What kind of things are keeping you sane right now during isolation 

 

Speaking to friends and family through phone and video calls, spending time with family,

doing things to keep busy and not sitting around.

 

What has been your favourite thing about Isolation?

 

I’ve had alot of quality time with family. We’ve spent time connecting and enjoying each-others company through card and board games.

I’m also more creative and productive with my time.

 

"There is this slight external pressure telling me I may never have all this free time again that pushes me to not just sit around."

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What’s been your least favourite thing about isolation?

 

I originally had alot of plans for this year. I’m in my last year of school so I had planned a senior trip to Italy which had to get cancelled. But me and my family were also moving to the States and right now we can’t.

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"We don’t actually know what the future holds right now. The not knowing really gets me. Its stressful not knowing what will happen next."

 

What kind of ways have you found yourself being creative unlike before?

 

My mum is Philipino and has been teaching me how to cook Philipino dishes.

 

"They are painstakingly prepared but so worth it in the end. There is no black and white recipe. It’s this combination of flavours and ingredients someone prepared in their head and passed down through our generations and I get to be part of that. It’s a connection with my culture and my history that I didn’t always think about before." 

 

What’s one of your favourite dishes you have made?

 

Lumpia, It’s a type of spring roll and it’s incredible!

 

Has isolation & lockdown changed your mindset in any way?

 

Its definitely made me grateful. Especially for the little things. Like just the freedom of going outside for example.

 

"I’ve also become appreciative of how much we can do from home, how much we are able to still have access to." 

 

I have this big family and three other sisters, a beautiful home. It really has me thinking about kids without siblings.

It’s a connecting point for everybody.

 

"We can often find it hard to understand what other people are going through who are so different from us. But everyone in the world is going through this right now." 

 

From opposite sides of the hemisphere. I don’t think thats ever happened before. 

 

Are you studying in any form? How does that work?

 

Yeah, I’m actually homeschooled. I found that my life has’t changed in that way. 

But for me - going out was a big escape as I do everything from home.

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"Interacting with other people was an active and integral part of my life." 

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Because of the homeschooling I also still have a schedule and It keeps the days resembling some form of normal. I do find some comfort in the fact that everyone my age is in the same boat for once with studying from home. They can understand the struggle. 

 

Have you found that you are talking more or less to people you were before the lockdown?

 

Way more. In the past I talked to people on the phone but now we have time to video call and actually see each other. 

 

"Because everyone has a lot more free time I’m connecting with everyone alot more."

 

I’m also in a long distance relationship going on three years. We now talk more than ever because we are both home all day.