Resilience and Gratitude during a Pandemic

“You can't stop the waves but you can learn how to surf”- Jon Kabat-Zinn.

The pandemic impacted all of our lives and has left most of us devastated. The younger generation is approaching adulthood under unique circumstances. Instead of looking ahead to a world of opportunities we are left to peer into an uncertain future. This is the new normal that has made us more resilient than ever.

“A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person has one”, was famously quoted by Agnes Karll. We are privileged to be born in an era where science and technology are so advanced that we have the means and ability to fight the virus. Although we were hit hard by the pandemic, doctors and medical officers never hesitated to perform their duties to combat the virus. Several vaccines have been discovered and 26% of the population in Sri Lanka is fully vaccinated. Although faced with many challenges it is evident they are committed to finding a cure.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.” - Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

As a tech savvy generation who have little or no memory of a life before the internet we tend to take the wonders of technology for granted. Despite social distancing and self-isolation we manage to stay connected with our family, friends and colleagues. People can receive information about health guidelines, statistics and travel restrictions from credible news sources. Basic services such as delivering essential food items and medication are conducted efficiently due to digital platforms such as PickMe Food, UberEats, Kapruka,Healthguard, PharmEasy, Daraz etc.

We need to learn to better utilise the tools that have been given to us. We have more resources and opportunities than the past. If you want to be productive and acquire new skills, you can enrol in an e-course. If you're an aspiring artist, Pinterest will be a great platform to share your art and creations or if you're an advocate of a certain movement, you can voice your opinions on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

There is no doubt that technology has also made our lives easier, faster, better, and more fun. However, sometimes we may feel overwhelmed, especially when we are confined to our homes for a long period. Especially when it comes to social media, most of us have experienced self-comparison, hateful speech, and inappropriate content to a certain extent. This needs to be taken as a sign for you to take a break for your mental wellbeing.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world- Nelson Mandela”.

As young students, our education was greatly impacted by the outbreak. Most of us are fortunate to not be deprived of our education. Educators are determined to use digital platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to connect with their students which includes face-to-face video conferencing and screen sharing. It is natural to feel stressed when you completely switch to online learning, but we should take a moment to practise gratitude since there are students in our country whose education was put to a sudden halt as our necessities could be their luxuries.

“Peace of mind is knowing that by worrying about everything you have changed nothing”.

We were given a moment to pause and reflect on our everyday lives. The hustle culture is glamorised among our generation that most of us try to reach significant milestones during such a short time that we tend to forget the importance of relaxing and taking things slowly.

In our pursuit of materialism, we may have failed to recognise the priorities in one's life such as taking care of our mind, body and soul. It is a time to recognise our shortcomings and bad habits so that we can better ourselves. You could be flourishing in your journey as a young entrepreneur but if you fail to have healthy relationships, your long term wellbeing is harmed.

The virus is a part of our lives now but hopefully that too shall pass. Until then, resilience and gratitude need to be constantly practiced as they will play a key role in helping us face future challenges.

Written by: Rtr. Nethmi Fernando, Alumni, Bsc Economics and Management

Edited by: Rtr. Dulithi Jagoda, 3rd year, Bsc Economics and Finance

Design by: Rtr. Mohamed Umair Jamal, 2nd Year, BSc. Data Science and Business Analytics