Michelle’s Lockdown Story
Michelle, a college student in Canada, describes losing her job during the pandemic, returning home to her parents, reconnecting with her Punjabi and Indian heritage, and discovering new interests during lockdown.
Hello, I am Michelle Thomas from Canada. Life has never been easy for me. I am a student and used to work at a McDonald’s outlet.
Coronavirus brought my life to a halt. My college classes moved online, and I lost my job.
The best part about lockdown was that I came back home and got to stay with my parents.
I learned drawing and dancing during that period. It was a great time for me.
I lived in a Punjabi community, and my parents are half Indian, so it was also a great time for me to learn about my religion.
Another thing I enjoyed was eating the delicious food that my neighborhood aunty cooked.
We all live like one large family and celebrate things together.
The festivals that our community usually celebrated were held virtually. We gathered online and said prayers to keep the virus away.
There were times when I missed my college, my friends, and the outings we used to enjoy when we were free and there were no restrictions.
This made me realize the importance of every detail in my life.
I developed immense respect for my mother, who managed her busy Zoom meetings while tolerating two grown-up adults and their tantrums.
To lessen her workload at home, I did my best to give her a hand.
About This Story
Michelle’s account reflects the experience of a Canadian college student who lost her job during the pandemic and returned home, where lockdown brought family time, cultural connection, new interests, and a greater appreciation for ordinary life.
Editorial Note
This story has been lightly edited for grammar, punctuation, clarity, and readability while preserving Michelle’s original meaning. Material that duplicated or substantially overlapped other archived posts was excluded because its authorship could not be confirmed.
