2020 has been crazy for all of us. It has been a roller coaster of emotions and events. So much so that I am regularly shocked when I am reminded of big occurrences throughout the year that have faded from my memory. Some of it is a big blur, especially since most of this year happened within the same walls.
For me living in the U.S., the year in the public sphere was dominated by the implication of the pandemic, the ongoing debates and battles throughout the U.S. presidential election and George Floyd’s murder combined with the resulting protests. As important as it was to stay on top of everything and be involved, it was draining. It was hard to find the space to pause and distinguish between what each individual should focus on and which (political) events and scandals at the end of the day were just noise and energy suckers.
I was still optimistic when COVID-19 started picking up speed back in March and thought that we would be back to normal within 1-2 months. New York initially implemented a shelter in place order. And that seemed alright for the greater good and to keep as many people safe as possible.
My love and I both started working from home and tried to find a good arrangement in our 1-bedroom apartment. I did not leave our private walls for 4 weeks, moving all my social and business interactions to the virtual world. My significant other and I watched CNN and our governor’s daily press conference religiously, watching the infection numbers and the death toll climb relentlessly…
How about you?
How have you been living through the pandemic?
Cover picture was taken in Manhattan, New York (USA) in Mar 2020
Wandering Explorer Travel 
Very similar! I thought it’d be over and I’d be off travelling again around Asia but instead I’ve been stuck in the house in England just seeing it get worse and worse
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I feel you. At least I feel much more calm about and have surrendered to the situation being out of my hands. I just wish that there was some end in sight.
Are you in a Tier 4 region? Sending you lots of positive thoughts to England.
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Yes i understand what you mean, good way to be. Luckily I am not a tier 4! Just hoping they don’t put everyone in to a full lockdown in jan as expected!
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I am in a tier 4 region (London) and one coping strategy I am trying to have is to meet friends one on one. I think you can meet socially with one other person outside, so I am going to use that to my advantage.
I wish you and your family all the best and I hope you are coping 🙂
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Hang in there. Stay safe and healthy!
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Thankfully I’ve had school, reading, and blogging to keep me busy, and I Zoom with my friends once a week as well as chatting daily on Discord. There are hardly any ICU beds left where I live, which is definitely not good especially if people have other issues unrelated to COVID, like heart attacks or something. I think we’re in the purple tier (or Tier 4? We call it by colors here) as well. There are still a lot of people not taking it seriously. I hope you stay safe, and I’m immensely glad for this blogging community, too!
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Blogging for the last 2 months has also been a life saver for my sanity. I love this welcoming community. And it’s nice to have something outside of work and Netflix.
Cases are high in New York State currently (52 cases per 100,000 residents), I hope that it goes down again soon and that people don’t get unreasonable over the holidays.
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The pandemic certainly has changed our lives significantly. I had hopes it’d be gone soon, but at least in the US, it was far from being the case based on the idiocy of many Americans who refuse to abide by regulations put in place. I’ve lost loved ones, lost (and gained) jobs, and everything in between. A wild ride it’s been, but here’s to hopefully a better 2021!
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To a hopefully better 2021 🥂
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The pandemic has made me appreciate all the provincial parks and conservation areas we have in Ontario. We signed up for a 52 Hike Challenge at the start of the year before the pandemic started, and that turned out to be a a great goal to motivate myself to get out of my apartment and explore new trails in Ontario. The only downside was that we’d often have to drive far to leave the city as all the parks near Toronto were always packed. 2020 has been a strange year, I’m so looking forward to next year with the hope that everyone gets vaccinated next year.
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What a great coincidence and much needed this year. I also made the experience that looking for reasons to leave the house was crucial this year. How is that challenge coming along?
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We completed our 52 Hike Challenge back in November. Now the real challenge is writing about all our various hikes!
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😂👍
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