It's kind of become a tradition on this blog that, every September, I write sort of a round-up of the summer and lay out some goals for the near future. Like pretty much everything this year, this time it's different - it feels very strange to be doing so. Not only has Covid been around for the majority of the year and completely changed our lives - and summer plans and traditions - but, for this first time ever, I'm not heading back to education next week. So, because I don't feel like I want to break the tradition, this is going to be a summer round-up and it might be soppy at points, it might be boring, it might even be straight-up cringe, but it's most definitely not going to be as exciting as January 2020 Jodie thought it would be.
On the whole - despite the whole pandemic thing - this summer has been amazing. I've made so many incredible memories and it's actually been quite refreshing to have a summer that hasn't revolved around partying and clubs. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still live for the sesh - I love a good time, and I love the whole going out scene but obviously this year we've had to adapt and, although I have had some crazy drunken nights, it's been a surprisingly sober summer which is pretty much unheard of for me and my friends. It's been a summer of garden drinking, inflatable pools, garden camping, baking, sit-down club sessions, hiking, road trips, pedalos and eating so much food. Honestly pretty wholesome fun, really.
I've spent the majority of my time with Lauren, my best friend, and it's been great and at this point we may as well be sisters, we spend that much time together - her parents are basically my second parents and her house is basically my second house, and the same goes for her and my parents and my house. We've always been close but I think this year we've just become even closer and kind of opened up to each other more. I've always been someone who finds it hard to open up to people and talk about my feelings and that kind of thing and that's something that's only got worse over the years - like I would rather suffer in silence and keep everything to myself than talk about how I feel or my problems. I just can't seem to do it. But, especially in the last few weeks, I've had some stuff to deal with and it kind of got to the point where I couldn't just keep it to myself anymore because I had so much to deal with and Lauren and her family have been there for me more than I could ever have imagined anyone would be and I honestly, genuinely don't know what I would've done without them during this past month or so. I'm so grateful for them and, in a way, the lockdown and pandemic because spending time with them and this weird progress in talking about my feelings and stuff wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been in this situation.
I think there's a lot of negative that has come from the pandemic but I do think a lot of positive has come from it too. In terms of friendships, for example, some friendships have ended, some have started and some have been revived (for lack of better wording) and it's been great to be able to catch up with people and I guess get to know people again. I've spent so much time with my mum's best friend and her daughter, who is my oldest friend, which we wouldn't have had time to do in 'normal' circumstances. I've spent a lot less time with my usual friendship group but we've also made different efforts to stay in touch with each other and what's going on in our lives. It's been eye-opening and generally helped me prioritise and realise what is important in my life. It's like when Kylie Jenner said 2016 was the year of realising stuff... that's pretty much what 2020 has been.
Of course it's disappointing that things we had planned didn't happen but that's life. I was so upset that my Portugal holiday was cancelled in May... but we had nice weather here and made the most of the week as like a staycation instead - and, even though international travel wasn't necessarily possible, we spent more time travelling around the UK. Graduation was cancelled but my university bent over backwards to plan online celebrations and make sure that we knew there'll be in-person celebrations next year. Gigs were cancelled but the rescheduling gives something to look forward to when this is all over. We couldn't go to clubs but, eventually, we were able to go to bars and restaurants again. The hardest bit, for me, was when it was full-on lockdown - the bit where we couldn't mix with anyone else and were only allowed to leave the house once a day. That feels like years ago but, it was only five or six months ago. It's been a tough time but we've made the best of it and, really, that's all we could've done.
Now, it'll be strange. Summer is ending, schools and universities are going back. I've got friends that are back at work, friends going into final year at uni, friends starting their masters degrees, friends who have just finished uni, friends that are starting new jobs, friends that are still looking for jobs (me, though) and it's a time for adjusting. Oh, and it's a time for hoping we don't get a crazy second wave (stay social distancing and all that, kids).
I don't know what my goals are. Previously, they've been academic and I believe that, this time last year, I wrote that I wanted to 'get my life back on track'. I think my life is much more on track now than it has been in the last two years - I feel like I am a totally different person now, and a lot more easy-going and mellow, I guess? I'm not forcing anything. I'm focusing on myself and getting myself a job, hoping to save up to move out of my parents house and just do life, I suppose. All with a nice new positive attitude. It's weird times but they're also really exciting times and so we'll just have to see what happens next.
Comments
Post a Comment