New year, new me (ish?)

I would like to wish all my f(r)ans a very happy new year! (Is it too late to do that? It’s still January, so I’m thinking it’s fine.) Even though so far – just like last year – the news has been packed with both dramatic and depressing stories, I do believe we have causes for hope. I may be ever the optimist, but at a time when it feels like we are in the darkest pandemic period, vaccine distribution and the fact that Trump is out of office are events that mean there is a warm, welcoming light shining at the end of this dark tunnel.

I managed to get back to Italy on the 9th and my 14 day self-isolation period is finally drawing to a close. Today I had to take an end of quarantine test (which I didn’t really see the point in) but, being a good law-abiding citizen, I trekked through the rain, my bike chain wanting out 10 minutes in, making it to the testing centre on foot completely soaking wet. Upon arrival I was once again reminded how much I hate Italian bureaucracy.

Anyway, enough about that. Have I stayed sane over this lonely quarantine? Borderline. I have taken this time to reflect on the year ahead and have kept myself as busy as possible in order to stay positive (mentally, not diagnostically, obviously!)

I have spent much of this time reading. I finished Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo which I really enjoyed. I loved how it amplified marginalised voices in Britain, intertwining numerous societal issues such as the class system, white privilege and gender norms and expectations to highlight the stories of the often difficult realities that women of colour face on a daily basis.

Avidly consuming Becoming by Michelle Obama became a large part of my daily routine. Her story, strength and moral compass are so inspiring. They have lead me to ask myself many of the questions that have been a driving force in her life: What kind of person do I want to be? What impact do I want to have on the world? How can I make a meaningful impact? I know it may sound like I’m having an existential crisis, but two weeks spent alone in a flat really does give you the mental space to ask yourself – and mull over – these questions. It feels hard to look ahead at what I’m going to do after this internship in Padova when no one even knows what the pandemic situation is even going to be like next week, let alone in 6 months. What I do know is I want to stay true to my values no matter what I end up doing, whether that be returning to education to do a masters or finding a job. Becoming has reminded me that life is short and whatever I do next, I want to enjoy it and feel fully committed to it rather than simply settling for something I’m not passionate about.

Netflix has obviously been a companion during this time. I watched films in the evenings but also made sure to watch some environmental series I hadn’t yet had time to commit to. Kiss the Ground and Down to Earth with Zac Efron were both depressing at times (can humans please stop destroying this planet?!) but each have uplifting endings that remind us there are many ways we can do our bit to limit our impact on the environment.

Thinking back to when I had a social life has often been a painful reminder during the past few weeks of how much I miss fun. But I also keep reminding myself of how there are many who are far worse off in these difficult times (shoutout to healthcare workers who’ve been under covid’s heavy burden for almost a year). I’m holding onto the thought of warmer days in summer and less restrictions as vaccines become more widespread. Starting work on Monday will also give me a routine again after the daily lie ins I’ve been having.

Thank you/grazie for reading my jumbled thoughts and updates!