Sara from North Macedonia

My name is Sara, I’m 19 years old and I live in North Macedonia.

Yes. Depending on which age group you fit into, you are obliged to stay at home in certain periods of the day… or more accurately, you are allowed to go out during certain periods of the day. Curfew for ages 18 to 65 is 4pm every day, until 5am the next day. This is excluding weekends, which from now on fit into the “curfew cathegory” since we can’t go out at all (past 20 meters away from our houses). The rules are more flexible if you have a pet, during the weekends you can take it out for a walk as well, but only at certain periods of the day and only within 100 meters away from your house. Of course, the rules don’t apply to people such as doctors, firefighters, police etc. They have special permission slips!

I’m in my first year of college – definitely a bit of a roller coaster considering the situation I’d say! College was officaly canceled on 11th March and ever since that day we have held an online program. I miss my friends the most, I think. I go to college in Slovenia although I have come back home for the time being. Skyping isn’t that similar to “the real deal”, but hey, at least it’s something!

College is keeping me busy enough to the point where I don’t really feel the quarantine that much! Online classes, midterms, homeworks and projects have kept me going for a while. Sadly it’s very hard to help people in the community right now, as going outside is limited to ”groups” of two people only, but I have been frequently checking up on people, family and friends to make sure they’re doing well! Otherwise, I fill my time with reading, a little bit of painting and learning – finally – how to play the synth!

Maybe that I’m way more prepared for this than I initially thought? Yes, I miss my friends, I miss going outside, I miss Slovenia, I miss my other family members and I miss meeting new people, but staying at home, with my own company isn’t that bad, either. I’ve finally been able to explore the things I’ve always been into but never really made the time for. I’ve read the books I had had my eye on for a while. I’m finally trying to learn Slovenian, and not just by listening to it every day! I’ve been able to watch the stars without being stressed about having an early class, or having anything to do in the morning, really. As bad as it is, it’s also good, to focus on what you want to focus on, even if you’re “forced“ into it by being given the time. 

Usually the Internet, although I avoid checking the situation every day as the numbers are getting higher and higher and I can’t really do much about it regardless of whether I look at them going up or not.

I don’t think so, nothing drastically. I think this summer (if the situation clears until then) is going to be full of friends and friends and more friends and some family and some travel and more friends – but that would have been the situation anyways. 

Well, not trying to be an expert or anything, but I think time spent in quarantine is not time that’s being wasted, or months that are being lost. I think everybody has a choice of what to do with all these hours in a day. The choice of whether they’ll “make you or break you” is maybe not entirely but a huge chunk of it I think is up to you.  Also a shout out to everyone who is helping with mental health awareness during this time and all the free hotlines and ways you can get help regarding the issue!