Afraid of that corona test? This is how it feels

‘If you're lucky, you won't have to gag. But my friend does.’ Oh, and your eyes? They will definitely tear up. Which isn't so strange, since they ‘almost tap your brain with an extremely long, thin cotton swab from hell.’

You understand: I wasn't really looking forward to that corona test.

In fact: I worked myself up so much the morning of the test that I'm terrified. Everyone I've asked around me comes up with a ‘yes, it's quite unpleasant’ story, followed by: ‘but it only lasts a little while.’ I step into the treatment room and say it right away: ‘Hi, I'm extremely nervous about the cotton swab from hell. Is there really no option for just a cheek swab? No? Okay. Does it hurt a lot? Can't you use a slightly shorter stick on me?’

I look into the eyes of a girl my age. She sees my restlessness. She smiles and assures me that it doesn't hurt. I just sit down in the chair. I see her take a cotton swab out of a plastic package and I swallow when I see how long the thing is.

Damn, Kiek, just push through now. You want to go to Curaçao, so you're doing this to yourself. If I can just tilt my head back. My heart is racing in my throat. Here we go. Okay, something is going in my nose. High up too. Okay, this feels weird. Even before I can curse my life, she pulls it out again. ‘There, that was it.‘ I look surprised. My nose is burning a little afterwards.

That was it? I mean: yes, I can feel my nose a little on the inside now and my eyes are suddenly watering a bit too, but really, guys, if this is it? Don't let yourself be freaked out by things online or friends with horror stories. That corona test really isn't that bad. Still nice to hear that once among all that horror, I think.

On to Curaçao!