by Klodia Gabaya | January 19, 2022
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” — Marthe Troly-Curtin
Who would’ve thought that in the blink of an eye, we would already be going on for two years in this whole setup we are currently in due to the pandemic. There are probably people who think how much of a waste the past years have been because we’ve all been just cooped up in our rooms, staring into screens all day long and not being able to go to a physical classroom and physically meet with our classmates and teachers.
However, there are also those who were able to thrive and flourish despite all the hardships and challenges, and that is definitely something worth giving yourself a pat on the back for.
In terms of my studies, I wouldn’t say that I’ve been at the productive end of the spectrum as compared to my peers who have certainly excelled despite facing overwhelming odds.
Online class, frankly, is not for me. I think it’s safe to say that many students can attest to this statement. All those hours spent staring into the screens of our devices ‘to learn’ were definitely the times that are not worth wasting.
On the other hand, everything unrelated to online classes has been full of wonderful surprises for me that I can’t help but be immensely grateful for the opportunity I was given. I was able to push myself for certain things that I never ever would have gone for if the pandemic never happened. The world’s situation today has encouraged me to open up and explore areas I might be interested to spend my time on — such as school groups and organizations. Now, I can say that those have indeed resulted in moments I have definitely enjoyed “wasting” time on, even if certain extracurricular activities have called for overtime and late-night conference meetings with fellow organization members.
I really hope that despite all the tribulations we are experiencing in these times, people will still find some ray of light as I did. Hopefully, they aren’t just wandering in the dark, lost and clueless on how to proceed and get on with their lives beyond the dictates of the present times. Even if people are currently grappling with the situation today, I believe that they can definitely brave the challenges and uncertainties they will face.
I hope that one day, maybe sometime in the near future, the time will come when people can look back on these long days and realize that the times they thought they spent wasting — were actually not wasted at all.
