Let’s talk about the virtual way of life we’ve been forced into, unprepared, by this atrocious monster-Covid-19. Over time it has been our lifestyle to conduct both official and casual meetings physically even after the invention of applications like Skype, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp video calls. Technology brought about new applications as early as five years ago, but no one was in a hurry to go virtual. We were so used to going about our daily lives with maximum physical contact. Even greetings had to have some form of physical contact; hugging, handshakes, or kissing.

Work meetings, including international workshops and conferences, were traditionally done around a table or in a hall. People flew from all over the world to attend a physical meeting that could last half a day. Right from kindergarten to University, classes were done so that the teacher stood in front of the classroom to teach students who sat behind a chair and desk. Raising of hands was used by students to ask for permission to answer or speak out their minds. Creatives like comedians, dancers, musicians, and acrobats used physical shows to perform and later on post these great acts on YouTube and other social media sites.

All this changed when Covid-19 hit. Due to the limitation of movements and public gatherings, technology spared the world from a complete and total shutdown. Virtual life became our lifestyle, and no one was ready for this!. The 8 am-5 pm workplace habit shifted to working from home and virtual meetups for staff, board, and stakeholder meetings. Interviews, too, took up the online space. Classes are now being conducted virtually on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and WhatsApp Groups. Everyone has their own experience adjusting to the virtual norm. Behaviors like people attending meetups from the comfort of their rooms and putting on outfits of their choice are common.

The virtual way of life made work easier for the creatives. Since we were forced to sit idle at home, most people went online to look for something to watch. There was a lot of free time among people, especially after the curfew. Content creators seized this opportunity to come up with anything that attracted viewers to look at their work. Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok became the go to applications as the content was generated daily by creatives from all over the world. My favorite of them are musicians and young Kenyan artists like Flaco Raz, Azziad, Crazy Kennar, and other vines creators who filled our hearts with laughter and consequently became online-famous. At least for them, business became good, lol.

Covid-19 is here with us, and our current Zoom-obsessed reality will be here to stay. There will be more virtual meetings and an embrace of a work-from-home lifestyle. Be prepared!.

Please leave your thoughts in the comment section and let me know your take on this new normal. Cheers!