Creating new routines and adopting newer lifestyle, people remaining a step ahead of the pandemic Sanitisers replace cosmetics in handbagBy Rekha Rao, academicianMy new normal is seen in my handbag contents.
Due to the pandemic, I don’t have to carry cosmetics such as lipstick, compact or primer in my handbag.
Instead, it contains sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, disinfectants for surfaces, fabric sanitizer etc.
A variety of sanitizers have replaced my branded cosmetics which have now lost their shelf life.
My dressing table is well stocked with these new entrants that too in different fragrances.
My favourite fragrance is orange.
I am called to address public events.
I carry extra masks for those who don’t have proper masks or are not wearing one.
Make-up is an integral part of my job.
Now my handbag is less of cosmetics and more of utility.
My mask has become my second skin as I match it with my dresses.
Initially, this new normal was tough to adopt.
But now, I have embraced it.
Maintaining work-life balanceBy Jitesh Mathur, corporate employeeWorking from home was one major change that the pandemic triggered in the lives of corporate employees.
It has its own pros and cons.
As more and more companies are adopting ‘hybrid model’ or ‘remote working’ options, this has already become a new normal for many employees.
On one hand, it gives employees an opportunity to spend more time with their families while slashing their travel time to office.
On the other hand, it also has resulted in employees spending more time on desks with the boundaries between work and family life fading fast.
This really took a toll on my mental health.
As I realised it, I started engaging myself in reading and writing.
I subscribed to more newspapers and books and started writing more blogs and letters since the lockdown confined us in our homes.
Seeing them get published gave me happiness and has a soothing effect.
Now, in the post Covid-19 world, this will help me calm myself down in stressful situations at work or at home.
So, we should adopt one good habit based on choices or hobbies to keep ourselves mentally relaxed in the post Covid-19 world.
Engaging students in active learning assignmentsBy D Kanthi Sudha, assistant professorLife during the pandemic has brought in challenges which must be embraced, mainly due to lack of choice.
Belonging to the teaching fraternity, I derive my energy from students and their reaction to my teaching.
It gives me huge satisfaction when I handle a class which is interactive.
Staring at a blank screen, where students don’t even switch on their cameras under the pretext of bandwidth, was really disheartening.
In this context, it did seem to me that faculty and students are at loggerheads in an online environment.
Antennas and wave propagation was the course dealt by me for third year electronics and communication engineering students and I created this assignment called “scrap twin” where I asked my students to design a replica of various types of antennas, from the scrap material they had at home.
They also had to work out on the design equations of the chosen antenna, for a frequency.
I was skeptical about the task assigned but they proved me wrong by giving an overwhelming response.
This experience motivated me to create active learning assignments hereon in courses I teach, for spearheading into the new normal with conviction and self-satisfaction.
Living in caution, not in fearAnand Menon, retired bankerLast year, this time the world in general and the states were grimacing in the wake of the pandemic.
Every activity of the average human being was restricted.
The situation was bad with a lot of restrictions in place.
Masks, sanitizers and social distancing were in vogue.
The trend continued and to this day, albeit with little relaxation, it has been a cautious approach.
In the context of a better living, the parameters set can be lauded.
The new generation children will be up to the task and start growing up in a hygienic environment.
As a senior citizen, I waded through the pandemic quite comfortably.
There have been no major ailments, no discomfort to highlight.
I have taken my Covid-19 vaccine, indulge in regular exercises and follow a disciplined diet.
By getting the best out of the better, living by the rules and not by the sword.
Having been confined to the room, creativity has been enhanced.
One should now share best practices and keep the environment clean and healthy.
Indulging in community lifeN Ashok Kumar, retired university professorLike others, I too started stepping into a new normal after the city was unlocked.
I changed my daily schedule, giving top priority to my social responsibilities besides academic work.
As a retired university teacher, I have a knack for reading and writing.
I am 72 but active.
At the same time, I am very conscious about post-Covid-19 life too.
I do not want to take any chances.
To keep myself engaged, I embraced community activities which I left during the lockdown period with a heavy heart.
Now, I am happy to participate in various activities in my residential colony.
I started going to the club again which is a rendezvous for all of us in the colony to meet and share our experiences.
No more lolling out in an easy chair.
Playing indoor games in the evenings is my regular activity to keep my physique healthy.
My mini library is my best friend.