Spring is here and Octane team is ready to look back at what they’ve all learned over the past two years with the pandemic. We invite you to take a tour of their reflections in this blog post!

Danielle – CEO at Octane Design Studios

This time last spring we were all together in our house, the five of us trying to maintain some normalcy through online school and raise a baby but also trying to run/ grow a small business from home.

What I’ve learned from the pandemic is what my true bandwidth is. How far I’m truly willing to stretch myself to make things work for myself and for my family. All choices come with pros and cons but the choice was mine and I’m grateful for the endurance built through the experience. 

Our new norm is still pizza Thursday’s and family game nights but we’re a bit more lax about spending time outside. Our pandemic baby is now a toddler and experiencing the real outdoors for the first time.

Vico – Project Manager at Octane Design Studios

Before the pandemic I was a harder over-thinker and feared the unexpected. What I’ve learnt from this situation is that no matter how much thought you give to anything, the unexpected can reach you whether you are prepared for it or not.  

Going back to the spring season makes me look back on how I’ve strengthened bonds with the ones I love and I care for. Although we were distant and without seeing each other for a long time, the relationships became stronger, the video calls became more frequent and we discovered new ways of spending time together.

This new normal taught me a world where geographical boundaries have become more flexible.I jump on and off of zoom meetings and get to know incredible people from all over the globe, but with the cozy “being at home” feeling throughout the day.

Agnes- Social Media Manager at Octane Design Studios

One of the things that I learnt during the pandemic is being more in the present and taking things one day at a time. As the pandemic hit, many of my initial plans fell away and I had to learn how to re-adjust my mindset and be more adaptable to change. Its not easy to pivot but don’t be afraid to try something new. 

via GIPHY

My new normal is giving myself more time to enjoy my hobbies, spending quality time with family and friends and trying out  new things both professionally and personally. 

Tavia – Content Creator at Octane Design Studios

Spring in Tennessee is often unstable and unpredictable. 

It’s a joke among residents that it can be a beautiful 72 degrees, sunny spring day, and the next day a blizzard, tornado, or ice storm. 

As we transition into Spring 2022, this unpredictable spirit is in the air as we began to move back into what may be the new-hybrid norm. 

Masks are no longer required in many establishments, vaccine talk has died down, and while people continue to get sick from COVID-19 and new strains pop on, the government has decided it’s time to move on. 

Two years ago, as COVID-19 shut down everything, the unknown was anxiety-filled and nerve-racking as this new deadly virus took over everything. We did not know what to do or how things would end up, but we adapted and lived the best we knew how.  

In 2021, I was infected with COVID-19, quarantined, and I still deal with extreme fatigue as a result. 

I believe what the pandemic has taught us is that whatever happens, our family, our faith, and our physical and mental health are priorities over mundane things. 

Additionally, we’ve lived through and continue to live through a pandemic and have learned how resilient we can be whatever may happen. 

As the season or renewal begins, we may have stresses and doubts, but one thing for sure is that faith and family will carry us through whatever we may face. 

Vidhi – Graphic and web designer at Octane Design Studios

Life is strange, but interesting in many ways. I tried to carve out time for painting, poetry, and baking as we shuffled from one lockdown to the next, then into a state of semi-unlock, hoping to make life a little easier. But, in reality, time marched on, and now we find ourselves in the spring of 2022. What a triumph!

I suppose we all tried to keep some semblance of control over our lives, jobs, and other plans, but in the end, we had no choice but to let go. This new normal taught me how to deal with anxiety, let go of things, learn more about virtuality, become meaningful, and maintain close relationships with my family.