The Past, Present, and Future of the Pandemic

Starting off with the first official blog post in the website, I would like to talk about something I find rather saddening and disturbing, which is the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that everyone reading this can instantly understand what I am referring to. This is not yesterday's news.

The Past

For us Malaysians (which I assume covers the entire demographic of the site), the COVID-19 pandemic didn't really pose a serious threat at the start of the year. We never knew the new virus from Mainland China could spread to our nation in such an abruptly short amount of time. If my memory serves me right, the initial concerns started popping out at the end of February and the first lockdown came about on the 18th of March.

At first, I was personally naïve to believe that the lockdown would only be emplaced for 2 weeks. Never did it cross my mind that the weeks turned into a month, which turned into 2 months, which ultimately turned into 4 months. During that time, it was natural for me to stay home and isolate myself from the general population and social circles, and that was comforting and new to me. For those few months, I spent the majority of my time studying and making notes, even if all work and perseverance seemed to have ended among my counterparts. It was there I understood a part of myself. A thirst for knowledge, a sempiternal and inextinguishable curiosity about the world, which therefore lead me into the wonderous world of physics (more on this in the foreseeable future).

The pandemic wreaked havoc on the fundamental functions of societies and caused immeasurable pain to people's mental health. Nonetheless, it was one of the pivotal turning points for my personal growth.

The Present

As days came and went, I tried to make them count by doing valuable things, such as opening up to friends again (by playing unhealthy amounts of Minecraft).

In 2021, I would say that things has not always been the nicest, although I expect worse things to c0me, its PTSD you see. As of writing this (5th May), the government has announced another regional lockdown for the state of Selangor, an action that pissed me off badly.

To most people, this lockdown meant freer schedules and easier workdays. But in contrary to that, I do not see this in a good light. Though it came from an area of concern from the majority of society, it is a gargantuan blockage to current students in general. There has been speculation on the effectiveness of online learning, which was utilized during past lockdowns. In my opinion, I would stand side by side with the negative critics. I think that online learning is not only an ineffective way of education, it also serves as a source of stress for the students because of heaps of work and assignments from teachers who are obligated to do so (from the upper authorities in the chain).

I have tasted the sweetness of physical learning in schools, where I can do experiments and interact with the teachers joyfully. To me, this is quite a paramount aspect of a student's education. With that sweetness taken away from me, and having people around me cheering about it is not a good feeling (at least this is my opinion). As of now, I am seriously contemplating the future of my education, as well as those of my peers. These obstructions seem very unhelpful for our growth. If this persists, I can only see a grim future. So please, my personal advice for you readers is to try and attend classes as best as you can, as not to be left out from progress. Of course, attendance is not going to be suggested if there are cases in the school.

The Future

Although it does seem quite grey, I would say that we can get out of this pandemic all grown up. From all our experiences, I can most confidently state that a lot can be learnt, though not in an academic's perspective.

Some great takeaways are our ability to adapt and overcome. The sheer willpower gained from wanting to combat this virus can also serve us greatly in the future. Do remember, we have to fight for our future. Do not listen to others without processing it internally in detail. We must not be pushed around as if we are pawn on a chess board. We have to stand up for our own principles, our own beliefs, and our own passion.

With that, I bid farewell to you all. Catch you next time!

Stride with Intellect

Cheerful Loh :D