A Brief Introduction To a Life in Isolation
For anybody in the CDM course who doesn't know me yet my name is Seán Clarke and I'm 24 (until Sunday). I'm from Dublin and live in Swords which is about a 20 minute drive by car from the Blanchardstown Campus or what feels like an 8 hour bus journey in the mornings. I'm not going to talk too much about my upbringing or anything but more about what life in lockdown has been like for me. Enjoy and I hope I don't bore anybody too much!
So the first time I heard about Coronavirus I didn't think anything of it really and I think majority of people felt the same. I thought it was going to be like the bird flu and that it was being blown out of proportion. The first time I think it felt real for me was when Daniel McSweeney came in to our lecture and gave us an update on how it was going to affect our college life. It was quite daunting at first and it made me nervous for both the rest of the semester and life in general.
The last sense of normality
I was trying to think back on the last thing I did that felt like our old lives and looked back through my camera roll. On March the 10th I had my first (and last) driving lesson and went to see Halsey in concert in the 3 Arena, the thoughts of 6000 people in one room is mad to even think about right now. After the concert me and my friends went to a packed pub in town for more drinks and didn't even to pay 9 euro for a substantial meal.
Working during a pandemic
I work in a pharmacy and unlike majority of people who's hours had been reduced and had been made work from home, mine were increased and I had to go in more. I usually work for 15 hours a week but for the first 3 months of the pandemic I was working full time. At the beginning it was tough getting used to all the new rules, we had to wear masks and gloves while shoppers were limited to 10 in the store at a time. The pharmacy I work in is in a shopping centre so it was pretty busy, for the first few weeks people were panic buying every medicine you can think of. Remember when supermarkets ran out of toilet paper? We ran out of Paracetemol, and of course some of the customers blamed this on me. It died down eventually and it feels pretty much back to normal, theres no limit on how many customers are allowed in the shop at one time, the only difference is everybody has to wear masks.
Habbits, Hangovers and House Party
At the start of lockdown when everybody started doing them 5K runs for charity on Instagram I promised myself I'd get in better shape with my free time (I lied). I bought a yoga mat to do online workouts and used it a whopping 4 times before it sat behind the couch in my sitting room for the rest of summer. When House Party became big on the app store me and 4 of my work friends used it basically every night, we also discovered Netflix Party which lets you watch a movie in sync with other people. We watched so many Spanish movies that I'm surprised I'm not fluent. Along with Spanish movies another thing that I picked up on was drinking Red Wine, I don't even want to talk about it. Eventually the movie watching and red wine drinking died down, which I'm both grateful for and upset about.
Things I missed during Lockdown
When it was first announced Barbers were closed I got extremely worried about what I was going to do. I usually get my haircut every two weeks and when it was announced they were closed it had already been that long since my last one. I decided after 4 weeks I'd let my brother try cut my hair which ended up with me looking like Phil Mitchell - bald - photo pending. Other things I missed were the obvious ones like not being able to go for food 4 times a week even though I'm broke and going to the cinema.
Sun and Sangria
It feels so long ago since we had that week or two when every day it was at least 20 degrees. With my new obsession with Red Wine came with the realisation that I couldn't drink it during the day, so I came up with the idea that it would be acceptable if I watered it down (kind of) by making Sangria instead.
Hi Sean! I'm so sorry you had to deal with rude customers working in the pharmacy I can't imagine what you felt like. happy birthday as well!! I love your new shaved head it looks class honestly. You should mix that really bad white wine from tesco with whatever fanta you prefer, trust me it'll make drinking wine 10000 times better and it costs less ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Sean! I saw your comment on my blog, I feel you with the shaved head! It's a whole new world!! I have let mine grow back somewhat, I'm definitely not letting it get back to the length it was at before hand! Even though you only used you yoga mat 4 times you definitely did more than I did haha. I recently remembered the last day of college when we chatted for the first and the last time in person! Mad how we made a joke about not being back in college again and it happened lol. Hope you're keeping well :) -Megan
ReplyDeleteHey Sean, I really feel your pain when you talk about working through the pandemic, If the world was coming to an end we would both still be in work I can guarantee. Your Intro post was fun and easy to read and very relatable, I think we all went through the 5k banana bread phase during lockdown. PS. Drop a sangria recipe x
ReplyDeleteHi Sean, dealing with rude customers is the worst, I'm sorry you had to go through that, sometimes I just want to punch customers in the face in my job, they seem like they have no emotion or common sense sometimes, I just wanna give people like them a box!!! Working in a pharmacy during the pandemic must have been really stressful, but a t least it's calmed down now. Maybe next time don't let your brother shave your head, grow it out and see what happens!!!.
ReplyDeleteHi Sean, so happy were together again this year ... lucky you ;) I loved the blog post it was very funny. I understand your pain from working during the lockdown my hours also increase which made me want to cry daily :( Loving the bald Phil Mitchell looks fab! Hope we see each other soon and maybe we could have some sangria - best of luck this semester :)
ReplyDeleteHey Sean, I loved your blog post it was very informative and I now feel I know you better! I also miss not having to pay nine euro for a meal :( Dealing with rude customers must have been very annoying especially during a time like this. I am more of a white wine drinker but you may have inspired me to try the red. Also, you look lovely in your profile pic ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Sean its Aoibhe !!! Loved your introduction post. Lovely blog with a lovely design layout. I can back you up in saying that swords to blanch on 2 busses feels like years. Love the Phil Mitchell look, suits you. I can only imagine how hard it was to work during lockdown & deal with annoying customers. Good luck with the rest of the semester ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Sean, I enjoyed reading your introduction as it was interesting to see someone else's perspective on the coronavirus and how it affected your life. Its a shame that instead of relaxing at home you had to work even more hours. I also enjoy a nice glass of wine while watching a movie, very relaxing :)
ReplyDeleteHi Shaun, I didn't realize that I finish reading your introduction blog because I was enjoying it haha. I can feel the pain of travelling from Swords to Blanch every day because I also lives far away from college where I needed to take two buses every time! Most of my friends worked full time during the first Lockdown as well because they don't have enough staff at work. I can't imagine working in the pharmacy during pandemic were everyone is freaking out to get medicines and everything is hectic! Netflix was also my only hope during lockdown to keep myself not get bored hahaha
ReplyDeleteHi Sean, I really enjoyed reading your Introduction blog! Like you I miss going out for a few drinks with mates especially town and not having to pay to get drinks but now that is not going to happen thanks to lockdown, I myself am going back into work during the lockdown and in a way look forward to it as it is possibly a sign of things getting back to normal or as normal as they can XD.
ReplyDeleteHi Sean, I really enjoyed your introduction blog, it was very interesting! Im with you there on everything you were talking about, like not being able to head to the pub for a good night out or even just going to the cinema, its sad but hopefully it will be some what back to normal soon. I feel sorry for you, working in a pharmacy during the pandemic, definitely isn't easy. Anyways, good luck with college this year!
ReplyDeleteHey Sean
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog. not only was it interesting but it made. I'm very jealous you got to go to a concert before the pandemic. I’d say the last social thing I did was go to the lectures 😂😂.
Even with the pandemic you still look as if you had an enjoyable summer. And not going to lie but the bald Phil Mitchell style low key suits you.
- Cian
Hey Sean,
ReplyDeleteLoved your blog. I can fully relate to how the bus journeys just drag on to and from Blanch, especially in the mornings. Work's probably kind of exhausting but at least you get out of the house and have something to do other than sitting inside. It's good that you've still been able to keep entertained with your friends online though. Good luck on the rest of this year!