Day 83: Quarantine is Not so Bad After All

Day 83: June 17, 2020
Global Cases:  8, 393, 096; Deaths: 450, 452
Egypt Cases:  49, 219 Deaths: 1, 850

Malak Abd El Ghaffar
Integrated Marketing Communication Junior

It was just a normal weekday during March, a bit cold, a bit rainy, and most of us stuck in between assignments, quizzes, and midterms. COVID-19 was still a minor issue.

Most of us thought that it would be like any other virus. In other words, that it would only take a month or so. This was all fun and games until gradually the world started to shut down and take further actions towards quarantining.

Quarantine? What? What does this word even mean? How on earth am I going to tolerate that?

I would have to go from being a person that never stays at home, enjoys being in the university, enjoys spending so much money and time on hanging out to a person who will be staying in between four walls for god knows how long. I couldn’t even imagine that.

The idea itself irritated me so much. However, time flew, in a blink of an eye, I found myself during finals and BAM here comes the summer holiday that I was desperately waiting and counting down for.

At first, I was in a completely disheveled situation. I woke up at nearly 3pm every day, had breakfast at 4pm, lunch at 9pm, and I cannot even continue to tell how terrible my day was.

This lasted until one day I woke up and felt like all the energy in the world was just pushing me to be more productive and to also start honoring my mind and body more.

Regarding my body, I started waking up early, eating healthier, I even started working out. I was never the person who was energetic enough to work out. This is even though the atmosphere was not that motivating for one to exercise, as now we don’t have the chance to go to gyms, and all we have to do is just work out at home. So, this step was not as easy as it sounds now.

Moreover, I personally thought that I had neither interests nor any skills, however, quarantine gave me the chance to discover one that had been hidden. Writing. Even though my writing skills are not that perfect, however, I won’t take my ability to pour out my thoughts into a paper for granted. 

In addition, before quarantine, I used to spend literally all my money on stupid things and mostly food. Unhealthy food. Quarantine gave me the chance to spend wisely mostly on things that would really benefit me. 

Instead of spending money on literally useless things that I don’t even remember buying, I started putting my money into things that I know I was in desperate need of.

For The Caravan‘s previous diary entries in Arabic and English go to our COVID-19 Special Coverage page. 

What I am trying to say here is that before quarantine, time was flying, with us caught up in useless things or issues that we might perceive as important even though they really weren’t. We were putting all our attention on many things leaving out the one thing that deserves all the love, appreciation and attention. Ourselves. 

Quarantine gave me something which I had been looking for, for so long. Inner peace.

Quarantine gave me literal inner peace. I personally found my inner peace in trying to satisfy and honor my mind and body and get the chance to know and understand them more at the same time. Quarantine made me learn that at the end of the day, all that matters is to be safe, healthy and surrounded by our loved ones.

Don’t waste this phase and try to get the best out of it as quarantine is not so bad after all.