Second chances

21 / 10 / 2020 | Lisa Waldera

Lisa Waldera (25) is a master’s student Communication Studies from Bremen, Germany. For three years now, she’s been living on campus. Next to her study, she regularly visits the cinema and enjoys concerts of all music genres. Every other week she writes about her life at the University of Twente.

Photo by: Annabel Jeuring

It feels like a déjà vu to me. I am nervously refreshing news sites again. Double-checking possible corona symptoms: I feel tired and my right leg hurts for 3 days in a row now. Coincidence or corona? While the statistics show new records every week, bars and restaurants are closed already. The city center of Enschede looks exactly like in March. The only difference - people are wearing face masks now. Last week, I even walked into an almost empty Albert Heijn! Oh no, people are panicking again. Save me some toilet paper! But no. It was only the distribution center that had burned down. However, stricter measurements, an even more intelligent lockdown and travel limitations seem merely a matter of time.

While the memories of the first corona wave are still fresh, I am wondering what trends the second wave will bring. What will be the new puzzling? The new banana bread? And what could be more wanted than toilet paper and paracetamol? One thing I do hope comes back are free online courses! During the first lockdown, I missed my chance to use my free online courses. Instead, I was just anxiously sitting at my desk. Therefore, I would like a second chance to actually make the lockdown a productive and creative time.

Do not get me wrong. I am not happy with the second chance for the coronavirus! If we did not give the virus a second chance, he or she (not sure what gender a virus is identifying with) would not force us to even come up with new DIY at home trends. Would not cause more people to lose loved ones. But here we are. Unfortunately. And while it feels like a déjà vu, we all have our UT face masks now. And they even have the right size for people with glasses!

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