Story:
In Ukraine, during the winter of 2022, we heard all over the media, the radio, the social media to have our anxiety bags prepared. People literally prepared their suitcase with important stuff and went through their list. Obviously, the most important thing would be your passport, your documents, some money if you have, your bank cards. Then it was some medical equipment and then it was some needle and thread in case you needed to sew stuff.
So, when the war started, I went to my bag and put whatever I had at home, some antiseptic, some iodine. It was common, unimportant stuff that I had at home but I needed them to prepare my backpack with a small pile of stuff. Warm clothes, documents, and the antiseptic and cloth. The information was that you could end up in the forest or a field, maybe an injured person would need your assistance. It was just these epic pictures in your head that you didn’t think you would encounter, but since the media said to put this stuff in the emergency kit, you just put it.
Of course, I didn’t have to encounter any of this. I crossed the border with Poland and I was in a safer position. I hadn’t planned any of this, I didn’t even have my emergency kit ready. I just woke up with this news and started running. I refused to believe that this would happen, you know. So, I didn’t have my backpack ready. You would see all over the social media other people posting their emergency suitcase and so on.
– Nastia Sleeptsova