Day 22: Barkada online

Who would have thought that in a few months things would drastically change! Just in January, we were enjoying summer at the beach. We hung out after work, grabbing dinner, drinking coffee and beer afterwards. These gatherings were not for special occasions, it was just spending time together! Little did we know that this would change by March.

At our usual hangout place

Day trip at Days Bay

I'm grateful for my friends. They really helped me leading up to the lockdown. I was pressed with anxiety in preparation for my defence, and at the same time, we were quickly changing to a new lifestyle. Our first Zoom call as a group of friends (along with my sister and boyfriend) was for my mock presentation, it was 19th March, a day before my defence! They gave me the encouragement I needed!

We had another Zoom call on Easter Monday. This time it was to help another PhD student to prepare for his proposal defence. I love this group because, although they are silly at times, everyone is really supportive. Hanging out with this group is always filled with laughter, whether online or on an actual meet-up.

Looking forward to better times where we can hang-out in a cafe-bar again.