Life in the times of Coronavirus: Why I regret buying that Zara dress over a kettle

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-day lockdown, most of us corporate slaves rejoiced. We didn’t care that we could possibly die from the apocalyptic coronavirus, we were just glad that our tired bodies and minds would finally feel the warm embrace of ‘work from home’. Tired of slogging over our desktops for several hours a day with back issues that would give an eighty-year-old nani a run for her money. But a couple of days in, and the excitement died down, with over 34,000 people dead around the world, I think it suddenly dawned on us, ‘This isn’t some luxury we are enjoying, we are in the middle of the biggest pandemic the world has faced in recent times, and it’s time to buck up and get a lot more serious. This could kill anybody.’ The only way to save yourself is to stay home and away from everyone, loved ones and strangers alike. And that’s when the fear set in, followed by anxiety and panic sweats.

Originally from Bombay, I moved to Delhi for work, and although it has been over a year, I still can’t wrap my head around this... place. I don’t care for the age-old adage about how Bombay is so safe and all of that, no, it’s my home and that’s why I prefer it. And yes the fact that I can walk around certain parts (ONLY certain, Bombay isn’t as safe as you think) without getting stabbed does put my mind at ease.

One of the many things that bothered me the most was the fact that I couldn’t find decent people to stay with. So when I moved away from my old flat with my amazing flatmate, Neah-tea, sadly because we had different opinions on how close the neighbours’ balconies should be to ours - not touching for me - we went our separate ways. She to Delhi, and me to Noida, with its huge societies surrounded by barren fields and frequented by stray dogs and cows alike. And although the place I stay in as lush as can be, my flatmate might as well kill me with her irresponsibility. Because in her dictionary, if she has ever seen one, there is no social isolation, self-quarantine, no, she says, ‘Why are you so serious about this? NOTHING will happen. You are being paranoid and worrying everyone around you.’

Aah, ignorance is truly bliss, no wonder all stupid people are so happy. She almost reminds me of that TikToker who licked a public toilet seat and got Covid-19 (he didn’t really, just did it for the attention. Sigh).

While most of us (me) are freaking out and not going to even stock up essentials and groceries, my amazing flatmate, whose family home is two hours away, has called two of her guy friends over and decided to party. They go out two to three times a day, much to my chagrin, and when I correct that she mustn’t invite people over and wear a mask when she goes down, she finds the most absurd solution: doesn’t let them leave. They’re still here.

So here I am, over a week later, holed up in my room, cooking and using the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning, in the hopes that this crazy ruffian doesn’t breathe near me. She refuses to clean her own dishes, let alone the house. So every time I wish to cook, I head to the kitchen with my cleaning supplies, bleach and all, do a thorough cleansing, cook, wash the dishes, shower (in case she sneezed and the particles stuck onto me) and then eat.

All because the girl can’t help but go out. It is amazing how a person can be so educated (she’s a software developer) and such utter garbage when it comes to the health and safety of themselves and others, all in one person. So after much pleading from my end and my lovely living partner doing absolutely nothing to stay cautious, and inadvertently jeopardising my health, along with everyone else’s. I had to bring my inner Ursula/Professor Umbridge/Judas out. One fake phone call to the cops and the girl stops heading outdoors. Well at least in front of me. I still hear the main door open and close at around 2 AM every once in a while when she and her goons go out into the night. And where the hell are you even going in Noida? Is there a rave I wasn’t invited to? Sigh. Honestly, Pooja*, what is this behaviour?

via Gfycat

But I realised, she is acting true to her character, and I am in the wrong. I am still blessed to have a room where I can stay away from such toxic, literally, people. Unlike those unfortunate and financially unable migrant workers who are being hosed down with sanitisers before they crowd onto buses that go to their villages. I am grateful. But there are several lessons this pandemic has taught me when it comes to my lifestyle, several truths it had made me see and most importantly it has made me realise what truly matters in life. It’s not that we didn’t already know that family and love is above all, but it just hits harder now that we are all faced with our mortality. Here’s what I’ve learnt so far.

Always have an amicable flatmate, it is important to stay with a person who isn’t an idiot and shares the same values as you, whether it is kindness or hygiene, you can’t do everybody’s chores. One must stay with someone who is as clean/dirty as you, as cooperative as you and smart enough to recognise a problem, especially a pandemic of this magnitude. Also, don’t ever make the mistake of sharing a room if you’re over 20 unless you stay with your parents, that’s different.

Invest in yourself. I regret choosing to buy that expensive Zara dress over an electric kettle, induction cooktop and rice cooker. I checked it would all end up costing about the same as the dress. And all that dress is doing is sitting in my closet. While back then the dress seemed like an investment in myself, I now realise that feeding your body and soul is way more important. When we live alone we tend to neglect ourselves, eat junk food, skip meals, focus way too much on the job, exhaust yourself to the bone. But it doesn’t harm to invest a bit in your own comfort.

Value your own company. I see a lot of my peers getting extremely uncomfortable with staying home since they all love to party and live for the weekend. I got lucky here, I was never cool, so I never went out, never had a crazy teen party life, all I did was sit at home and read while my mother screamed, ‘Why do you always do everything in excess? YOU WILL GO BLIND.’ So for me, this is pretty much my life, obviously, now it is by force, but when you stay in a place as unsafe for women as Noida, you kind of get institutionalised.

Cherish your family. In a time like this, when I am forced to be away from my family, my adorable Ammi and Abba, I realised that no matter how much people love you and are willing to stand by you, blood IS thicker than water, and not having my concrete support with me has really left me with a sinking feeling.

Be kind. Although my flatmate is a grade A crud and doesn’t deserve any kindness from me, I still do my bit, I make sure l leave some healthy turmeric ginger shots for her at the kitchen table every once in a while, offer her my clean food and don’t bother her about the cleaning and do it myself, since it is Navratri and she is fasting. This only makes me feel nice, as she still bitches about how I am too paranoid when I keep washing my hands every time I touch any surface. Better safe than sorry!

Count your blessings. It is easy to feel a lot of negativity and pressure during such a time when the world is quite obviously crumbling all around you. But count your blessings, we are sitting inside our homes, doing our jobs, bank balances sorted (sort of), fridges stocked for a few weeks at least and the comfort that if need be, we will be able to access more resources. And then you see social media videos of migrant workers walking for days to head back to their villages, being hosed down by sanitation workers before they board their homebound buses, crying that they don’t have money to buy food for their families as they work hand to mouth, and they will remain unheard. So count your blessings, that you have the luxury of complaining about going out, while some migrant worker is getting beaten up by the police because he dared to try and get food for his family.

Your body is a temple. This pandemic proved that having good immunity is key. Just because you’re in lockdown doesn’t mean you have to stop exercising. Try home workouts, do yoga, meditate, this won’t only distract you, but will also help you stay calm and ensure your bones don’t rot from all that Netflix and chill.

Be better prepared. That’s all there is. Take a lesson from this pandemic, and hope that you survive so that the next time the world starts to fall apart, we fix it before it’s too late.

(All opinions are the author’s own and aren’t intended to offend anyone, not even the author’s flatmate. Names have been changed to protect the author.)

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