The Pandemic: One Introvert's Hell

An article where I complain about staying home. Why it's important. Some ways I'm staying sane. And why you should be considerate to the people you live with. More of a blog rant then anything. But I try to keep it short and sweet. Stay safe and sane everyone.

I think 99% of us can agree, having the world go through a Pandemic is awful.

Only one percent of us still believes: “Haha! Yeah, staycation is a go!” And yet for some reason, journalists think this an introvert's dream. Maybe for some. Not all of us. Certainly not me, who lives in a house with several strangers. With one bad egg among them.

Now if I was rich, I'd probably be fine. Holed up in my house with a freezer and fridge full of supplies. Several 3D printers doing their thing. Typing away my long fiction that may or may never be published. Walking the treadmill, while watching a TV show. Maybe play the odd video game. And what makes that perfect: no noise pollution (unwanted loud noise invading my space).

I'm not rich. Maybe someday, through the lottery or business ventures (anything is possible). But right now, I live with a house mate above that thinks the Pandemic is a Party-demic. There are countless nights where I've taken a broom handle like one of those cranky old ladies in the movies tapping the bottom of the ceiling. Telling the guy above: “Turn it down.” It feels awful. But is a necessary evil. And that can happen anywhere between 10pm to 7am in the morning. Which is absurd, cause this guy will blast his tunes from early in the afternoon until the afternoon of the next day if you let him. I have no idea where he gets the energy.

I cannot work, enjoy hobbies, or sleep at home without headphones. It's impossible. Even that's not enough at times. I have to put noise cancelling earmuffs over my headphones (it hurts after a few hours). So introvert's paradise? Not in the slightest. If anything, this Pandemic enables this guy to turn his room above into his personal Night Club. I imagine he is living it up off Employment Insurance (I know he doesn't work). I wonder if this is what our government imagined when they made it easier for Canadians to collect during this difficult time?

Don't get me wrong, I'm respecting the danger Covid-19 represents. I'm obeying the social distancing guidelines. But I'd be lying if I said I don't go outside to escape the near endless noise pollution above (it's concert level loud). I avoid people, aiming for areas where foot traffic is low so I can walk in peace. I need to get out, to regain what marbles are left of my sanity. Targeting sidewalks near factories, shut down businesses, or less popular park trails. I try to avoid sidewalks in front of houses, cause there is too many people out and about. Which is a little hard to believe. When the News is constantly telling you: the world is on fire, take shelter!

It's frustrating that I can't go to a library, sit in a cafe, or a quiet-ish part of a mall. But I get it. I wouldn't want the Pandemic lifted for such a petty reason as a roommate from hell. We're trying to flatten the curve of the spread. Knowing this doesn't make it any easier though. It only reminds me that it's important, so do it, and the Pandemic will lift someday. However, I suspect my roommate above feels he can get away with more. Given that it's not possible for landlords to evict problem tenants during this time. So my life's current difficulty has gone from Normal to Extreme, to put it in gamer terms.

Now I apologize that I'm ranting like an old man. Luckily, I spared you all the back in my day speech.

This was more or less to illustrate my experience with one negative side effect of staying home. Which yes, its important to stay inside. I'm doing just that 90% of the time. I don't want anyone to get sick. Not even the roommate that lives above me. So if there's a moral to any of this, it's be nice to the people you live with. Even if you're the type that likes to blast the stereo, odds are not everyone in your home will appreciate it. However, you can make a deal of when to play the stereo loud to make it easier on the people you live with. Or better yet, use headphones. There's no risk of drama that way.

I would also like to tell journalists to stop saying that introverts are in their element. That's only true if we live alone (for some), share space with other introverts, or people we love that understand our needs. Anyways, I'll end things here.

Stay safe everyone, and be nice to the people you live with. This Pandemic could end in summer or eighteen months from now when a vaccine might be ready. We really don't know. Which makes a comfortable home environment for everyone all the more important.

Author's Notes: If there's any time travelers out there (one can hope), can you transport me to the timeline after the Pandemic. Please?