Our Real Nightmare,

Yet A Blessing in Disguise

Insanely unavoidable and naturally experienced by many in the old, long gone, yet
unforgettable years in the history of humanity, mankind had already faced several pandemics,
abruptly changing how people lived, era to era. From the terror of the Great Plague, known as
The Black Death in the 1300’s that shattered many lives and instilled fear in the hearts of people
in Europe, up to the COVID-19 pandemic that sullied our generation’s quality of life and
sociability; it is very clear to all eyes and minds—a pandemic can change and harm one’s way of
living.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its reign of terror over the following years, which
took the freedom of many people and the lives of the unfortunate; we are under the grasp of the
dangers and effects we may face and live through. A lot of countries had already faced economic
and social disruption. Majority of the human population are stuck at home with their loved ones.
Some had lost their jobs. Some had become insanely poor. The cases are rising continuously.
Problems continue to fill many people’s thoughts and minds. What we are now facing is proof
that history repeats itself, and it will not stop. The pandemic isn’t temporary, it’s something that
a human can’t avoid. It may last for many years, but it will return.
A real nightmare.
Living in the pandemic had scarred many souls, including me. I never knew that it’ll
leave a big impact to my fragile self and how I socialize with people. I never wanted this to
happen at the start. My thoughts about the pandemic changed from time to time, just like this
experience I had and how I’d live my life at the time I’ve accepted that the pandemic will take
several more years to end.
At the time where there still was face to face classes, it was the initial day of Pres.
Duterte’s declaration of the state of public health emergency in our country. Meanwhile, I was
about to go to school, scrolling down my news feed in Facebook, waiting for the bright, yellow,
never-late school bus. Then the next moment, I saw the announcement. I was overjoyed. It felt
great, there was no classes! I felt free, yet it’s only temporary. I hoped it won’t last that long, but
as we have known, reality is utterly disappointing.
Fast forward, to today, the time I’m writing this article for the Division Press Conference
dry-run, what I am now experiencing is different than before. My mental health has degraded. I
lost the ability to socialize. I’m starting to hate myself more even though I shouldn’t. The
pandemic robbed me my opportunities, my youth, and my freedom to do anything besides sitting
on my chair and spending 18 hours on the computer till 3 am with no breaks. The horrible mental
effects of the pandemic, killed my past self. The pandemic is truly a nightmare. A real nightmare
we never wanted to become true and terrifying.
Yet a blessing in disguise.
 Not everything about the pandemic is negative. A little bit, at least to me. The effects of
the pandemic had stopped everyone from doing their things in their comfort zone, especially the
ones who are very social. The time of this pandemic gave us the time to focus on ourselves. And
I realized this when, I’d say, I got used to the pandemic as it continued.
Back in February, I was still feeling depressed and lonely. There was this day where I
never even tried to be with my friends. And as friends, of course! We’re used to each other, yet
on that day, I realized what I needed to do, and what the pandemic wants me to indirectly feel.
As if it’s telling me that I should do something else rather than just to stick with the people I’m
comfortable with.
What I realized in this very moment, is that I had to find my time and space for self-
growth. I felt very motivated, that at least for one day, I had to do something else rather than the
things I usually do. It even inspired me to do the unusual things I never wanted to do, like
singing and making short songs. I was just new to music at that time.
Far-fetched as it can be, this is genuinely one of the great wonders of the pandemic
people fail to realize and see. Even though we won’t be able to see our loved ones physically and
in person, we can do other things in order to compensate ourselves on what we lack in and in
order to improve ourselves as a person.
What now?
Amidst all of the negative and positive things we experience in the midst of this
pandemic, I would like to tell you something.
On the blackboard of your life, you may have written a lot. Some are negative, and of
course some are positive. But in that very board, everything has been erased and wiped by the
pandemic. And if everything’s erased, nothing can stop you.
Because it is your choice to be happy under the reign of this pandemic, and I’d say—
everything can be rewritten.