Hello from the other side of the screen,
It’s been a minute, I know. Way more than a minute. Since the new year is fast approaching, ( honestly where did the year go?) I thought I’d think of something a tad different for this edition. So, without further ado, here’s my recap of 2021! I’m going through my photo gallery for this, which has about 12,000 odd photos. I rely on that too much to remember what happened when, another one of the many crutches we have right now.
January -
I was lucky to get the first shot of the Covid vaccine back then, which reminds me now that my immunity towards the disease is probably waning - time to get the booster! The decision was sudden, I didn’t even stop to think about the possible side effects ( which were mild ), I was focused on getting it while I had the chance and putting up the barriers of protection between the virus and myself.
February -
I remember my cousin and I being right in the middle of our eye makeup experimentation craze. We’ve documented just almost every look, looking back, it truly was a great time. Also, my second year finals got postponed (and they will several times, just you read).
March -
I bought my first succulent, and I was obsessed. I definitely remember thinking that I was on the way to becoming a plant mom, but that hasn’t happened yet! My caffeinating also peaked during this time and it’s still going strong at the moment. This very newsletter was started in March, and I’m extremely proud and happy that it’s still going on :)
April -
Just before everything went downhill, yet again, before the second wave, we went out for breakfast as a family after forever, and things felt normal for once. April was also the month when I found out that I was allergic to a certain analgesic, and I ended up with rashes all over my body.
May -
The second wave of Covid was raging, millions were falling sick, thousands dying. My friends and I felt helpless because after all, we weren’t doctors yet. We decided to start Don’t Wait Vaccinate, a call to urge citizens to get vaccinated against Covid at all costs. We put up animations explaining the basis of how vaccines work in an easy to understand manner, elucidated the various vaccines available in India and addressed all the concerns put forth by the public. It garnered a significant amount of reach and I am so glad for the fact that it seemed to have helped in some possible way.
June -
My cousin got married amidst all the Covid restrictions! It was a small, intimate wedding adhering to all the Covid protocols. I woke up at two in the morning, the earliest I’ve ever gotten up for a wedding, and my family left in a convoy of cars, e-passes in hand at about 4 am. It was honestly the best time I’d had in a long while, we ate to our heart’s content and danced. Thankfully, everyone was perfectly alright after the wedding ended. I also turned 21 towards the end of the month, although I still feel like I’m 19.
July -
I got my first ever thrifted item of clothing! It was a definite step up from fast fashion.
August -
If I’m not wrong, college resumed for about two to three hours everyday during this time, and life seemed semi normal at the least. I remember being thoroughly obsessed with the Spanish Latté from Bread and Chocolate.
September -
The dreaded exams which were postponed by almost six months finally took place. My friends and I practically lived at each other’s houses, doing some intense cramming and group studying. I don’t seem to recall this as much, looks like my brain has blocked out all the trauma as a coping mechanism! Another one of my cousins who is in the US got married there, and I recollect watching the livestream with my pathology exam at the back of my mind. It truly was a bittersweet moment - I was elated for my cousin and at the same time worried about my exams.
October -
Clinical rotations started again at the hospital, I can’t tell you how good it felt to have some sense of life before Covid right back in your hands. I also started the habit of keeping a bullet journal - every time I flip the pages to the “highlights of the day” section, waves of nostalgia come over me as I enjoy reading the events of the good days that I had. My family and I also spent some much required quiet time in Yelagiri. Golu came back into our lives after almost two years, relatives and friends came over, and in turn I did some golu hopping as well.
November -
This month was filled with rain and was absolutely chaotic. We planned on going to Goa on a college trip, but till the last minute, we didn’t actually know if we were taking the trip or not. It finally did end up happening, and to say it was wild is an understatement!
December -
I honestly expected a relaxing and slow end of the year, but if I’ve learnt anything in the past two years, it’s that most of the time, things do not end up going your way. Exam after exam after exam took place, and I had one day off for Christmas, and one for New Year.
Another year has flown by so quickly, I enjoyed writing this a bit too much. Even though a multitude of major events did not happen, I truly think that it’s the small things that matter at the end of the day.
Since the past two years were filled with life lessons, I asked around as to what everyone actually ended up learning. And here are the responses!
There’s a whole world beside the well we live in.
At the end of the day, all we have is ourselves.
Everyone is fighting their own battles, even though it may seem the other way.
Fake it till you make it, manifestation - start believing in your own potential.
Forgiving and forgetting is actually therapeutic.
When you’re at your lowest, the only way is up.
Slowing down in order to be able to run faster.
Unlearning to trust the signs of the universe, and instead to pay attention to what is there in front of your eyes.
You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it.
Nature journalling.
Put in effort and care for people who will do the same for you.
Whatever said and done, everyone is going to do only what’s best for them, so you should too.
Being true to myself, and tried to unlearn my previous work ethic.
It’s a lot more rewarding and healthier to approach goals/ self improvement from the perspective of “I love myself and I deserve this and this will make me feel happier” rather than “I hate that I’m like this so I need to fix it”.
Happy New Year everyone, thanks for sticking with me this year. I hope 2022 is a good one for all of us!
— adithi.
Where there is shadow there is light. Congratulations Adithi! Keep posting.. may your light shine beyond Nizhal.
RK Geetha
PS. How does Spanish latte taste? Curious, as Spaniards usually like it dark and strong. 😊