The Days of Our Lives

On March 25, 2020 Bangladesh went under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Schools, colleges, and universities were shut down indefinitely.

Not knowing when education institutes would open, students found themselves in an unknown territory. They had enough time to do whatever they wanted. No travelling meant a few extra hours each day. The concept of wake-up time vanished. You could wake up at 12 noon and tell yourself it's 7 AM summer-time in the UK. "Morning has broken, like the first morning." Get back to sleep! The platform was created for kids to have the time of their lives.

I got worried students would get bored. When boredom persists, it can deteriorate mental health. My worries were soon put to rest, though. Thanks to social media, people tell you what they're up to. I was pleasantly surprised. Young kids in Bangladesh started finding innovative ways to utilise the "gap year" they got.

Soon my Facebook newsfeed showed young people enrolling in online courses in Coursera and MIT Open Courseware to update their skills. Coursera offered free enrolment for limited time due to the pandemic. Others were busy learning professional software; photo and video-editing and other technical skills from YouTube tutorials. Once finished, many posted in social media that they've completed. Some posted their certificates which were adding over time. What a wonderful way to utilise time with efficiency.

Those not into professional skills were busy elsewhere. Some were cooking, posting their dishes on Instagram. Dalgona coffee trended. "Jilapi or Jalebi" and "Golap Jaam or Gulab Jamun"—these were the questions. Mehendi on the hand. People going bald, growing beards, and whatnot. Some were exploring latent talents. Painting and sketching on different media. Needlework and knitting. Singing songs, reciting poetry. And yes, there were those who started watch parties, came on Facebook Live, had Zoom sessions, and organised webinars.

Every picture has two sides. When people of the same cohort share the same activities, it can create peer pressure. How? Many of my friends are into online courses. They're utilising their time efficiently. My parents see or hear about my friends. No prize for guessing right, I'm mildly asked why am I not doing the same? Forget your parents. If your friends are debating "Jilapi or Jalebi", you'll soon find yourself searching YouTube tutorials on how to make the sweets.

Schools teach us to be the best. As we grow, we're measured against one unit of performance or another. How good are we against our peers? This has a practical side. It creates competition to make us tough to survive in a world that can be very cruel. But then, not all of us are designed to compete. Some of us prefer to sit on our own, gaze at the sky, and daydream while the world passes us by.

If you didn't develop a skill, read no books, watched no movies during the pandemic, or didn't do what your friends did, ask yourself: does it really matter? As long as you're happy, doing what you are, and especially in good health in the pandemic—"tomorrow never dies".

Life is a journey, not a race. A journey to be appreciated and enjoyed. Stay safe.

The author teaches Economics in classrooms. Outside, he watches Test cricket, plays the flute and listens to music & radio podcasts. Email: asrarul@juniv.edu or asrarul@gmail.com