Lockdown.

​

Global pandemic.

​

Unprecedented.

This is how the COVID-19 outbreak has been described. New Zealand shut down for about two months. Jobs were lost. Tests were done. Businesses shut down, never to reopen. Now that we are back at Level Two, I’ve been reflecting on the pros and cons of Lockdown.

I took to House Party and Zoom but no device could compare to real human contact. Social media was a big advantage during Lockdown, meaning I could still chat and see my friends’ faces. I spent my days doing photo shoots of my kitten, Paws, in the hope of  getting her Instagram followers up.

But, like the majority of New Zealanders, I still craved human contact. I would stand at my friend's gate, social distancing, talking to them, wishing I could hug them once more. So, no matter how good the graphics on your computer are, human contact is crucial.

While in Lockdown, I was  stuck at home with my family. A lot of New Zealanders say Lockdown brought their family closer. My family spent a lot more time together. We baked together, did school work together, ran together, walked together, and in general were just together. I enjoyed time in Lockdown with my family.

However, us siblings took to arguing over toys and work. My dad ran around the house trying to sort out all the different arguments as well as working from home, while my mum was an essential worker as a nurse.

The pets were so happy to have everyone home all the time. My kitten cried if we left her for five minutes. My kitten also had to be slowly reintroduced to everyone leaving during the day. I was fortunate my family thrived in Lockdown, however there have been reports of families that have struggled.

​

Lockdown has had its pros and cons. From House Party to family, cats to dogs, nobody can deny Lockdown has brought us closer together as a community. I believe that Lockdown has made us stronger. Though the battle is not over, we must stay strong and, by reflecting, we can find the changes that need to be made to stop COVID-19.