An introduction to the year nobody saw coming, Kurt Bush

The year nobody saw coming

To kickstart this magazine, Kurt Bushgives us a rundown of the year we’ve had.

NOBODY SAW THIS COMING. I don’t think anyone could have put a bet on a more dramatic year than the one 2020 has been. What have we faced? Here in Australia, we started the year in a cloud of smoke which was practically our whole summer. The bushfire season made for devastating news coverage and also a massive pouring of community donations to help people who had lost their homes. Then, after bushfire season, more natural disasters came in the form of Tropical Cyclone Damien and the floods in NSW. That was in February, a small rest period of peace before COVID-19 landed down under on its global tour later that month.

March then saw Australia placed into lockdown that caused a country-wide panic. During that period of time, we then saw the United States destroy herself over issues of police brutality which has taken over most of the global news headlines. With all these massive problems in our world, it was as if we were now living under another, newer cloud.

Whenever something unexpected falls our way, there is usually a shock factor and a sense of panic.

When the coronavirus outbreak turned into a pandemic, we were placed into lockdown and our international borders were closed. In addition, we (still) have to abide by that popular four-square meter rule for social distancing. We’re limited in how many people can be at a public gathering and a lot of our

popular go-to places like cafes, pubs, beaches simply living idle at home. People also got and gyms were closed. creative, choosing to spend their time painting Now, humans are social beings. Victorian doing. I, myself, got into doing more writing Premier Daniel Andrews knew that very well and that was a way of keeping my brain active when he famously said to “get on the beers” as whilst challenging myself to conquer the blank a kind of incentive for people following social page. distancing regulations. Wait, going out, having meals and drinks with people, whilst having to How many people had to celebrate their socially distance? That is a foreign concept to birthday in isolation, aside from me? Keep you and me! your hands up if you felt it It is no secret that was a day to forget? Well I We were definitely not prepared for this! It is adjusting our lives to lowered my hand at the second question because no secret that adjusting lockdown and isolation there is another thing we had our lives to lockdown to do whilst living with and isolation was hard. was hard. coronavirus in our world. A lot of us had to study Aside from finding things to online and didn’t get the most out of the do, we needed to reconsider how we viewed university life. Many more were put out of things. Sure, most people our age want to work, as they were unable to work from home celebrate a birthday with friends. But during (think hospitality and retail). To summarise, the lockdown period, we couldn’t afford to do the economy and our lifestyles took a beating so. It is all about making the best out of a for the sake of preserving human life. This difficult situation and being able to celebrate situation may sound grim, but that is only if we my birthday with the people that mattered was decide to view the situation from that in fact, all that mattered to me. perspective. When faced with a tough situation, we have to find a way to make the most of it. It sounds spend quality time with your daunting when people our age finally parents or siblings that you understand what it means to be living through a pandemic but we find our own ways through. would have never been able to do A lot of us decided that more time spent on when everyone was on their social media was the answer. Now I’m not just referring to posting throwback photos on Instagram, more those These are the questions we perhaps should chains and challenges we saw on TikTok, have considered more when living in isolation, Instagram stories and the like. Examples away from our friends and more exciting included sharing embarrassing photos and lifestyles. doing push-ups. It got friends engaged and portraits of whatever it was they felt confident How many of you were able to regular schedules? encouraged them to try something silly to pass One thing that was a massive shock was how the time. A lot of us got into new exercise many people actually changed or stayed regimes, considering that gyms were closed ‘stable’ during that time. In everyone’s and we needed to avoid gaining a few kilos by defence, a lot has happened in our world to 12

have played with our heads. Again, put your hands up if you have felt like the lockdown period(s) have been the end of the world? If you thought of it as being impossible and daunting, then yes. It is all about attitude. If you thought of it as an opportunity to do other things and, here we go, improve yourself, then you might have actually found it a blessing! Since the world really is our oyster, the challenge was to find many other hobbies and ways to be productive, since we all need that sense of purpose, right?

I think we will look back on the COVID-19 pandemic in more positive ways than we want to admit.

Of course, we all can agree that from a public health perspective, it has been a nightmare to live with. Not just a nightmare, but also distressing upsetting for those who have lost

Pictures: Lucia Mai loved ones or faced separation from the people they need the most. Nobody in our communities and social circles expected the outbreak. Nobody expected the pandemic would last as long as it has. Nobody was prepared for all the changes we would have to make to our lives. Nobody could doubt the possibility of a second wave. Then, when the chips were down, we all found ways to make the best of a bad situation. We get down, but then back up again. A lot of us have perhaps realised who the people are that have our backs, and those who really weren’t there to support you during the tough times. Only an event so unexpected could make us all come to some realities. It might not be over but for the most part we have learned to live with it.

And with that, I raise a glass and decide to make a toast. “Here’s to a new chapter in everyone’s lives. I wish you all the best because there will be more unexpected twists and turns to come. 2020 was the year nobody saw coming, but we all have plenty of years ahead!”