2020: Through rose-colored glasses
It’s been around 8 months now since we have been working from home. When I started initially, it felt like it would be a few months, and then everything would be back to normal. But we all know what happened at the very end! It wasn’t all blues, don’t you agree? 2020 did unleash a lot of creativity, be it memes or hobbies, and not to forget, the sudden boost to our vocabulary with new terms like quarantine, social distancing, etc. To be honest, I had never come across such creative memes in the past. Sometimes, the boundaries between work and life diminished. While some businesses suffered a hard blow, 2020 gave many impetuses to some companies for whom the future seemed dwindling.
As it is rightly said, this is not a year to think about what one didn’t get, but to pause, breathe, and be grateful for all the things we possess. We started to find new ways to be creative and break the drudgery of routine. We started warming up to all the hobbies buried deep within the sands of time, citing “lack of time.” So yes, this emphasized one thing, that we can adjust and thrive despite all circumstances. This year made us realize that being alone doesn’t mean being lonely and sad. Still, it can lead to finding inner peace and reconciling themselves to their lot(the ones who stayed alone all this while can relate).
There were times when some things looked impossible without the presence of humans in the past. Still, as times changed, we were forced to do the same stuff without human existence, of course, in more innovative and creative ways. One of them being conferences. A lot of conferences went online. I attended PyCon India Virtual this October and volunteered at the Pyladies booth. We had a PyCon Diversity and Inclusion track and many women speakers on board. All the speakers were from diverse backgrounds ranging from open source to leadership to research fellows. I was thrilled to have gotten a chance to lend my ears to all those inspiring women from varied spheres. For one, I didn’t know we had so many among us out there who have been in this industry for a long time. Access all PyCon India Virtual talks here.
Also, Red Hat left no stones unturned in giving out all the positive vibes this year. We had so many events, including We are Red Hat week and Skylark, the sports event. I, for one, never thought that events like sports could be pulled off online. But I was surprised at the ebullience and the readiness with which the organizers and the participants pulled it off. Kudos to all the efforts! Even during Red Hat week, the full week was packed with events. I attended all the sessions, including Yoga and Zumba. I had a good laugh looking at the entries for the fun photo contests. I also got a chance to participate and attend the Red Hat Open Mic APAC and Global events, respectively.
I found some time to recharge by pursuing dancing and drawing, which used to be my hobbies at some point in time. It was therapeutic. You can find the dance videos on my Instagram account. Let me know if you want a post on my drawings. Coming to writing articles or delivering talks, 2020 has affected mine positively. I wrote six times as many pieces as 2019(though the number is less) and gave almost one talk every month starting this lockdown, and there’s no stopping. I made a playlist of all my talks on Youtube(Link to playlist). I even got a chance to speak in the Times Techies webinar organized by Times of India on Dec 9, 2020, with two other Pyladies organizers on “Careers in Python and Developer Ecosystem.” Find the talk here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=204638157936414&ref=watch_permalink. There was a written account on the Times Techies page, Times of India, Hyderabad Edition, dated Dec 16, 2020.
To summarise it all, despite 2020 being called a “brutal year” or a pickle, we have managed to enjoy these unprecedented times as well. We have pulled off events, stayed connected during conferences, and found new ways to prevent burn out. I would like to give a huge shout-out and thank all the organizers of all conferences or meetings or events whole-heartedly for pulling off all the significant events this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed being at home, and these events indeed made my 2020 better. 2020 was a year full of trials and tribulations. It will be going down as a dark page in the history of humanity. Still, it is undoubtedly a year to remember. I wish we all come out of it healthier, happier, and stronger.
Be it cleaning your closet that has been shabby all year to playing a tune on your ukulele that had been lying in a corner; make a list of all the little things you achieved this year and pat yourselves on the back for doing a great job! You have proved that you are unstoppable already!
P.S. Don’t forget to tick off all the items in your lockdown bucket list ;P.
Thanks to Ramakrishna Pattnaik for the title suggestion!
Edit 1: For a personal note, I started a full-time job at Red Hat after completing an internship this 2020. I learned cooking and juggled work and household chores, all thanks to this lockdown and unprecedented circumstances that occurred one after the other. I joined Mentors Without Borders and mentored some students in programming. I have always been passionate about mentoring, and getting people started with technology. A part of me felt that I fulfilled a tiny bit of my purpose in this world. I also learned video editing, which has immensely helped me make my own dance videos. I contributed to a cleaner and greener environment by generating less waste. Also, I watched various movies that I have had on my watch list for the longest time. That transcends all genres, be it feel-good, sci-fi, rom-com, mystery, suspense, horror, movies with a powerful message, and whatnot. I feel the list will be endless if I pay attention to tiny details or lessons I learned. I grew as an individual, and I always thank 2020 for all the findings.
