As much as we want to forget it, Covid-19 disrupted our lives in ways we never anticipated. What began as a brief pause from school, work and the daily grind stretched into an indefinite period of isolation—one we haven’t left behind. Cut off from society, we faced the unsettling question of when, or if, life would ever return back to “normal.”
There was immense loss and loneliness, but also a rare moment to reflect on who we were without the routine and roles that once defined us. In the absence of familiarity, we had to confront the question: who were we without the structure of daily life, left only with our thoughts?
Christopher McCandless, the enigmatic figure at the heart of Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild,” serves as a poignant reflection of our collective experience. Though his isolation was voluntary, it mirrored our own. Born into the comforts of an affluent middle-class family, he grappled with expectations that accompanied his privileges. McCandless sought a deeper understanding of existence, longing for experiences that transcend his conventional comforts. His quest for authenticity propelled him into the wilderness, mirroring a desire many of us felt during our isolation—a yearning to discover what mattered.
Our isolation was harder to adjust to than we might have guessed. Many of us longed to hold our loved ones, grappling with the fear of illness and the unknown end date of it all. For me, I ached for rites of passage—graduations, proms, simple gatherings with friends—that were gone. Yet in those moments of loss, McCandless’s words offer perspective: “You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships…It’s in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against habitual living and engage in unconventional living.”
In a time when traditional social bonds were fractured, this call to embrace unconventional living hit home, urging us to find joy in unexpected places. Deprived of the usual celebrations and gatherings, we explored new avenues of creativity, connection and self-discovery. A forgotten hobby, a morning cup of coffee, a Zoom call with a grandparent—these small moments taught us that joy can be cultivated even when familiar avenues are closed.
Forced to adapt to a new reality, we learned to find fulfillment in solitude and the overlooked pleasures of life. With fewer distractions, many of us rediscovered goals, reevaluated relationships and gained a renewed sense of being present. In that stillness, we confronted the core of who we are, stripped bare of roles and routines, finding ourselves in a space that allowed growth. This shared journey of self-discovery became a catalyst, leading us out of isolation with greater clarity and a sense of purpose.
Though McCandless’s journey ended in tragedy, our own time in isolation offered us a chance to reenter the world, having braved our own wilderness. While McCandless wrote, “Happiness [is] only real when shared,” the pandemic compelled us to redefine this notion. We found that happiness can indeed exist in solitude, but shared moments have the unique power to elevate it. In a time when physical presence was impossible, we learned to share our lives through calls, video chats, shared creativity and even social media and sustained connection across distance. These interactions lifted our spirits, reminding us that community remains possible, even under unfamiliar conditions.
Emerging from isolation, we carry with us resilience and a renewed understanding of joy as something that can always be found. The experience has equipped us with a greater appreciation for both, knowing that joy flourishes when shared yet endures in those quiet moments. Our paths back into the world may have differed, but we each carry forward the pride of having persevered, discovering something real and meaningful within ourselves.
Now, as a senior, I find that those questions posed in isolation still linger, but the journey of seeking answers feels less daunting. Life’s questions rarely offer single answers—only a series of steps guiding us through experiences, pushing us closer to understanding our place in a vast and shifting world. Each choice, each moment of reflection, shapes our understanding even if the journey remains unpredictable.
Perhaps this life, with all its unknowns, is our own great Alaskan adventure.
Safe travels, dear reader. May you find joy in the unexpected and meaning in every step of your journey.
