Tess, Australia
During the pandemic, the hardest for me is not being able to have human interaction. I miss the accidental daily interaction, bumping into friends on the street, or seeing a familiar face at an event, going to work, and hanging out with workmates. This is how I usually stay connected with people and to my surroundings, very loose and organic. When the spontaneity is taken away, I feel like a fish out of water, very isolated. I have to purposefully arrange to meet up with people, and at times, it felt forced. and I would get frustrated by it.
Despite the challenges I've faced, what has happened also makes me start appreciating different ways I can experience music and art. Even after lookdown, I don’t feel the need to necessarily attend every gallery opening, lunch party, or gig to be inspired. I started to appreciate a more intimate setting for me to experience arts and culture.
For example, just me with my headphones sitting in my living room for hours listening to music. Or read about a review article of a film I just watched while lying under the sun in the backyard. This type of way to experience the work makes me feel closer to the subject matter.
I like how an intimate setting allows me to properly digest content I just consumed and I can have time to properly reflect on them. This experience turned any encounter with arts and cultural material from a passing event into something that will actually stay with me.
For those of us who are fortunate enough to have a place to stay comfortable during the lockdown. I really appreciate the opportunity that allows me to slow down and reassess my priorities in life.
I learned I’m actually more of an introvert than an extrovert. I realized I really enjoy spending time by myself. Pre covid I was always distracted by things and hardly have the time to have quality alone time.
Melbourne is pretty much out of lockdown now. But we probably still have a long way to go until we open up international borders. I really want to see my family, see my city Shanghai again, and also, of course, travel! I’m hungry for new cultural experiences.
Despite the challenges I've faced, what has happened also makes me start appreciating different ways I can experience music and art. Even after lookdown, I don’t feel the need to necessarily attend every gallery opening, lunch party, or gig to be inspired. I started to appreciate a more intimate setting for me to experience arts and culture.
For example, just me with my headphones sitting in my living room for hours listening to music. Or read about a review article of a film I just watched while lying under the sun in the backyard. This type of way to experience the work makes me feel closer to the subject matter.
I like how an intimate setting allows me to properly digest content I just consumed and I can have time to properly reflect on them. This experience turned any encounter with arts and cultural material from a passing event into something that will actually stay with me.
For those of us who are fortunate enough to have a place to stay comfortable during the lockdown. I really appreciate the opportunity that allows me to slow down and reassess my priorities in life.
I learned I’m actually more of an introvert than an extrovert. I realized I really enjoy spending time by myself. Pre covid I was always distracted by things and hardly have the time to have quality alone time.
Melbourne is pretty much out of lockdown now. But we probably still have a long way to go until we open up international borders. I really want to see my family, see my city Shanghai again, and also, of course, travel! I’m hungry for new cultural experiences.