We constantly wonder what comes next that we forget to focus on ourselves. With canceled plans and the future not fixed in stone, what do we make of our derailed plans and change the course of our lives? 

There will always be a reason why original plans didn’t work. Maybe this is life’s way of telling us that whatever we think is in store of us, something better out there is waiting. With every new opportunity, we must aim to put our best efforts to make it a step closer to our goals. 

A different direction

As a college student taking up Digital Filmmaking, I imagined spending my remaining terms physically in school, not online. When talks of “thesis film” come up, I often worry and think about what I plan to do since the once straight path suddenly became crooked. Though it was hard for me to accept my fate at first, compromises are indeed the best options. 

Prior to the pandemic, I was borderline burnt out with all the requirements and responsibilities piling up that I forget to make time for my well-being. Even with the resumption of classes through online modality, I was skeptical. But I realized how I should be in control and work my way out of this hole of constant anxiety. We’re so confined with our daily routine during our pre-pandemic life that we forget to ease our way out. Now, we get to be in control amidst the erratic nature of the pandemic. 

But I’m pretty sure the story ideas that I’ve come up with may not be as impactful in an alternate universe if it weren’t for my early pandemic experiences. But I learnt to move forward with my writing, despite not being in the presence of the School of Design and Arts (SDA) campus. But we can’t change things we can’t control, such as the circumstances we’re in. 

We should acknowledge the circumstances that get in the way. Because in time, we’ll eventually figure it out. I had a hard time adjusting in isolation, but it made me rethink my future plans and stay grounded with the present. 

Now that I’m in my early 20s, a paradigm shift enters my journey where I realized how looking further ahead shouldn’t keep me from being the best version of myself today. 

Tomorrow never knows

Life feels a lot shorter with the pandemic still in play. Maybe we weren’t sure with the original path we’re supposed to take. But time does bring wonders in shaping our new perception. While our realizations, lessons, and moments of contemplation allow us to start fresh.

We’re not sure when or how the COVID-19 pandemic will end. But as we continue to reminisce about the past and dream for better days, let us remind ourselves that things happen for a reason. Choosing to slow down with life and not rush through it are the best-laid plans that will soon come into fruition when we put in the work. We’ll eventually get there at our own pace. 

To quote a stanza from American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer, “Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can, and have the wisdom to know the difference.”

This article is also published in The Benildean Volume 7 Issue No. 1: Confined