Rewind six months, and it’s pretty unlikely you could have imagined how 2020 would pan out. During lockdown, many of us have seen our daily routines change drastically.
And while it hasn’t always been easy, there have been some silver linings along the way. From mastering new skills to watching societal change happen in front of our eyes, this period will be defined and remembered by the things we did, bought, ate and contributed to. With the help of PayPal, which has been keeping our payments safe while we’ve been stocking up on quarantine essentials online, we asked eight people for the things that best sum up their lockdown experiences (beyond, of course, eating copious amounts of banana bread).
1. Drinking all the caffeine, all the time
"I’ve been obsessed with making dalgona iced coffee, inspired by those viral TikTok videos. Every day has been an iced-coffee-and-loungewear kind of day for me." Megan Lapper, The Megan Edit
2. Spending wisely
"Like everyone else, I’ve been spending a lot of time online shopping during lockdown. So I’ve been making a conscious effort to support small, female-run businesses. I’ve treated myself to some really fun and colourful prints from Etsy sellers helloSola, EveFrenchDesigns and RachelDonaldsonArt. Shopping online using PayPal makes the whole process really easy. My details are kept secure, and I don't need to retype them every time." Chloe Lawrance, integrated writer
3. Being part of a movement
"As a young Black woman, I will always remember this time as being a part of the biggest civil rights movement in history – the moment the whole world was able to stand still and open their eyes with no distraction. I will remember the thousands who risked their lives to march because Black Lives Matter." Shahira Allen, Afroglory_
4. Finding a new happy place
"During the early weeks, my tiny suntrap of a balcony became a place where I could get some fresh air, talk to my neighbours, take meetings, have Zoom chats and, yes, enjoy a hard-earned cocktail at the end of the week while having a mini balcony rave all by myself. Okay, so it wasn’t the pub with my mates, where I wanted to be, but it kept my spirits up (pun intended) when I needed it most." Amy Grier, executive editor
5. Putting your money where your mouth is
"From UK Black Lives Matter to the Exist Loudly Fund, donating to antiracist charities has never been more important. It’s easy to fall for scams, but I knew that when I donated to the Runnymede Trust via PayPal my money was safe and would end up in the right hands. With just a few fingerprint scans, I’d contributed to ending systemic racism in the UK." Isabella Silvers, associate editor
6. Catching up on those reading lists
"Quarantine has given me time to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasure of reading. As a creative, I find that I need to continuously keep my mind stimulated, and lockdown has taught me that it is our own responsibility to keep ourselves educated and informed however we can, especially with everything going on in the world right now. I’ve especially enjoyed A Woman Of No Importance by Sonia Purnell." Charlie Kamale
7. Creating a space of your own
"My lockdown has been about creating some space of my own. With three kids, my husband, cats and a puppy in the mix, that was a bit of a challenge at first! By ordering a roll of fake grass, a table, chair and some plants, I turned our bedroom balcony into a little haven where I can get some peace to myself. It’s amazing what you can achieve with a 1 x 5m space!" Sam Roswell, fattyboomtatty
8. Bonding over our Netflix habits
"One thing I’ve found quite comforting has been the way we’ve all been watching TV shows in real time. It felt like the whole world watched Tiger King together – it took Joe Exotic to get us talking about something other than the pandemic, and it was like a little bit of normality seeping back in. Normal People was another show that will really remind me of this period – that, and our collective obsession with Connell’s chain." Alison Lynch, lifestyle content lead
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