To fit with the theme of the bizarre, I thought I'd write a blog post. Because, you know, I rarely do that anymore.
Without stating the obvious, this has been a difficult year. I started 2020 on a massive high note: I was deeply invested in my Scriptwriting Master's, living happily in Bath with the new friends I'd made, and writing a TV script that felt like the most 'me' thing I'd ever written. My fondest memory was getting wasted on cocktails for my birthday, as well as embracing my inner child and going to see Sonic The Hedgehog by myself (god, I miss cinemas).
But almost without warning, I was returning home in March to escape a pandemic I never thought I'd have to experience. Just when life was coming together, everything was snatched away. I had been in the process of building a team to help create a short film, and that suddenly seemed impossible. Suddenly my dream seemed impossible.
The time I spent in my family home for three months, at first, was difficult, but I learned to compromise. I'm fortunate enough to have parents who are loving enough to make me feel happy. We passed the time with games of UNO, plenty of films, and walks with our beautiful dog. And during that time, I had to get used to a virtual way of doing my Master's.
My first Zoom calls of the year were... shall we say, confusing? I expected video calls to be the worst way to conduct seminars, but it turned out they made things very convenient. I could sit in my parents' attic room comfortably while attending virtual seminars, and when I was done, all I had to do was walk downstairs to my living room instead of rushing for the bus or a lift.
What at first seemed impossible became a fun routine. Ironically, Zoom calls are now my preferred method of communications over phone calls or in-person conversations, at least when it comes to work.
During those three intense months of lockdown, I also fully embraced my creativity. I spent most nights writing my heart out, namely on my TV pilot about demons hitting on baristas, because that's my jam. Obviously.
Once the lockdown ended, I returned to Bath and to my student flat. I was the only one living there, and I used the alone time to continue writing my scripts. At this point, I was writing an entire feature film, which I'd chosen to do for my final Master's project, and I was beginning to wonder if I'd overestimated myself. I'd never written a feature film before and it was a struggle, especially when I was forced to stay in and work on it.
But despite the struggles, I managed it, and despite the odds at the beginning of the pandemic, I also produced a short film called 'Bruise' with the help of an amazing team, who came together and helped me bring a script to life.
I even managed to secure a new house in Bristol with two of my Scriptwriting coursemates. I'm writing this post from my desk in my Bristol house, and I'm at a more comfortable place than I have been in years. I completed my Master's with an overall merit, and I've managed to secure two jobs: part-time retail, and part-time work as the Community Manager for CAHOOTIFY, a website that I used to recruit most of my team for 'Bruise'. I don't know what I would have done without the platform, so when I got the opportunity to do PR work, it was impossible to say no.
Here I am at the end of 2020 with my two jobs, a new place, as well as a boyfriend I love so much (I'll have convinced him to read this by the time it's published), and I'm wondering, what on Earth's next?
I think we all share the same thoughts right now. We have a vaccine that's been deemed safe to use, so I think we're holding onto the idea that it will solve all the problems caused by this year, and we can almost definitely go back to normal in 2021.
That's incredibly likely, but I'm keeping in mind that we must remain vigilant. I've been taught this year not to take anything for granted, and to be considerate of others even when it comes to the little things. While I hope for all our sakes that 2021 is a better year, I'm also expecting more struggles. We can't forget that we have a climate crisis to contend with, a record number of homeless people on our streets, and animal species that need saving from extinction.
But when I steer away from pessimism, I think about the fact that 2020 has been, while chaotic, a huge leap forward for my own wellbeing, and has changed the way I look at the world. It's given me the chance to take a step back from what I'd usually do and re-evaluate what I want.
And I think I can go into 2021 knowing exactly what I want.
