With the rapid spread of Covid-19 in every part across the globe, life had nearly come to a halt. A period that had been nothing less than a roller coaster ride. Some lost loved ones, while others succumbed to their lives. Some struggled to earn a livelihood, and some lost a living altogether.
As Christian Marclay says, 'It's the way life is, I suppose. Whatever happens, you deal with it.' Complete lockdown around the world compelled everyone to stay at home, hampering the working conditions and the education setup, crippling almost every field. But all thanks to the digital age for having us covered. When all hopes to normalize were lost, online platforms came as a ray of hope by providing every facility needed to work from home. Although it did not offer unlimited exposure as an offline mode, it did reduce the hardship to an extent.
Not only did the technology assist us in continuing our work, but also provided numerous forms of entertainment, abating the adversities. Recreational activities like online games, cooking, and learning skills kept most of the people occupied. Most notably, during the second wave, teenagers played a critical role in verifying leads for people, which would not have been possible without technology. But the devil is in the details. Did anyone consider the families that, even in normal circumstances, worked day and night to provide their children with the education possible? When they are strapped for cash, isn’t it quite impossible for them to invest in expensive cell phones or screens? Is the pope catholic?
According to a survey, “At least 27 percent of students do not have access to smartphones or laptops to attend online classes, while 28 percent of students and parents believe that lack of electricity is one of the major concerns hindering teaching-learning.” You can't make fish out of one and fowl of the other, but the reality is that they are faced with circumstances where they lack access to online classes and have to compromise on their education for which no one would be held liable in the future. Sadly, we have reached an era that has resulted in a digital divide.
“Put yourself in the shoes of others,
For everyday they have to face a new thunder
It's time for all of us to gather,
Let's band together to make them stronger!”
Undoubtedly, online services made life easier, but the story does not end here. Sometimes the repercussions that people had to face because of this were no less than a nightmare for them, it was reported that cybercrimes during this period had escalated rapidly. Hacking, black marketing in the medical industry, attempts to obtain bank details through bogus calls and manipulation observed an unexpected upswing hence intensifying existing problems and aggravating mental stress and problems like constant eye strain and headache.
As rightly said, ‘Life’s greatest lessons are learned at the worst times.’ It was when man began to consider itself superficial,nature intervened with this pandemic as a wake-up call. A realization that must be felt by each human being that we are ruled by nature and no power can lift us above it. Yes, our life has shrunk to the size of our phone screens, teaching us to appreciate every single moment that we often take for granted. It taught us to find peace in the beauty of nature, in every creature that it sent a blessing on this planet. It's never too late to realize the gravity of the situation because a stitch in time saves nine. It’s time that we must assist others in every possible manner we can, to help them combat this battle.
Vranda Singhal
Undergraduate student of SRCC
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