Life as a Young Adult in South Africa
Nikita America
I wouldn’t say that Covid-19 has impacted me negatively. My life was not much different before Covid.
I can say that I have gotten lazy and lack motivation these days. The path towards my future has become really narrow since finding a job is really difficult, but I am sure everyone is questioning themselves at the moment. I have been questioning myself a lot too, which I don’t need right now.
My mental health is on the line and I have only found this out recently … because it is not considered normal with the things I do or say. One way Covid has impacted me negatively is that once a month I would go out with the only three friends I have, so I have been craving those human interactions with others than those in my family.
The only positive thing that has happened to me since Covid is that I have discovered BTS. I was never a fan of anything, so this was new to me, being so obsessed over seven boys I have never met before. But speaking with other fan girls and boys, I realised it’s just normal fan behaviour.
BTS got me through this lockdown with their positive message that run through their lyrics. I never knew of artists whose main music topics are social and economic problems. The boys are also most humble and are always giving back to the community. They never make their donations public, fans find out about the donations through the organization they donated to. They make me want to be a better person.
RM has said, “It’s never intentional but I use you guys to love myself, through your letters, through your Tweets, through your eyes, so please, please use BTS to love yourself.” Slowly I have learned to accept myself and be myself, through their music, through their speeches, through their lives. My aunty and sister call me crazy these days because, for example, I used to hate hugs and kisses, but now I hug and kiss my sister all the time, I laugh a lot, and can get very hyper. They find it weird that I’m not in my dark, sullen mood.
I am proud to be a fan of these incredible boys and try to live my life by thinking what would BTS do? As I said, they are the only positive thing to happen to me in this lockdown and I’m sorry if you expected something amazing, but honestly it is amazing because BTS are amazing.
