The 2020s so far have been a hard decade for America. Whether it be Covid-19, economic meltdown, political violence or a freak snow storm, no one has escaped from the hardships brought on by this cruel and trying time. However the source of many of the problems faced is that people were simply not prepared to weather (no pun intended) these trying times. Whether it be keeping a stock of food and water in reserve, making sure that they are financially stable, or not driving up the price of firearms and ammunition via panic buying, people simply were not equipped to face down the many threats that impact our lives today. Here are some tips for adequate preparation for any emergency that the events of the last year have taught me.

First, one will want to ensure that their basic needs of food and water can be safe. For food keeping a supply of non-perishable items goes a long way towards improving one’s survival. If a person does not wish to be eating beans for a month, they give military rations a try. They are surprisingly tasty, come with loads of calories, many different meal options, and can be found at any military surplus store. However the more urgent issue one must face is water. Many Texas faced hardship due to our water systems shutting down and not having access to clean water. A person can remedy this by getting a bathtub bladder.  When they suspect there is about to be an emergency, they can hook up the bladder to their bathtub faucet and fill the bladder up. Once full, they would now have access to tons of clean drinking water in case water utilities are lossed.

Many Americans were also not ready to face the economic consequences brought on by COVID-19 and faced great difficulty when they lost their jobs. While not everyone has the opportunity to work for an essential business, one can prepare themselves for being laid off by keeping a large amount of money in reserve. That way if another pandemic decides to come around and they are fired, they can still afford to pay for necessities until the economy returns to normal. They could also work a temporary job at a fast-food place since they won’t be shut down.

The most important thing any wannabe survivor can do is keep themselves sane while the crisis is occurring.  They should try not to look at the news since the news is typically very negetive which is not the kind of mindset needed to survive on. They should keep themselves occupied doing things they love as much as possible. If they lose power, they could play card or board games with their families, it is a fun way to kill time with and without power.

While this does not cover everything about preparing for an emergency, and I am by no means an expert, these are just some of the important tips I learned while navigating the troubles of the 2020s.