2020 - A Year Full of Surprises by Naval Yudhanto, #CovidUnder19 Participant
Who can expect what will happen in this year. The pandemic due to deadly virus COVID-19. People around the world are scared and afraid of this virus, country closing their borders, economy crash, situation become unstable and hectic. Who knows that 2020 will be a bad year.
Hi, my name is Naval Yudhanto from Indonesia, currently studying in Melbourne Australia. I'm an international student, who optimist and excited to start a new part of my life “studying overseas” Leaving my parents behind is a sacrifice that I must make. personally, it’s not that hard because I will meet them in 3-month time. however, that plan going home need to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
I was sad and miserable, now I need to isolate myself, without them sitting next to me. “homesick”. I was thinking maybe it would not be long, probably there’s a vaccine and medication for this virus, I was optimist that the virus will be gone in a 2-month time. But that expectation is just a dream. The Virus getting worst, killing so many people, making people losing their job where it leads to bankruptcy and struggle. As a student I also have struggle where I must cope with a new system where we start to learn from home through a video call.
I need to move on, lowering expectation and accepting the reality that. “uncertainty”. Homesick was a big challenge for me, coping with schoolwork, and motivation. I start to overcome these challenges with my strategies that I think it is really effective for me. Such as searching for a new hobby, I start to learn playing tennis in my backyard, socializing with friends, cousins, and family through call. In this hard time, I keep contacting my parents, talking for several hours. It heals my homesickness. Video games, Netflix, YouTube for entertainment. And last strategies how I overcome my challenges in this pandemic is reading a book and participate in an online event like this covidunder19.
This pandemic does not stop me to work and being productive. Joining an event where we discussing and share our experience how to cope with this virus with people around the world.
Covidunder19 taught me how to be strong, creative, initiative, and how to solve problems. As one of the representatives from Indonesia I realise that every country have different challenges where we look this challenges by the data that we look and analyse, for me the most important thing is I learned what is blogging. This skills and knowledge is really useful when life goes back to normal.
With these strategies you actually can spend your time with something that valuable. While we stay at home, and pandemic happening it doesn’t mean that we give up and not doing anything. Be productive, creative, and innovative. You’re not alone stay safe stay positive, and let’s make history by fighting this pandemic together.
Naval Yudhanto
#CovidUnder19 Participant
