Hope During Lockdown: Keeping Up in Our Darkest Times
The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown following it hasn’t been an easy ride for anyone—with everyone trapped in their homes for the better part of a year, it can be tough to stay positive for even the most optimistic among us. As a result, people have been looking to other sources for a spot of sunshine in the perpetual rainy day that is the start of the 2020s.
This is where books and stories have come in! With lockdown came an opportunity for many people to read the books they’d always wanted to read, and especially to binge the tv shows they’d always wanted to watch (no judging – we’ve been obsessed with Bridgerton lately!). Though a lot of the things people have been watching and reading have been edge-of-your-seat drama, there’s also been a few sprinkled in with more heart to them - and in this pandemic, we need them more than ever.
One look at the trending list on Netflix shows just how important feel-good stories are to us. Even shows that have long ended, such as Community and Glee, continue to show up, because they give us something that the dead serious shows about lies and betrayal never could: they give us pure joy in a consumable form. Take Community, for example (which I’ve also spent the last couple of weeks binging), it might deal with some serious stuff here and there, but it’s also one of the funniest, most heartwarming shows out there with its strong sense of friendship and, well, community among the characters. It’s a little thing, but something about it really helps me stay sane while I cross off another day stuck at home on my calendar (And in case you’re wondering, my favourite character is Abed!).
In the current climate of staying at home, with nothing to keep our minds occupied but work and the news, it can feel like all hope is lost. But those feel-good stories of staying optimistic and hopeful, even during the darkest times, they’re what keep us going! And those writers, such as Dan Harmon (Community) and Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan (Glee), are some of the unsung heroes of this pandemic thanks to their timeless and beloved stories that give us some sense of joy in this cruel climate we live in. What have you been watching lately? Let us know!
by Ed Highfield
About the briefs and co-ops
On week 1 of the Post-Digital Content module, students where asked to respond to the brief of Writers and Hope. This piece from the Dauphin co-op was selected for publication by the editorial team of the module. Dauphin specialises on beginner audiences. Ed reaches out to all of those writers looking for moments of hope and cues on how to write it.