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At the start of the pandemic, I decided to focus on improving my physical health. Jumping rope has become one of my hobbies but at first, it was challenging for me to jump continuously without tripping over. I practice for at least 1 hour everyday and this became part of my workout routine. Just like any other hobbies, the more I trained myself on this, the more I was able to learn different tricks. Hence, this was one of the great things I developed during the pandemic and will continue to enhance.

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This object is my Macbook. It's the image of what I see everyday. Since we've been put on lockdown, this screen is what I see 24/7. Whether it's to study, to play, or to talk with friends, my mac is what keeps me company throughout the day.

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Since the beginning of lockdown, I have been using my laptop every single day. Not only it is useful for online learning, but it is also what I use for watching Netflix series and other videos. Though I try to limit my screentime by picking up other hobbies such as reading, cooking, or learning to play the piano again, my laptop remains to be my most used object during this pandemic.

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I'd say my object is a drawer full of my hobbies. The pandemic gave me all the time for the hobbies I wanted to do pre-pandemic. My experience has mainly been occupying my time with different activities. From baking and sewing to plant caring and keyboard building. A drawer full of stuff represents all the projects I've gone through as well as all the creations I've made.

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My life during the pandemic is represent by a shovel and its purpose. In these past two years, my shovel has been digging deeper and deeper into a dark hole as numerous challenges have been making life even more difficult. However, as I keep digging I find multiple gems, my blessings, that I value and cherish. Whenever I look back to the pile of dirt and soil that I’ve collected, I see my progress and growth. Nonetheless, I will continue my search for my collection of gems that will equip me in living a decent life.

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The magnifying glass best represents my lock down experience so far because this period of my life has been all about intentionally discovering more about myself whilst unravelling the agony and beauty that comes with it. The pandemic "magnified" and "zoomed in" the aspects in my life that still needs further improvement. This pushed for a greater understanding of my self. From getting into new hobbies or merely becoming more self-aware were some of the things that made me appreciate and know myself even more. There is no doubt that self-discovery is a lifelong process, but given that I am now paying close attention towards areas in my life that needs development, I am more equipped to traverse through these challenges and maximize my realized potentials.

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Most of my days in this pandemic are spent in my room with my laptop and a clock. Oftentimes, after a long and exhausting day, I would stare at this clock for minutes. While doing so, I've come to realize how time has been moving too fast - fast for me to realize it has (like I am still in March 2020) . Alongside the fact that almost every day is the same routine of sleeping, eating, studying, panicking, and looking forward to the tomorrow that was of the years prior. Nonetheless, I always try to exit this stupor and try to make the best of today.

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I think my phone is the thing that best represents my lockdown experience. I would say this as this item helped me go through the pandemic, and it also helped me learn new things. This item helped me learn new hobbies, through research, allowed me to communicate with friends, and it is there to help me feel better by watching shows and videos.

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I've always loved to read books but when the pandemic started it sort of became a way for me to escape the problems brought about by the quarantine. It is no secret that the pandemic affected us all mentally and since it did affect me, reading books helped me imagine myself in a better time and place wherein I could go to different places and not just constantly see the same four walls. Though books did not only serve as an escape for me, it also helped me grow and they also taught me valuable lessons about life and myself.

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I think my K-pop albums would be the best object to represent my lockdown experience so far. I have enjoyed collecting albums for years already but during the pandemic, I get to buy more albums than I expected. These were some of the things I look forward to being delivered at home now that I cannot go outside, and staring at them on my shelf puts a smile on my face.

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I believe that during this lockdown, I was able to explore new interests and tend to enjoy them a little too much. A few examples of my new “obsessions” during this lockdown would be KPOP groups, the Notion application, and Matcha, as evident in the conversation with my Mom above. I personally believe that even though these things may be deemed as small aspects of our lives, it is quite amusing how these “little things” bring us sparks of happiness. Moreover, these “little things” also keep me going throughout all of the commotions happening in our daily lives. A great example would be a few days ago wherein I was anxious about taking two exams during the same day and the only thing that honestly made me look forward to starting that day was my drink of Matcha.

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At the start of the pandemic, I had made the decision to get back into reading books. The pandemic/lockdown has undoubtedly taken a huge toll on all of us mentally, and my books served as a way for me to escape the harsh realities of this world, even just for a short while. Through immersing myself in books, I was able to imagine myself in other different realities, witnessing the lives of the people I'm reading about. This also helped me cope with the negative emotions and thoughts that the pandemic has caused. Ultimately, books did not only serve as an escape or distraction, but it also allowed me to learn more about the world, life, and myself.

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A canvas with an incomplete painting is an object that best depicts my lockdown experience so far. Ever since the pandemic started, I felt like a part of my life stopped, which subsequently caused me to become less certain of where exactly my life was going. Like a painting that is yet to be started, I paused and had difficulty adjusting and accepting that I had lost several opportunities because of the crisis that, to this day, we are experiencing. But over time, I was able to cope with the struggles I faced, and I learned to be more appreciative of even the littlest things in my life, which allowed me to realize numerous things about myself as I make the most out of the current situation. I may still not have a clear image of what my future holds or what the end product of the painting of my life would look like, but the lockdown has taught me to be optimistic regardless and enjoy the process with uncertainties.

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The pandemic brought an abrupt halt to my life, and a majority of us undeniably must have felt the same impact.  It felt like crossing intersection roads, but then the stoplight suddenly turned red and stayed as it is - the green and yellow light now too broken to lit up. Before the lockdown, I had plans and all the motivation I needed to fulfill them. Except the unwanted and unforeseen stop made me lose all that motivation, losing my sense of direction and purpose along with it. Until now, I'm still waiting for the green light to lit up, even if it can only give its faintest, I hope that would be enough to move forward again.

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*picture of the inside of our family oven with lasagna being reheated, May 2021*

Oven

I, like many others, decided to pursue certain hobbies throughout the pandemic, particularly baking. With this Metastone Built-In Oven of mine, I baked different sweets and goods, from my focaccia bread to my brownies, from my cheesecakes to my banana bread. I found comfort through the food that came out of the oven. Whenever I was feeling down, I would bake something to cheer myself up. However, as classes have once again started, I found less time to bake. That was fine with me, I thought because I knew my oven would be waiting for me once classes were over. However, the oven recently broke while my brother was seasoning a cast iron pan. I guess it was just about time, given that we'd been using it for over a decade. Continuous use throughout that period had led the oven to wear down. Much like my oven, however, all things must come to an end, including the pandemic.

RIP OVEN 2010-2021

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An object that best represents my lockdown experience would be my iPad. I use this every day not only for online classes but also for communicating with loved ones. During the lockdown, I’ve also enjoyed watching movies and TV series with my family and friends. Through this, we are able to bond and still keep safe during the pandemic.

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The object that represents my pandemic experience so far is an hour glass. Similar to an hour glass, deadlines tell how much time is left, and now that the school year has begun, I find myself fixated on deadlines knowing how deceiving it can be at times. The grains may seem like a lot, but once it accumulates, it will eventually be almost down to its last. Nevertheless, I view this as an opportunity to do better because keeping track of time really serves as a helpful reminder to keep up with the pace.