COVID-19: Resilient and programmed to survive

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Mohammad Iyad AL-Darawsheh, a medical student from Jordan. He is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writers and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

In the begining of this article you will think it’s about me but by the end you will realize it is about everyone of us. 2020 is the worst year for most people, it is the year that threw us under the bus, punishing us in the face directly without alarming, it is a unique year at all the awful standards, and after I picked my courage piece by piece I decided to open up and write about 2020.

Globally, everything started in March, a stay-at-home request, most of people have taken it as a holiday and  in few days we are back to our underestimated usual life: universities, schools, mosques, churches, govermental jobs and offices. Then, a quarantine followed by lockdown have taken place and now all of us are prevented to get into contact with more than a specific number of people or get together, our holiday is off and prison we made is on. Markets, shops and restaurants are closed, millions of people lost their jobs and now we all have to stay home with our families which is something we are not used to that limit, twenty-four-seven and nothing to do just locked in the same place looking in the eyes of each other is a firing thing, we are human living in the modern world as machines so between a day and night we have nothing to do unless play each other.

Me and everyone know how hard was 2020 financially: huge numbers of people lost their jobs, scientifically: vaccines have been a revolutionary thing in the history of medicine but producing vaccines in such a short period of time is challenging, physically: food has always been a seductive thing to us, sitting in your couch watching videos on facebook(how to make cookies in 15 min? or the easiest way to make donuts at home! and make a pasta by two ingredients found in every kitchen!) Yeah, I know it wasn’t just me it is the sad story of everyone learning the important life skill (cooking) by the wrong way, weeks and months passed and nothing changed except our weights, finally and the worst thing is mentally and psychologically: depression, anxiety, frustration, and talking about any other disorder increased during the pandemic, don’t forget those who faced several times worse than others which is domestic violence.

I think I wrote a lot and I believe there is more to say about last year, now finally let me end with recommendations for me before you, never neglect health; mentally and physically because this neglection will drive you down the clift, learn from 2020 and create 2021 and 2022 better we still have time to heal, pray for a healthier, safer new world. Always remember what carl sagan said: “Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” So we are the exception…we move forward.

About the author

Mohammad Iyad AL-Darawsheh was born in December 2001, and grew up in Jordan.

He got a scholarship to study medicine and through the journey of studying medicine, for him, writing was a personal thing to skip stress and anxiety before starting publishing in peer magazines like local and national IFMSA annual magazines.

More to know that he is certified in many courses regarding public health and soft skills, also he got the opportunity to challenge himself and be a speaker, trainer and facilitator in many sessions and workshops like SRHR & TNT.