of everything from meditation to obsession of puppy documentaries. We are feeding our love for movies and binge watching. There are board games, puzzles, boxes of paints stacked in the living room.

As we try new things, we are coming closer to what Columbus must have felt when he discovered America. Recent adventures are Korean cooking and impromptu practices of dance routines. All this post I gave in to the idea of finally learning the Ukulele.

How are others coping?

Upon conversation with fellow isolated beings, it was found how majority are capitalizing this time of sudden holidays to catch on work and hobbies they have procrastinated. One laughed and said “If I can survive in isolation with my family without walking on them, then I am pretty sure COVID-19 got nothing on me”. Another 21 year old revealed that she still has to go to the office but is carpooling with her boss to avoid cabs.

We all are living a classic history book content. We all are in this together and we need to practice a healthy isolation to get out of these circumstances in sanity. So be safe, do squeak away the door knobs clean while you stay in for there is a pandemic knocking at your door.