Unshaken Solidarity

​The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family." -Lee Iacocca

As China declared a "people's war" against the threat of corona-virus, it set, in the words of WHO Director-General Tedros Ghrebeyessus, an unparalleled "new standard" in the fight of the entire mankind against this and all other global health threats.

The new norm is summed up in the word "lock-down" or "self-quarantine" on many cities and provinces globally to prevent the spread of the virus, thereby protecting the rest of the world, as well as the planet, from the scourge.

Not only the rate of epidemics and patterns of transmission jeopardises our sense of agency, but the safety policies put in place to contain the spread of the virus also require social distancing by refraining to do what is inherently human, which is to find solace in the company of others. In this context of physical threat, social and physical distance, as well as public alarm, what has been (and can be) the role of the various media channels in our lives at the individual, social and societal level?

This global pandemic may have affected the way of life for some, but for HDA leaders and staff, the emergency in public health does not discourage them from socialising with others as the HDA observes virtual interaction.

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Despite the cancellations and discontinuation of activities like graduations, classes, and travel plans, HDA members have opted to play in their homes and engage in events that enhance the bonds of the agency as a family in accordance with the guidelines set by the HDA leaderships.

Among them is DarthQue, Junior Mod and handitem64 enthusiast. 

"The nice thing about HDA is that it's virtual,so we can still form connections and "hang out" with people without having to worry about breaking quarantine rules. To be honest, it's a place we can go to forget about the effect Covid-19 has had on our lives and just chill for a bit", he said.

Chief of ADV calixxx also had something to share. 

"Whenever I do not have anything to do, I always log into Habbo and go straight to HDA. I met a lot of new people and interacted with them and got to know them. I've been enjoying it so much. HDA makes my quarantine time fun and exciting."

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HDA has brought us all together during this time of crisis and what better way to celebrate our solidarity and unity than having fun? So I asked around about what activities helped our relationships become stronger.

dan016
​"HDA has been hosting a lot of massive events for a very long time; the seasonal events being one of them. I've joined plenty of them. I'm pretty sure everyone else who've played these events would agree it's really fun, and that winning or losing is just the half of it. The cheers, all the teasing to opponent teams all make up for a well-rounded time. I love how during these games, our ranks don't matter, since we all just wanna enjoy these moments where work is second and having a wonderful time is first",

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Aside from this, as people with significant others spend more time in different spaces during the quarantine, it’s not shocking that tensions may rise between both parties. Anxiety about what the other person is doing, disrupted routines, lack of social connections, and struggles to be productive in the house may result in couples venting out their frustrations on one another. So I asked HDA members who have relationships and what measures they have done to strengthen their relationships.

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For estquinn8, her relationship with her significant other has been going pretty well.

"I think at first, it is not HDA that strengthens our relationship, because we have other means of communication we can use. But somehow, when he became a Director, I think we spend more time in HDA now because he needs to finish his duties and other stuff in base. Then, as we spent more time in HDA, I started motivating him and encouraging him with his daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. This has been a catalyst for us to understand each other better."

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As for me, brendunurie, I have no significant other (shocker). But I have tips for those who are struggling with relationships with themselves.

1. Unfollow anyone who doesn't make you feel empowered, informed or inspired, may it be social media or real life.

​2. Do not allow yourself and your body to become the stage for a weight loss contest, you shouldn't feel guilty about your weight especially in this time of crisis.

3. Do not worry if you don't feel you did your best today; if the things you did weren't groundbreaking; and the decisions that you've made aren't life-changing. You are still preserving your journey. You are still growing; you are still making progress.

4. How you feel is not who you are. You are not ugly even if you feel like you are.

5. The waves in your heart are stronger than the noise in your head telling you you're not enough.

Probably the last thing you want to see is something about the pandemic. But it's important to let yourself feel things. Cancellations are sad, online classes are draining, or everything you were counting on seems up in the air. It's okay to feel sad and anxious. This is hard and no one has experienced something like this before. Know that you are not alone in your feelings, and this is a good opportunity to check on your friends in HDA and refresh your hope-finding skills by playing games such as Habbo. 

It won't be this way forever. HDA is here with you. Hold tight.

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Blog Post Written by Brendunurie