The pandemic has had a major transformative effect in all our lives. From “work-from-home schedules” to a more modest if not bland diet, the pandemic has set in motion a motley collection of unique stories that carry the essence of adaptation and creativity. For many, it has become the turning point of the “before and after” narrative of their lives. Years from now, when the narratives and impacts of this pandemic will be etched in history books and novels, our future generations will seek out family archives and narratives to understand it better. So, it is important to capture your pandemic memories and here are the best ways to do so.

Also Read: A letter to my past self in the time of coronavirus

Journaling To Preserve Pandemic Memories 

Journaling acts as a therapeutic break after a whole day spent in front of screens. While you calmly write your thoughts down, it will become easier for you to make sense of your new routines and interactions. For many of us, the pandemic has been a big source of stress due to reasons beyond our control. Journals are a fantastic way to vent your frustration and for clearing out negative emotions. As you begin to pen your thoughts and labelling your feelings with words, you will gradually tap into your own reservoirs of energy and begin a journey inwards. Getting to know yourself better can always be used to your professional and personal advantage. 

People around the world are using the power of journaling as a hobby for building a people’s history in its own sense. As reported by ‘The Atlantic’, certain schools across the world are creating an archive of the creative production in the midst of the pandemic. Though personal, they are a wonderful way of understanding the psychology of coping mechanisms. Journals can cover a variety of areas in this respect. Apart from reflecting on your own thoughts, they can be a personal review of the things that are popular online or maybe how community ties have changed. 

Photo Essays 

We all have favourite spots and locations that are no longer accessible to tourists now because of movement restrictions. You can relive the memories from that one special trip by writing a photo-essay about it. In your essay, you can also talk about the changes that spot has seen in the pandemic.  

Other wonderful ways in which you can use photo-essays include:

1. Your attempts at making local versions of international cuisine. 
2. Your work-space at home and how your life at home has evolved. 
3. Your fitness routines at home. 
4. Your virtual shoot experience.
5. Photo-essays can be added to your scrapbooks made for petite and tangible memories. 

Even if you don’t prefer descriptions for the photographs you have taken, make sure you create an online or offline photo-archive. Photographers all around the world have opted for creative ways of portraying the experience of the pandemic. While initially the buzz was around capturing life at home and the introspective moods the lockdown had put all of us into, it has now taken huge creative leaps. Some of them include capturing miniatures using day to day objects and using lenses unconventionally. Food photography has also seen a gargantuan leap. 

The Pandemic-Travelogue

Numerous travellers have opted for staycations during the pandemic. Staycations are an amazing way to strike off local areas that you have always wanted to visit from your list. Along with being pocket-friendly, staycations help boost the local economy. Your Pandemic-Travelogue must include details about your means of travelling, the safety precautions you took, and how the resorts and hotels have ensured protection for its employees and guests. Don’t forget to talk about the much welcome change in cuisine and how the break in your usual routine felt after a long time.  

Exploring Virtual Shoots To Create Pandemic Memories

Virtual Shoots make you feel like you have stepped into the future. They are a great way to preserve your memories in a pandemic with all your anxieties about personal protection at bay. Once all the technicalities are understood, you’ll find yourself rediscovering your space in a new way. Virtual Shoots are ideally carried out in 3 steps:

1. Booking a virtual shoot from a reliable photography network that can offer protection of your data, help you with technical details and choosing the right spots for virtual shoots. Travel photography companies like ShootMe successfully launched their virtual photography packages that are client-friendly in response to the pandemic. 
2. Discussing the technical details with the photographer and downloading video-calling apps that can ensure high picture quality. 
3. Choosing the right clothes and poses for your shoot and selecting a theme that suits you and captures your experience of the pandemic. 

Videos For Keeping Your Pandemic Memories Alive

The time when you will look back and laugh at all your attempts of dealing with the pandemic may seem far away, but recording all that you experience now will be worth it. Record the way you celebrated your special days like anniversaries, birthdays or even the first birthday of your toddler cooped up inside your home. Recordings of online meet-ups with friends and family are the most unique way of remembering all the changes your relationships coped with during COVID. 

If you began learning a new skill after the pandemic, recording videos of yourself learning and practicing it is a great way to keep your motivation high; it will be a living memory of how you used the time effectively. 

The New Normal begins with you: Hold on to your unique ways. 

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