The covid-19 pandemic has affected each and everyone of us. It might be less of a burden for the elite class, but, for some middle-class and lower class, it’s as if a plague just took over.

Amidst these trials, the one person that keeps me hoping for the best is my grandfather.

Recently, my grandfather passed away. I haven’t told people yet, only a handful of friends. He died at Palm Sunday morning. No, he didn’t die of the pandemic, rest assured. My grandfather suffered from asthma ever since he became a senior. He occasionally had pneumonia and was prescribed of maintanance meds. The last visit he had with the doctor was February this year. He was diagnosed with something related to his lungs that were not curable but he needed maintance medications. As he got older, he suffered from dementia, it wasn’t diagnosed, we just noticed it. He would say things about where the third floor is because he thinks he’s at the BIR where he used to work. Sometimes he’ll talk about fiestas at the backyard when there isn’t any. The past few months have been a burden, not to mention the lockdown that happened, and everyday I had to see him grow weaker. We weren’t able to confine him because we didn’t want him to be placed under PUI. So we became stricter with his meds, but sadly, he was being difficult. He didn’t want to drink them anymore. I even had to force him to eat and would help him just so he could eat. It hurts because I could have done more. I thought by Sunday that morning, he could have waited til we could ask help from someone to drive us to the hospital, but that’s when I woke up with sad news.

What makes things worse is the fact that we couldn’t leave the house because of lockdown. It just makes accepting things more difficult. Not being able to see my friends or go out to make my mind feel better. Thankfully, my boyfriend has been around manning the house and making sure I don’t have to shoulder the burden alone.

It’s so hard to pull my mind together and act like things are okay just to accomplish my responsibilities with school work. It’s as if my mind has a switch that switched my emotions to act happy and sad. You don’t just lose the person who gave you education and been there for 21 years to wake up and feel okay again. Not now, especially with the pandemic.

I don’t expect anyone to understand; we all mourn differently. But I’m doing the best I can to be able to finish college and hopefully be the lawyer he would have wished to see. Now, even with the pain I feel, I have to continue through it because I know that is what he would have wanted. He would probably insult me for being a cry baby, but hey, how else am I supposed to feel?

In these difficult times, we should all learn to look for a glimmer of hope that will remind us to keep going. It’s not an easy life, no one said it would ever be, but with the strength we have, life will get better. Hold onto that.

School is usually associated with the thought of homeworks, projects, and peer pressure. But what makes the stay in school memorable? Friends, events, and professors who make a friendly relationship with students.

Here in Southville, some of the events I liked that happened outside was the trip to Art in Island.

When we were at Art in Island, we went around realistic paintings in which you would stand in the markings and take photos which would like you’re actually in the painting. We also watched a light show that shows lights on the paintings while the narrator tells the story.

Another event I liked but happened inside Southville is Sportsfest. We were able to hangout with our friends from different levels and able to show our competitive side. We also supported our friends who played the games and able to have mentoring as well. Overall, the event was really chill and was executed really well by the organizers

How often do we not see a successful person splurge their money on the extravagance of life. Private jets, sports cars, desinger clothes, go ahead! You deserve it, you made it to the top of your career, why not? But not every other person remains the same when they have reached their success.

Most celebrities like actors/actresses in the big screen have controversial lives. Some have drawn to drugs, alcoholism, depression, and so much more. So it is quite rare to see celebrities who live a lowkey life.

One in particular, which I consider to be my favorite celebrities is Emma Watson.

Emma watson is an actress who started acting at a young age and made debut on the “Harry Potter” film series. From there, she mentioned in an interview how she would balance her work/taping with her studies. She would shoot scenes while having breaks in between to enable her to study. After the Harry Potter saga ended, she took up English Literature as her pre-law course at Brown University and later shifted at Oxford University. She is considered to be the ‘Voice of the Generation’. She became part of UN last 2014 as a UN Women Goodwill Ambasador, and has effectively moved the internet with her speech on women empowerment.

Despite her hectic schedules and public life, she remained humble and lowkey. She continued to follow her passion and became known for not just being a great actress, but breaking the stereotypes with how famous people handle their lives. She is a promoter of eco-friendly products as she wears dresses that support her advocacy even on her movie premiers. She is the voice of women who undergo abuse and disempowerment. She continues to live an average life while she fights for change in equality for everyone. She is not afraid to be labeled as ‘boring’ for not being like other celebrities like the kardashians or what not. She remained natural and grounded.

Her works and movements has indeed inspired me to strive better and remember to empower myself and others. It may seem difficult at times to balance studies and the problems that life throws at us, but we must learn to take a deep breath and continue to handle the situation. She inspires me to voice out my opinions and should not see myself any less just because I am a women. Because of her, I know I can do it as well. My part may not be as big as what she does, but, in little ways and any way, I know I can make a difference, one achievement at a time.

Emma Watson serves an inspiration not just for me, but for the many celebrities, the wealthy, and for everyone, to remain true to ourselves and never let fame or success change who we really are as a person. We should never be pressured with success and do not allow it to consume us to forget our part to give back to society. If I could ask her one question it would be, “what would you reply to a 5-year old little girl if she asks you, how do I be like you?”