After bunking college for two days, my friend and I promised each other to be regular and studious students from tomorrow.

The 'tomorrow' never came. What was until now just a two lines headline in the newspaper, became eerily real. My university shut down, classes got online and I was at home.

Being a student, I was the definition of a carefree individual. Classes, new cafés everyday, tapri chai and loitering around the campus was my whole life. I loved it.

The pandemic has changed it all. I was overtly aware of everything. I suddenly felt responsible for the health of grandparents and my parents.
Sanitising everything, washing hands frantically became a part of our daily routine.

Once, gorging on every kind of street food ( not always the hygienic kind), now I made sure only the healthiest foods were consumed by my family.

I thought this would be a short term thing and soon I would be back in college and free from my responsibilities. I was counting months and soon months turned into a year.

I am no longer waiting to be 'free'. I am a more responsible and mature person now and pandemic or no pandemic, my priorities have changed. Now, instead of aimlessly loitering around, I would rather play a game of carrom with my parents.