On Moving as a Solo During COVID Part 1 - Packing

Part 1 – Packing
 
On May 1 of this past year, I was officially offered a position at a university in Washington, DC.  One of the reasons for my excitement is that a large city like DC is a much friendlier locale for us singletons than a Southern suburb like Newport News, Virginia. 
 
However, this pandemic is providing a twist.  I’ve moved quite a few times for work, and each time, I’ve socialized heavily, which I’m even surprised by, being an introvert and all.   Not this time.  I have gotten to see friends in small groups, which is nice for an introvert, but I didn’t get to really immerse myself in seeing friends as much as I would have liked.  Part of it was due to my summer teaching schedule and part of it was just that a lot of us are on different schedules.
 
This summer, I did keep busy with writing and teaching, not to mention all the details that go with moving, like finding a new place (which I did, half a mile from work!), changing my cable, Internet and electricity, and all that packing.  As I write this, 99% of my apartment is in boxes, bags, and bubble wrap.  And it’s unnerving – essentially, my whole life is in boxes.  And due to the pandemic, going out is a crapshoot.  I’m constantly washing my hands, taking my temperature, and escapes from the mess are rare because, well, I’m following the protocol and staying home.  Which I do agree we should do. 
 
But as I write this, I’m grateful for the time I have gotten to spend with friends.  I went miniature golfing with one and had a few nice dinners and socially distanced walks with others.  I’m just going through the grieving process.  Change is hard.  And while I love singlehood, moving solo presents an additional challenge.  But as I sit here in what was my apartment, the eve before the move, I feel a mixture of emotions, most notably excitement and sadness.  But I’m moving forward.  And once I finished my perishable items, I began to enjoy some culinary delights (see pictured).