Don’t Use COVID As An Excuse

Can I write a blog post in the 20 minutes I have during my layover at Midway Airport?

We’re about to find out.

Obviously I can’t get into the ins and outs of some new package in R or a feature of Tableau, but that doesn’t mean I can’t say something of value while loading up on all the sips of wine I can given Southwest’s lack of drink service.

So here’s the thing that’s prime on my mind - not really connected to data science technically, but very relevant to all of us trying to find our footing in this new reality. Lately, I’ve found that a lot of people I know are using COVID-19 as an excuse for saying no to things they don’t want to do.

Some cases of this are pretty innocent, such as using fear of socially-distanced inside seating to decide on an outside bar whose cocktails you like better. Is this choice really going to affect you? Not really. Because everyone, including myself, has changing opinions and ways of reacting to the world around us. So if two weeks later, you’re caught having a ball at a different inside bar, your friends in question might assume that you’ve changed your mind on how you feel about your surroundings.

What really bothers me is when people use the fear of COVID to back out of relationships that scare them, or to avoid dealing with real-life challenges. The fact that this world has changed has no bearing on the responsibilities we’ve always had and our obligations to them.

It’s time for me to board. So all I’m saying is - if you want out of a situation, don’t hide behind COVID. The only people doing this are people who already blamed their indiscretions on work stress, on exaggerated fatigue, or any other excuse that seems handy. The world is undergoing a very serious pandemic and that means that under certain guidelines, we should prioritize the things and people we love and continue to be straightforward if our mindsets change.