Hey, You Got Mail! : Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

Like many others, I spent my Circuit Breaker catching up on my dramas and making dalgona coffee. Circuit Breaker provided me with the much needed rest, and time to watch dramas I wouldn't otherwise have as a busy student.

When we are so engrossed in a show, every minute and hour where we are unable to watch them feels miserable. I was constantly distracted during HBL, anticipating the next break to clock in some hours, obsessing over a male lead.

A month ago, I decided to commit myself to volunteering, instead of watching my dramas. During one of the Hey, You Got Mail! distributions, I got to witness what my 2 hours could do.

Along with my planning committee, we head to the venue early to pack cartons of food items and masks. Enthusiastic residents came up to us, asking when it would be their turn to collect their share.

When we visited them, residents would smile from eye to eye. I couldn't help but get reminded of my grandma.

During our distribution, Uncle Chan approached me to raise the volume of his television. Despite multiple attempts, the television remained silent. Unable to help, I returned Uncle Chan his remote. Right before I left, I caught a glimpse of the salesman advertising a frying pan through the television. It felt strange -- watching a silent advertisement from the fat bulky television.

Even my grandma has upgraded to a smart television with entertaining Cantonese dramas. I couldn't imagine being trapped in a dimly lit living room, with a spoilt television during Circuit Breaker.

A few units down, I saw an elderly lady conversing with her friends through a corded phone. When she saw us, she hastily placed the call on hold, and walked towards us. The energy from her voice didn't quite match her physique and movement. But even with her heavy breathing, we could hear her joy from her voice when she received our handwritten cards.

Needless to say, I have gained so much more from these 2 hours than the 16 hours spent on each drama.

It's only when we step out of our comfort zone, give up a few hours of our drama time, do we realise there's so much more that can be done to help those around us. As we move into heightened alert of phase 2, let's not forget about those in isolation. Sending good vibes, one card at a time.