” Happiness Can Be Found Even in The Darkest of Times If One Only Remembers to Turn on The Lights”
– Familiar words, aren’t they? 90% of the teens out there know these famous words spoken by none other than the great Albus Dumbledore. They are as true as they are familiar to us and in my opinion, very appropriate in these times.
The lockdown has affected all of us, some more greatly than others. Surviving in this pandemic has been quite a struggle for all of us. I can’t say I understand what everyone is going through because simply putting it, I can’t! None of us can understand what another person is going through in this situation. From losing family members to starting to lose our own minds we have all been struggling. Out of all the age groups, the effect on today’s teenagers is what I have understood the most. As being a member of ‘Gen X’ definitely helps me understand the general plight of my fellow teens.
In the teen years our main objective is to create an identity for ourselves. We, teenagers yearn for freedom and independence. Imagine being stuck in the same place for almost four months when all you want is freedom. What do we do when we can’t get the freedom we want? We find an escape! That is what teens require most in times like these. We aren’t asking for escape from our family or our friends; we want an escape from reality. We can’t go out of our houses so we find our escape inside. Sounds crazy, I know, but we have to find our escape in our activities, in our hobbies.
I found my escape in reading. I love how I get to live in a completely different world. When I read, I lose myself in it. Similarly, you can find your escape in what you love to do like Art, sketching, painting, dancing, cooking, baking, music listening to or playing it. All of these simple activities can be your escape, your safe place. You just need to have the patience of finding yours. Don’t give up even if you can’t find it because something out there is your escape, it is probably right in front of you and you just haven’t given it that kind of attention. Thanks to my Abbu’s passion for reading I have a huge book library in my house and not once did I think that I would even like reading; I literally tried everything, I sketched, I painted, I baked. I enjoyed these activities but once I started reading, I got hooked! It became my escape from reality. It will take time it will be hard but eventually you’ll end up finding your own escape and that’s what we need the most right now.
So, take your time, find your escape and survive this lockdown. Remember, this too shall pass!!
Zynah Intikhab
