The lockdown added some distance between the others and me. We could not meet our friends and coworkers so we kept in touch via WhatsApp and other social media platforms. But it wasn't easy to stay in touch with friends on WhatsApp as it was a very “static” activity. We didn't participate in sports and cultural activities, social gathering was limited, and communicating online with others only added screen time to our routines. I also spent more time doing individual activities, I watched more movies but also spent time on more ‘informative’ content such as documentaries, podcasts, and online courses. I went for long walks at night, almost every day, but after a while, they became annoying and repetitive. It was interesting to have all this free time, I signed up for many online classes and explored new hobbies. I gained new skills but I preferred to be personal with my friends.
The isolation from the society wasn't easy. I relied on my family – we often ate dinner together, went on cultural excursions, or sometimes we played board games. Nevertheless, there were great times, and I had some new experiences that reflected on my learning and helped me to improve my assignments. On the other hand, I also took time for myself and learned to use online conference tools as ways to reach out to friends and students who were far away. In a way, the transition to online work made the world a bit smaller, it became normal to (virtually) meet people across time zones and exchange online. This allowed me to develop my conversation skills as much as if we were not isolated in our homes.
