ADAPT. IMPROVISE. OVERCOME.

By Sofia Kesanli

To say these past few months have been weird is an understatement.

When COVID-19 hit, I was in Year 12 studying Biology, Maths, Chemistry and Psychology in Sixth Form as part of my A-Levels. At those times, the only worries I had were end-of-topic exams and persevering through the school year with my classmates. I, as most people I’m sure, was taken by surprise when we moved into a stage of lockdown and normal life as we knew it was put on hold. This pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of everyone.

It is always possible to bounce back from setbacks and instigate change.

For students and younger individuals such as myself, education, socialising and other formative experiences had been disrupted. The idea of lockdown was so new to me; what did it mean for my studies? How long would this phase of isolation last and what would the impact be on my future?

I felt as though I was existing within a movie; I suddenly had to worry about wearing face masks, singing happy birthday to myself as I washed my hands, and constantly refrain from coughing in public. The whole notion of lockdown felt surreal, causing the lifestyle that I was pursuing to be ripped apart and thus, be changed entirely. Naturally, my school life changed the most; my lessons were no longer face-to-face and social interaction with my friends was reduced to almost nothing, except weekly FaceTime and video calls.

The dreadful Zoom calls had begun, and education was now refocused online. Sure, working and studying from home has its upsides. From watching Netflix behind the laptop while muted on zoom, working in your pyjamas or eating while attending your lessons, it hasn’t all been bad. Nevertheless, I found myself struggling to keep motivated, seeking for new pastimes as I was falling into a phase of stagnation and inaction.

The Zoom classes encouraged a feeling of isolation, and the nature of the lessons lessened the interactive learning that I was used to for so many years. The uncertainty surrounding my A-Levels and the unbelievably limited information I had about my education in general, is what stressed me out the most. I have always been interested in the world of business and in how operations adopt strategies and theories to grow and expand. Due to this, I was looking to become part of a working team. I was lucky enough to gain an opportunity to work at Vie Aesthetics; I am now a Marketing Assistant working alongside the Marketing Team.

During this time, the stress I was experiencing started to manifest in various ways; I felt unmotivated, less willing to socialise with both family and friends and fell into a repetitive, monotonic routine which continuously consisted of Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.

Lockdown restrictions were eased, and my social life began improving; normality was now a realistic concept for many of us. Since the start of my school career, I’ve had a creative mind and appreciated the process of transforming an idea into an innovative finished product. Being able to witness the behind-the-scenes work at Vie Aesthetics and the hard-working ethos of the Vie Team has been extremely eye-opening and insightful. I am excited to utilise all the skills I have accumulated for my Business Management, Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship studies at university.

I quickly learned that feeling wracked with guilt if I didn’t feel motivated was exhausting and unproductive. Instead, I decided to do something about it; I changed my perception of lockdown and isolation and focused on the foreseeable future and the new, upcoming stages of my life. After many months of not knowing what was going to happen with my A-Levels, I was finally finished with school. Forever. I must say, the ending did not feel satisfactory, but I was prepared to move on and begin the next chapter of what seemed to be my forever-changed life.

As I am about begin my studies at university, I will continue working alongside the Marketing Team at Vie Aesthetics, further developing my abilities and gaining a true understanding of how a business can develop into a successful, ever-changing entity.

As I look back on these past months, I am aware that the full implications of how the past year has brought about change in me are still unfolding. Many of us have struggled throughout this pandemic, however, I truly believe that there is a lesson to be learned. For some, the pandemic has been surprisingly enriching; their creativity has grown, and they have focused on their health and self-development more. It has allowed us to reflect on ourselves, our goals and recognise what is truly important in life. The most valuable aspect of having more time is that it allowed us to prioritise our relationships. This includes our family, our colleagues and our friends; the absence of being with people has been one of the most chilling, challenging parts of lockdown.

However, I have discovered that we are all capable of moving past obstacles that are put in front of us and are able to adapt to changes wherever needed.

It is always possible to bounce back from setbacks and instigate change; if you want to pursue a new career, start a new hobby or change your lifestyle completely, you can do it!

Sofia Kesanli, Marketing Assistant at Vie Aesthetics

Credit: Louise Evans