Lockdown based Q and A
A lockdown writing prompt — from Manasi Diwakar
- What have you missed the most during this lockdown?
My husband. We’ll complete one year of marriage this June. Unfortunately, we are under a lockdown in different cities; I had come to my parent’s house, and then suddenly the lockdown was declared. Though I got to spend a lot of quality time with them, so no complaints!
2. What is the best thing about being in a lockdown?
Well I think this momentary pause was much needed in all of our lives.
I had the craziest of two years — 2018 and 2019; max of which were spent in preparing for my medical postgraduate national entrance exam. I’m a doctor. I completed medical school 2 years ago. In India for further specialization (yeah I know it’s a long drawn career path!) we have to give an extremely competitive entrance exam — a Multiple choice exam based on all my subjects in medical school- a total of 19!! I gave the exam in Jan 2020.
I used to study for 10–12 hours a day, and even more near to the exam. I’ve been blessed with a great All India Rank (thanks to the unsaid support from my husband, my in-laws, my parents; without them, cracking this exam would have been impossible) allowing me to pursue my dream field. The admission process is delayed due to lockdown, but I’ll be joining soon.
So you can imagine how much this break was necessary for me.
3. What has been the worst thing about being in a lockdown?
Well honestly, nothing in particular for me — apart from separated from my husband and not able to meet my old friends even though I’m in my hometown. I’ve just been rejuvenating myself after 2 hectic years.
Also, I discovered that I can live without cafes and pubs and pizza places and movie theaters.
4. Who would you have liked to host in your home during the lockdown, and why?
My husband (obviously). Also all my brave friends and colleagues — warriors who are serving the nation as front line doctors in this pandemic. I feel for them, as they can’t go home at all due to safety reasons (for their family), their current lives being entirely spent in the hospitals.
5. What have you discovered about yourself in the lockdown?
A lot of things! Most important and major — that I can write!! I never knew I had this quality. Being wrapped up in medical, I had never explored this new side of me. I was and I still am an avid reader since childhood — gorging mainly on fiction. I started this as a therapeutic outlet — eventually, going on to write almost every day — being encouraged by close family and the writers in my family. My friend Ruta Gokhale urged me to start writing on Medium, and then I discovered this wonderful platform… allowing me to interact and learn from so many amazing writers.
Poetry, writing prompts! (thanks to Amy Marley )— I had never ever imagined that I can write poetry. The only time I had written — were the essays in school that too since they were a part of homework. I’m loving this new discovery; it’s what makes me the happiest — my soul’s calling and I hope that I’ll be able to continue even in the PG residency.
I also discovered that I have a spiritual side to me, delving deeper in it.
6. What did you eat (or drink) the most during the lockdown?
Coffee. And variations of all cuisines — tried my hand at everything.
7. Apart from sleeping and working, what activities did you undertake the most during the lockdown?
I’m not working, waiting for admission to the Residency. I rediscovered my love for cooking, baking (had dropped it the prep study phase). My mom has a mini heart attack every time I come up with a new experimental recipe from the net. I started writing daily almost on Medium, reading a lot of new stuff, yoga, meditation.
8. Will you come out of lockdown heavier or lighter?
Lighter, hopefully — mental health wise plus I’m trying to lose weight by exercising; as a compensation to all the cooking experiments taken up by me.
9. What resource has helped you the most during the lockdown?
Reading — novels from a writer’s point of view. I’ve been studying and observing the language, plot, everything. Especially of J.K Rowling, her creation is just beyond any words, the detailing, the foreshadowing from book 1 to 7. Also Jane Austen, Amish Tripathi, and I’m going to start with Murakami.
And of course Medium — I spend a lot of time over here, reading everything that my eyes fall upon.
10. What is your top tip for other people in lockdown?
Instead of being anxious about the difficulties post lockdown, be with yourself, try to be productive by making use of this pause, go within and discover your soul’s calling.
11. If you were to leave a ‘message in a bottle’ for the future, what would you say?
Embrace the uncertainty of life, focusing on the journey rather than the destination.
12. How has the lockdown changed you?
I have learnt to embrace the uncertainty, to let go of things beyond my control, and how to make the most of whatever I have.
One last question, where are you ?
Pune, India.
Thank you Manasi Diwakar for tagging me. Have a look at her article:
Also John Ross for tagging me in your set of questions.
I would love to forward this to- Ruta Gokhale, Indra Raj Pathak, Priyanka Srivastava, Henery X (long)
