2020 – Thanks for nothing….?

The last month of the year has begun, and “Bye Bye 2020”- Memes are already flooding social media stories. Earlier this year the global pandemic has hit us all like truck and what else can you really say other than, – Yeah, it’s been a real sh*tshow? Our everyday lives have been turned upside down with work and education from home and many plans and wishes had to be postponed or cancelled entirely. I personally am thankful for the privileged situation I am in, that the effects of the pandemic on my personal life has mainly meant cancelling trips and activities, which surely takes a toll on one’s well-being, but is not nearly as devastating as maybe losing your job, your home or maybe even loved ones. What this year has taught me personally is gratefulness, even for the smallest things. Like reconnecting over a cup of tea with an old friend via Zoom, as suddenly long-distance-friendships and digital talks are the default mode anyway; or going for a walk on the weekend (because honestly, what else can you do?) and smelling the heavenly scent of freshly baked goods from the Pågen factory in the air; or even just waking up every single morning, feeling I am alive and healthy. 

  • Lilli Auginski, President

One would imagine that the longer something goes on, the easier it would be to get used to. Alas, it didn’t feel like that with the pandemic. 

This year has been tough. Being so physically far away from students has made me realize how vital it has been to be close to you, how important your role is for us and vice versa. And how much harder this connection has been, when we all turned into faces on a screen.

This year has been tough. Walking around the corridors of the Union house, I often get flashbacks from the old times, when there used to be a different activity going on at every floor and corner of the house, always a lot of known faces and often shy new faces, eager to meet people and become part of the different activities around the house.

This year has been tough but this is not the new normal.

  • Yuliyan Konstantinov, Vice-President – Education Monitoring

So with that being said, how do we tackle this upcoming year? As students, workers, as a society as a whole? Surely the long-awaited turn of the year with a big New years Eve celebration won’t be possible as we used to know it and of course not everything will magically be different just because this horrendous year 2020 is finally over but we also need to keep in mind that even though almost nothing in this year went as planned, we still made it this far and we learned a lot on the way. About ourselves, new ways to communicate and finding creative alternatives to keep in touch with loved ones. So instead of having a pessimistic view of 2021 already, let’s stay hopeful instead and start this year off with a fresh mind, knowing that this pandemic will be over at one point. Even though not everything might be going back to normality right away, if we unify to help each other out and stay positive, keep ourselves and everyone around us safe, then we are on the right track to make 2021 a better version of 2020.

  • Julia Buschmann, Vice-President – Study Social