DISCOVERING MYSELF IN THIS LOCKDOWN

It was on a sunny humid Monday on 3rd week of March and I was completely exhausted both by the
climate as well as tiring day at college. I wished there was a real break from the mechanical life and
was completely drained of attending classes, assessments and never ending assignments. On to
above that I felt myself unlettered every time facing my guide having no scope over my project. I
was waiting to board the MRTS train with a face mask over my face and sanitized hands at the
Thiruvanmiyur station. As the train approached I could over see people just pouring out of the
compartments. I said to myself there is going to be no surprise even if I am being attacked by corona
but I had no other alternatives, train was my only fastest mode that I can reach home. And yes
before I reached home, the government announced for the lockdown. I was so relieved thanking
that I need not travel by these crowded trains but I felt scared about the corona and its Impacts.

The entire nation was talking about Corona I strictly enforced rules to myself as well as my family of
staying at home and stepping out only for essentials because I cannot take a chance to lose my loved
ones. Yes it’s a real hard time and I never wanted corona to give a chance to Invade the happiness in
my family and friends.

As like every erudite student Idea’s was pondering over me how well I could make use of this
lockdown period. On the lockdown day -1 I prepared a lengthy list of competitive exams that I
applied for and fore coming exams. I was on a dynamic state that I created a new folder and filed the
syllabus. On the lockdown day-2 the dynamic force came to a stage of static energy, it means I
wanted to do something that I love but was not able to find the right options. It was day 3 of
lockdown I could see that most of them was taking rest at home except mothers. I could see there
was no rest and nothing really changed in my mom’s daily cycle. She spend most of the hours
cooking, cleaning and washing. In fact those duties went on excess hours since we all were at home.
I decided to help but as like typical strict parents I was always made to spend hours with books and
studies and I never had an option to explore the kitchen in my very own home. This brought me the
real Interest it started with chopping the onions into fine cubes. As I finally succeeded chopping of
onions in my 23 years of age my mom was amazed that I had at last put some efforts to walk into
the kitchen and her sarcastic wishes motivated me a firm urge to cook without the help of her. I was
totally dependent on my sister as she was the lab rat for my testing. Yes but over the period of time I
could just make wonders and created my own recipes. All credits to Youtube cooking channels
without whom I could have not even differentiate Toor dal and Masoor dal , fennel seeds and Cumin
seeds. After which I really developed a craze for cooking and posting on social networking sites and
every time I could exhibit my cooking skills to friends I was on my cloud nine. The days just passed
and I was so happy that I could really make finger licking tasty food with whatever Ingredient
available and felt thankful for the lockdown so that I could find my own unexhibited talents.

On the extension of the lockdown phase II, I was just surfing over the Instagram and accidently
found my school friends whom I lost in touch and been 6 long years that there was no contact in
between. I pinged them and it was so fun to be back together finding those lovely souls and being
remained about happy days. All of sudden the school groups became active and everyone kept
sharing old photo collections of us. It really took me years back and felt so happy that words could
never be enough to describe. I admired myself seeing old pictures and found myself put on lot of
weight now. Yes once again I am in a dynamic mode and planned to do weight loss workout, adding
on to it I started practicing bharatanatyam which I lost in track years ago.

Yes as like everyone even I could have planned for more productive utilization of the lockdown
period but I am happy that I could explore my unidentified cooking skills, never experimented every
day workouts and lost in touch of practicing dance. And there are various other options I have
reserved for the fore coming days such as learn tailoring so that I can customize my own dress, learn
a new language, and yes with no compensation spending a quality time with my family between the
constrained space.

- Vishali Karthikeyan