Five New Things That Make Me Happy During COVID
Written by: Shubh Borad, Health Science Student
Photo by: Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash
Happiness is subjective. It’s dependent on time and occasion. What might make you the happiest person on Earth in one situation may not even be enough for a second thought in another. This past year, and the hardships it brought, have had a tremendous impact on me, and what I find joyful in life. Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant social distancing measures have had several negative impacts on my life, but it also helped me align my priorities and values. In this blog, I will be sharing some of my newfound sources of happiness.
Going for a Walk
Lately, the highlights of my days have been going for walks. Nothing special. Nothing fancy. Just simple, small walks, with the same destination as to where I started from. Although there is nothing inherently unique about these walks, it allows me to get out of the house, smell the fresh air, and get my mind cleared. There is an incomparable sense of freedom and happiness I feel when my face hits the cold, winter air as I leave the house. And by the time I come back, I feel like a totally different person. It’s as the old saying goes: It’s not the destination that matters, it’s the journey.
Eating Chocolate
On a less serious note, another thing that makes me as happy as can be is eating chocolate. I will walk down to the local 7/11 at least once a week and pick out my favorite bar of chocolate. Whether it is a bar of Kit Kat, Dairy Milk, or Aero, chocolate while watching TV in bed after a long, hard day never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Tuesdays
Unlike last semester, most of my classes are synchronous now. I have no idea how I, or anyone else, in fact, lived life normally before the “virtual COVID” era! Even though I am in the comfort of my own home, following a schedule can get tiresome. Luckily, I don’t have classes on Tuesdays, and so I can wake up peacefully and go about my day at my own pace. If there is anything else, I look forward to more than the weekend, it’s the nice relaxing Tuesday off after a tiring, jam-packed Monday.
Receiving Packages
It seems like online shopping is the only shopping we do nowadays, and with that comes waiting times between when you place your order, and when you get your package. Whether it is one-day Amazon Prime shipping or 7-14 business days from Nike, the waiting feels like forever. However, the happiness I feel when I finally get the “Delivered” notification on my phone and hear the doorbell go off is unparalleled.
My Morning Coffees
Lately, drinking a hot cup of coffee has become a relaxing ritual I look forward to every morning. Instead of rushing to catch the bus to class or doing last-minute homework, I wake up early, brew a fresh batch of coffee, and drink it while listening to a motivational podcast and planning my day. I find this to be some of the best moments of my day. The peace and happiness I experience while doing so are unprecedented. More so, this newfound routine helps me start the day off right, and as a result, I find myself having more happy, productive, and fulfilling days than I ever had before. If someone were to ask me what one thing has had the biggest impact on my overall mental wellbeing, I would point them to my morning coffee routine.
If a year ago, someone told me these five things would be some of the greatest sources of happiness in my life, I would outright deny it. They seem so insignificant at first, however, the lifestyle changes this pandemic has brought truly helped me understand the saying “It’s the little things that make life big”.
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