Hello again. I hope you're not all alone while you read this. I hope you are sharing these times of strangeness, in this apocalyptic-type world, with someone you love. Or at least someone you like.
Because no one knew lockdown would last this long. But then again no one predicted a world pandemic either.
It's week 3 here in Edinburgh now, but that might change very soon. If the government doesn't suddenly impose stricter measures, that is.
If my plan goes ahead, I'll be sitting in my own room, in my own house, in the quiet outskirts of Milan, this time next week. And while I won't be able to spend it in close quarters with them, I'll be in the same house as my own family on Easter Sunday. I don't think I've ever been this excited.
This past week has been a bit of a weird one. While I was in a great routine, and had finally gotten my head round all of the coursework that our uni decided to unload on us - my mood continued to swing. Having my mother on the other end of the phone constantly going between "come home, we miss you" and "no it's not safe, don't come home" was emotionally exhausting.
But the minute I decide something, I can't go back.
So I decided: I was going to get home, and I wasn't going to keep waiting for the right moment. Because things aren't getting better here, no matter how positive you try to be.
That's just the way it is. And the thought of being stuck here until June might give me stability, but I know it won't make me happy.
I'm sure wherever you are you're happy. And if you're not, re-consider going somewhere you will be. Because although covid-19 is destroying thousands of lives now, it is affecting millions. This virus isn't just physically unhealthy, it is messing with everything we know. We may be facing a global mental health crisis. Not even the oldest being alive can claim to have lived through something like this before.
Sometimes, in order to put our mental wellbeing first, we have to take risks. In order to keep those we love's spirits up, we must be willing to make tiny sacrifices. I'm well aware that sounds extremely dramatic, but again, we are living in unprecedented times.
If you are, in fact, all alone - and you really don't have a way out - know that the whole world is on your side. Everyone is undergoing this pandemic together, and while it is a scary thought, it is also quite nice. People are really starting to show their true colours.
Last week, I got back in contact with people I hadn't talked to in months, maybe years. If a global health crisis is what it takes to get people to really re-connect - then bring it on.
Maybe the coronavirus will wipe out thousands. But maybe it'll also teach us some very good lessons. The first being what we can achieve when we have a common enemy.