My Big COVID Breakup Cost Me My Friends

“My Big COVID Breakup Cost Me My Friends” by Diana Ruzova explores the unexpected outcome of isolation during the pandemic. When her long-term relationship ends five months into lockdown, Ruzova uses the memoir form to reflect on the life she had shared with her partner: cooking elaborate dinners, watching documentaries, and hosting Zoom game nights with friends. But after the breakup, Ruzova faces a more profound loss—not just of her partner but of their shared social circle. The sudden absence of these friendships forces her to reconnect with her own support network, which plays a crucial role in her healing.

The essay unfolds chronologically with flashes to the past, weaving together contrasting moments of connection and separation. The pandemic becomes more than just a backdrop; it actively shapes the course of the breakup and the subsequent emotional fallout. The isolation of COVID-19 compels Ruzova to distance herself from her partner’s world, a necessary step that allows her to stop obsessing over his new life and start reclaiming her own. The loss is painful, but it becomes a catalyst for growth.