It's been a year and a half of balancing frequent COVID visits and dashing between COVID life and normal life, and we've all gotten used to it.
COVID has had an impact on us since the beginning; whether it's social events, physical meets, or eating together, things aren't the same as they used to be.
It seems like an age ago when we all used to get together, plan things out, and have beautiful weekends, and now everything is done online.
People have practically forgotten about the enjoyable offline adventures now that our world has been shaped into an online existence.
COVID has had a profound impact on every age group and has had far-reaching implications. People are attempting to compensate for practically everything, from mental health to physical health, wealth to happiness.
Toddlers are not getting the kind of exposure that is necessary for their development and growth. Seeing everyone immersed in the digital environment may one day sculpt them into robots. Instead of toys, they are handed iPads and Tablets and, this is how their future will be.
Coming as teenagers, they have a whole different battle to fight. Switching from regular school to an online mode of education has been an excruciating event.
I have met a couple of school students and, much to my astonishment, they all are eagerly waiting to go back to their old days.
Not even a single teenager expressed positive thoughts about the online mode instead, they whined about losing a plethora of practical knowledge that only an offline mode of education can deliver.
College students have a similar narrative in that they are having difficulty locating the right path and career for their bright future.
Education via online mode has taken a toll on their internships, practical insights, industrial visits, and ultimately on attaining high profile jobs. Countries' employment rates have plummeted and show no signs of recovery following the COVID outbreak.
While those involved in work culture are significantly impacted, working from home is not for everyone, which is why the number of incidences of domestic violence reported has increased significantly.
Predominantly females have been the point of discussion in debates across the globe. Not only are they coping with mental stress, but they are also suffering from physical stress.
Pardon me for being gender-specific, but males too have suffered from mental health, depression, anxiety, personality disorder and many other psychological illnesses.
No one was spared from the effects of the virus and the resulting casualties. Some casualties were visible to the eyes, but some were either felt in silence or went completely unnoticed.
Despite this, the COVID outbreak taught us many lessons, not just related to science but also related to life. It demonstrated how unpredictable life can be and what lessons can be drawn from such unprecedented times.
No matter what age group one belonged to, everyone encountered distinct consequences and tackled them with the most utter determination.
The key is to keep going, even when the cards are stacked against you. And as they say, this too shall pass.