Day 43: Boring is Good

Day 43: May 8, 2020
Global cases: 4,009,291; Deaths: 275,976
Egypt cases: 8,476; Deaths: 503

Mohamed Gameel
Adjunct Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication

First, when I started writing this diary, I was confused. What exactly should I address? Should I be realistic? Encouraging? Optimistic? Positive? My first reaction was that my life has been the same since the pandemic, and this is something I should acknowledge. I’m always home, but I do miss AUC.

On Friday, at around noon, I started to think about my quarantine days, and I recalled a quote from the movie “6 Underground,” a light action-comedy film. The main character played by Ryan Reynolds continuously uses the statement “boring is good” to note how the little things that we think are boring could be actually great. Then, I say to myself; our self-quarantine is a privilege that not everyone can afford it. We should be grateful.

“Boring is good” became my ethos, my motive. As long as my family, friends, colleagues, professors, and students are fine, everything else doesn’t matter. This is a notable achievement, even if they are bored or pressured by working from home.

And it is not deniable that I’m, like everyone else , facing new challenges; managing a daily routine is one of them. Keeping track of time is another major hassle. I think time is my enemy now.

For The Caravan‘s previous diary entries in Arabic and English go to our COVID-19 Special Coverage page.

I woke up today around 9am like every day and tried to follow my preset schedule, and this never happens. So, I decided to refresh my little life by rediscovering my place.

I started by changing my office location in the apartment, and as a coffee addict, I got a new coffee machine. Then, I purchased my first TV. For some, it is an essential piece of furniture. For me, I never thought I would need one. I watch everything I need online on my small computer screen that I love, and it was fine. Changing screens, changed my routine. I first thought I would be wasting time, but I’m confident to say that my little adjustments made me feel better, and I appreciate I’m able to stay and work from home.

Yes, I still believe that ‘boring is good,’ but I also believe that this is temporary, and I will go back to work from my office or the AUC great library that I truly miss. Until that day comes, I’m repeatedly saying to myself that I’m glad everyone around is fine.