This is a picture of the gifts that Northeastern had sent to me while I was in Isolation after testing positive. This story is special to me because it shows the community that is shown towards others even through hard times. Northeastern still took care of me as a student and person even after I had tested positive. This attention towards students is what creates a strong academic community and should be displayed towards everyone.

This is an interview with Clay Carpenter. Clay Carpenter was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota and grew up multiple small North Dakota towns. He studied Elementary Education and Physical Education at the University of North Dakota, where he met Melody Carpenter, his wife. They moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they work in the education system. They had a son, Dakota Carpenter, and moved to Arizona shortly after. In Arizona they continued to work as educators with Clay teaching in elementary school, middle school, and high school before becoming a high school administrator,. While working in Arizona they adopted two sons, Artem Carpenter and Andrey Carpenter. Clay’s long experience in the field of education as both a teacher and an administrator provides him with a wealth of knowledge, experiences, and a view of the changes made in the education system. In this interview, he reflects on the coronavirus and the affect it has had on the education system, students, and teachers.

Unlike my fellow peers, I was only 17 during my senior year of high school. The 2020 election was supposed to be my first chance to vote in person. Many of my classmates and friends were able to vote in person during the primaries or in state elections, but I did not. I started getting into politics about four years ago. Ever since then, I was excited at the prospect to make a change by voting. In February, I went to vote in the New Hampshire primary. Since I was not yet registered, I went to the corresponding line. I sat down and filled out the registration form. I asked the worker for help and she said "Oh..you're not 171/2 years old. You will need to wait until you're 18 to register". Disheartened, I left. I did not get register or vote. When I went to college in the fall, it made it even harder for me to be able to vote. Since I only live an hour from school, I planned on just coming back on election day and vote. Although, I do not have many health risk factors, I do live in a school community that could be in the higher risk category and did not want to expose anyone. Therefore, I try to limit my exposure as much as possible. With voting in person seeming too risky, I decided I should vote using an absentee ballot. When I visited home for my first long weekend, I went to the town clerk to request an absentee ballot. A few days later when I was back on campus, I received my ballot in the mail. I filled it out in my dorm room and then dropped it off at the USPS mailbox. I did not feel like I voted at all. I did not get the experience of waiting in line, putting the ballot in the ballot box, or even getting an "I voted" sticker. Even though I did not get to have the full experience of voting, I am happy I took the extra precautions during this time to ensure my safety as well as others.

The US Surgeon General talks about the upcoming distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, case spikes, and travel over Thanksgiving.

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The contributor of this item did not include verbal or written consent. We attempted to contact contributor (or interviewee if possible) to get consent, but got no response or had incomplete contact information. We can not allow this interview to be listened to without consent but felt the metadata is important. The recording and transcript are retained by the archive and not public. Should you wish to listen to audio file reach out to the archive and we will attempt to get consent.

This is an image of storefront posters designed by West Roxbury Main Streets. In recent years, there has been a push for shopping at local businesses to stimulate local economy. At first glance that’s exactly what these look like until you get to the third one. As per local and state ordinances, masks are required to be worn in public. With the holidays around the corner retail services will be in high demand and operating businesses safely is on most people’s radar. Last year if I said, “oops I forgot my mask,” that would not mean anything, and people would probably think I was crazy. Now that’s just the way life is and to shop you are required to wear a mask. Now, not everyone does this and not every business will enforce this, but some will. The #lovelocalsafely will hopefully be used so all those posts can be looked at in the future, but it also shows how much local businesses care about the customer.

Since this semester is all online, I have been living at home in NH instead of at school in Boston. Since this is the case, I am able to continue working where I was at over the summer in VT. At the beginning of the pandemic when you would cross into VT you would see one of those big orange construction signs stating that if you come to visit VT you should quarantine for fourteen days at home. Alongside the sign would be someone in a DOT truck watching the traffic. Sometime between yesterday, November 17th, 2020, and today, November 18th, 2020, the state of Vermont added these permanent signs at all the crossings in and out of the state. It really brings together how much of a lasting impact this virus has had on the world and that this is something that is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Throughout Massachusetts, parents and high school students feared their sports being canceled due to COVID. The state quickly came up with guidelines that would deter the spread of the virus. The guideline that affected not only the athletes, but the family and friends of the players was the spectator passes. Two spectator passes were given to each coach and player on the team to make sure there was no crowding occurring at the games. Spectators must also wear face coverings at all times even at outdoor sports. They also must stay 6 feet apart from any other families during the game. Locker rooms are closed, and players must dress before going to the game. The players while on travel and while they are not playing must wear face coverings when with non-family members. All these guidelines were made by the state to keep the players and family members of the players safe from the virus and they allow for high school sports to continue.

The NFL has proposed harsh guidelines to allow for continued play during the COVID epidemic. First, the players can opt out of the season and still collect some pay ($350,000 if they are high risk or $150,00 if they are not). The New England Patriots had a league high of eight players opt out of the season, four of whom were projected starters for the team, which is a huge loss. The NFL also imposed a rule that if the state guidelines allow it, they can have some fans come to the home games. The Patriots being in part of the USA that was hit the worst were not allowed to have fans, so they could play sounds of fans into the stadium. For stadiums that allow for fans they cannot have tailgating and cannot sell food. Fans also must stay in their designated “pods,” or rows of seats which are distanced from other family’s pods. For the players who are playing, they are tested every day and if they test positive, they must be removed for two weeks from the team. The Patriots suffered from this week four when some of their players tested positive for COVID. The big name was their starting quarterback Cam Newton. This caused him to sit out week four vs. their toughest opponent and had the Patriots’ next game postponed after more positive scares. With only seven more weeks of the regular season left the NFL will continue to be affected by the virus.

I saw this on Twitter and it made my stomach lurch and turn.

Washington county in Oregon has established several COVID-19 quarantine centers in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus among the community. A number of local motels have been converted to such facilities. Aidan is an EMT at one such motel, and agreed to be interviewed about his experience.

These are screenshots from the timesupnow Instagram page. A December 2020 report on food service workers in NY state found that they are experiencing decreased tips when they attempt to enforce social distancing rules and increased incidences of sexual harassment.

70 animators came together to reanimate a strange music video known as Frontier Psychiatrist by the Avalanches. Common in the artist community for things like music videos, reanimation projects are great labors of love. I cannot explain how well this was put together and done.

In Germany and many other countries apparently, there is a Santa alternative known as the Christkind or Christkindlr, thought it was interesting to think about this upcoming pandemic holiday season. Translation, Literal: [ Fuck the ChristmasMan, with all my home-is comes the Christ Child ] Translation, Nonliteral: [ Fuck Santa, all my homies are with the Christkind ]

I hate to be the one to perpetuate the closeted homophobe stereotype, however, how could you not talk about an anti-gay politician that was found with bloodied-form running from police and a 25-man orgy, violating social distancing laws, while on drugs? Sounds like an adult-comedy bit that would make a quarter of the audience give a light chuckle to the comedian on stage! After this fiasco, they quickly resigned from their position as MEP in Hungary where he spent years writing bills and documents to actively harm the LGBTQ+ community.

Scott Campbell was born in Panama to military parents. He and his family moved to Colorado when he was young, living close to his father's family, where his interest in a sort of do-it-yourself lifestyle was awakened. After high school, he moved to central Alabama, working several retail jobs before landing his job at FIS Financial Solutions. After buying his own property, he began gardening and doing a bit of homesteading on his own in Alabama. Scott now spends his days editing financial programs and his down time taking care of various projects and plants around his home.

In this pandemic, there has been no shortage of people sharing stories of being in quarantine with their pets and companions, however too saturated are stories of cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, and all those other lovely mammalian companions. Invertebrates truly are unique to raise and care for and this pet owner has their beetle perusing the pages of a Japanese-English encyclopedia on itself.

In order to reduce the risk of elders, Tokyo Governor is asking elders to cancel their trip and will make canceling fee free. However, like I have said in previous stories, Japan can never enforce rules on citizens. It has to be “we would like you to do it”. I doubt a lot of elders will cancel because using Go To travel allows traveling fee to be reduced, and some would definitely think that it's a waste to not use the government’s money. 東京都は高齢者たちが自粛の呼び掛けに応じて「GoToトラベル」の旅行を取りやめる場合、13日までに申し出ればキャンセル料は無料になると明らかにしました。 　東京都は65歳以上の高齢者や基礎疾患を持つ人たちを対象に「GoToトラベル」の東京発着の旅行を17日まで自粛するよう呼び掛けるとしています。キャンセル料などに関する政府から都への回答によりますと、17日までに出発する旅行については13日までに申し出ればキャンセル料はかかりません。一方、キャンセルされた事業者に対しては解約された旅行代金の35％を国が負担するということです。また、小池都知事は1日に菅総理と会談した際、高齢者らへの「GoToトラベル」の利用自粛の呼び掛けについて、全国規模で行うことを検討するよう求めていたことも明らかにしました。 　その東京都では2日に新たに500人の感染が確認され、重症の患者は59人になりました。また、都は50代から90代の男女5人が死亡したことも発表しました。このうち4人は高血圧などの基礎疾患があったということです。 The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced that if elderly people cancel their "Go To Travel" trip, the cancellation fee will be free if they apply by the 13th. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is calling on elderly people aged 65 and over and people with underlying illnesses to refrain from traveling to and from Tokyo on "Go To Travel" until the 17th. According to the government's response to the city regarding cancellation fees, there is no cancellation fee if you apply by the 13th for trips departing by the 17th. On the other hand, the government will bear 35% of the canceled travel fee for the canceled business operator. In addition, when Governor Koike met with Prime Minister Suga on the 1st, he said that he had requested that elderly people consider refraining from using "GoTo Travel" on a nationwide scale. In Tokyo, 500 new infections were confirmed on the 2nd, and the number of patients with severe symptoms became 59. The city also announced that five men and women in their 50s and 90s had died. Four of them had underlying illnesses such as high blood pressure. Video translated by Youngbin Noh

Go To travel has been something I’ve been submitting to this archive. In order to boost up the economy, Japan has supported people who will be traveling by paying up to half of the traveling fee. Personally, this I think really caused the second wave of COVID-19 in Japan, but people still want to travel because it is cheap using the government’s support. 最大で旅行代金の半額相当が支援されるGoToトラベルについて、政府は来年中ごろまで延長する方針を固めました。 　GoToトラベルはこれまで1月までの旅行を対象としていましたが、政府関係者によりますと、これを来年中ごろまで延長する方針で、8日に取りまとめる緊急経済対策に盛り込むことにしています。ただ、Go Toトラベルが終わった際に旅行の需要が激減することを防ぐため、現在、最大で35％となっている割引率を段階的に引き下げることや受け取ることができる地域共通クーポンの金額の見直しなどを検討するということです。 The government has decided to extend Go To Travel, which supports up to half the travel price, until mid-next year. Go To Travel has been targeted for travel until January, but according to government officials, it is planned to extend this until the middle of next year, and it will be included in the emergency economic measures to be summarized on the 8th. However, in order to prevent the demand for travel from dropping drastically when Go To Travel is over, they will gradually reduce the discount rate, which is currently up to 35%, and review the amount of regional coupons that can be received. Video translated by Youngbin Noh

I understand, generation Z is not the brightest, considering less than two years ago we were persuading each other to eat laundry detergent. But I never thought I would be so disappointed in my peers. COVID is all too real, and with the boom of TikTok, people can see just how terrible “the rona” really is. Yet, those I call neighbors of Mission Hill rip apart my hope for us in the future. We know there are chances of permanently losing our sense of smell or taste, but we still decide to go out and party. Generation Z may be forward in acceptance, but we somehow are still too stubborn to put a pause on the traditional “college experience” to protect ourselves and our family members from death. I am in college, but I have family who are at risk, and I am not willing to compromise them just so I can see friends and have a little fun. There are ways of having fun without risking your health or that of loved ones.

I work at a great dog daycare in West Roxbury. We used to be very busy, and even during the holidays were forced to turn people away. Now my dog daycare is an empty building most nights, we have plenty of vacancy for Thanksgiving break, and I am forced to work an overnight shift so I can still attend college. I go into work at 10 p.m., there I ask, “how many dogs?” Often, I get witty remark like 22 dogs, but 20 are missing. Normally 22 dogs on a Sunday was normal, now I take care of 3 or 4 dogs. Sometimes I am lucky, and I will have almost 15 dogs to care for. I clean the building and I look at the whiteboards, where the dog names should be written. Instead all I see is a blank board and faded Sharpie marker. I miss being able to in on weekends and enjoying Sundays. Now all I do is sleep during the day and work at night. Sometimes I am lucky, and I can get a few hours of rest before my 8am Zoom classes.

ロシアのプーチン大統領は、世界で初めて開発に成功した新型コロナウイルスのロシア製ワクチンについて、国民を対象にした大規模な接種を来週から始めると表明しました。 　プーチン大統領は2日、閣僚らとの会議でロシア製ワクチン「スプートニクV」の大規模接種を来週後半から始めるよう指示しました。すでに200万回分のワクチンの生産がほぼ完了しているとも述べ、まずは優先的に医師と教員に接種させるとしています。ロシア国民であれば接種の費用はかからないということです。新型コロナウイルスのワクチンを巡っては、イギリス政府がアメリカの製薬大手「ファイザー」のワクチンを承認して来週から接種を開始すると発表していて、プーチン大統領としてもロシア国内でも接種を始めて対抗する意図があるとみられます。 Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will begin large-scale public vaccination next week for the world's first successful Russian vaccine for the new coronavirus. President Putin instructed at a meeting with ministers on the 2nd to start large-scale inoculation of the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" from the latter half of next week. He also said that the production of 2 million vaccines has already been completed, and will give priority to doctors and teachers. If you are a Russian citizen, there is no cost for vaccination. Regarding the vaccine for the new corona virus, the British government has announced that it will approve the vaccine of the American pharmaceutical giant "Pfizer" and start vaccination from next week, and President Putin intends to start vaccination in Russia as well. Video translated by Youngbin Noh

新型コロナウイルスの感染が再び拡大しているアメリカ・ニューヨーク州では、検査の行列を避けたい人たちの間で有料のクリニックへの注目が高まっています。 　検査を受けに来た女性：「多くの具合が悪い人と一緒に行列に並ぶリスクを避けたい。（簡易テストの費用が）250ドルはすごく高いけど、皆、早く結果が知りたいし、賢いビジネスだと思う」 　新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大が続くなか、ニューヨーク市内では無料の検査を受けるまで数時間、外で待つ場合もあり、行列を避けたい人たちの間で有料のクリニックへの注目が高まっています。ニューヨーク州では2日、前日に確認された新規感染者が8973人に上り、4月24日以来、最多となりました。クリスマスや年末に向けて感染者のさらなる増加が懸念され、クオモ知事は多くの市民に検査を受けるよう改めて呼び掛けています。ニューヨーク州では検査が無料のため、その数は一日で最大約22万件に上っていて、病院には大勢の人が詰め掛けています。 In New York, USA, where the infection with the new coronavirus is spreading again, there is increasing attention to paid clinics among those who want to avoid the inspection line. Woman coming to the test: "I want to avoid the risk of waiting in line with many sick people. (The cost of a quick test) is very high, but everyone wants to know the results quickly and is smart. I think it's a good business.” As the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread, in New York City, it may take several hours to wait outside for a free test, so people who want to avoid lines are paying more attention to paid clinics. In New York State, the number of newly infected people confirmed the day before was 8973 on the 2nd, the highest number since April 24th. Concerned about a further increase in infected people towards Christmas and the end of the year, Governor Cuomo is calling on many citizens to be tested again. With free tests in New York, the number can reach up to about 220,000 a day, and hospitals are packed with people. Video Translated by Youngbin Noh

医療や介護への影響を抑えることが狙いです。 　新型コロナウイルスの影響で医療や介護の現場で使い捨てのビニール手袋の需要が急激に伸びて価格が高騰していることを受け、政府・与党は来年度の税制改正で輸入関税を一時、撤廃する方針を固めました。国内で供給されている使い捨てのビニール手袋は現在、大半を中国やベトナムからの輸入に頼っていて、5.8％の関税がかかっています。価格の高騰による医療や介護への影響を抑えることが狙いで、来年度の税制改正に盛り込む方針です。 The aim is to reduce the impact on medical care and nursing care. The government and the ruling party are planning to temporarily remove import tax in the next fiscal year's tax reform in response to the sharp increase in demand for disposable gloves and increasing prices in the medical and nursing care fields due to the influence of the new coronavirus. Most of the disposable gloves supplied domestically are currently imported from China and Vietnam and are subject to a 5.8% tax rate. The policy is to include it in the tax reform next year with the aim of reducing the impact of increasing prices on medical care and long-term care. Video translated by Youngbin Noh

A nasal spray aimed at temporarily preventing COVID-19 infections was tested on ferrets with positive results.

The metro post signs warning that a social distance of 1 meter must be kept and a face mask must be worn all-time in the metro.

This is a short COVID-19 reflection on the experience of Sonja Carlson, a semi-retired craft guru. The story is written as a Word Doc.

The Oral History interview is with CJ Willingham and she describes her experiences and views during the pandemic year. CJ gives her encounters during the initial pandemic and how the pandemic is affecting her now. She explains her perspective on more than the pandemic. CJ shares her knowledge on protests, police brutality and police reform.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit America in March of 2020, all of us were caught off guard and unaware of how long this would last. Today we have adjusted our way of living with the promise that things would go back to how they used to be but with no promise date. Being honest, i don't think life will ever return to the way things were before this pandemic, but that could have positive effects potentially. Surface level things like wearing a mask on public transportation and to doctors offices and such, but also deeper things like the public movement for young people to be conscious of the effects their actions have and a need to protect our elderly. My story was that of a high school senior, graduating during a pandemic, and now a college freshman at Northeastern University still trying to learn while a pandemic is going on. Not to mention I live in a hotel instead of a dorm, making my freshman year housing the best housing I'll have during my whole college career. There have been many adjustments that is just part of the social norm now, like me freaking out when i forget my mask in my room; a mask being just as important as having my phone and my wallet. Getting tested every three days is now not only normal, but expected and upheld by the students. Even with all these precautions taken by the university and myself, I currently am positive for Covid-19. It's been an experience to say the least, and I was not one of those fortunate patients to have no symptoms partly because I do have asthma. Yet through this the Northeastern Wellness department has done an amazing job of making sure I was connected to a doctor and safely isolating as well as quickly contact tracing everyone. I'm currently recovering and still able to do my work thats thankfully online as well as in person, but I could easily switch to remote learning.

I wanted to submit my experiences with the pandemic so that historians in the future can get a complete image of the pandemic.

Planet Fitness Planet Fitness, the place people go to work out and get some exercise to stay in shape. My love and passion for working out had just begun when the coronavirus went global. At first all the gyms were shut down in Boston as exercise was deemed not essential. The state had a list of businesses that were listed as essential or not essential to be up and running while they were trying to figure out how to control this virus. The whole state of Massachusetts had a series of phases of when certain businesses could be open. I am writing right now during phase 3. I do not know how many phases we are going to have, but it has been about 8 months now. When the gyms were finally opened, I was pumped. I was tired of doing home workouts every day since it got boring. I also was getting tired of being stuck in my apartment all day every day. Planet Fitness was a good place to work out but also a good place to meet new people. The coronavirus changed that. Everyone must wear a mask as they work out. You must stay 6 feet apart from everyone else. The worst part is that only about half the machines can be used. Planet Fitness disabled half the machines so no one could use them. This is a major bummer since I am limited in the things I can use. I cannot wait until the coronavirus is finally under control, but in the meantime, everybody needs to play their part and stay safe.

My dad had taken a long trip from his home to come visit me, the college student who lives in Boston. The tradition of eating at our favorite restaurant in town was soon to be. The 2019 red Toyota Tacoma was freshly cleaned and ready for another trip down to Roxbury, Massachusetts. I was picked up from my campus at Wentworth Institute of Technology on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon. It was about 75 degrees with a slight breeze on this beautiful July day. As we started driving down towards Roxbury, we could see nobody was outside. Usually Boston is full of people exploring the city and enjoying the downtown on a Saturday. Even at the Ethiopian Café there was no one in sight. We could see a mailman walking door to door dropping off mail but that was about it. There was hardly any traffic and no noise as most businesses were shut down. The birds chirping and the wind blowing was the only noise around. This looked like a ghost town. Inside the restaurant there was no one inside. There was a sign at the door that stated, “mask required to get inside”. The only business they were accepting was pickup or delivery. This was the “new normal” now for everybody. What was once an upbeat and social place to dine, is now a quiet empty restaurant running off a few customers at a time. I could not sit down with my dad and eat the food we had ordered. They would not allow anyone to dine inside or outside. Everyone had to just get their food and eat it somewhere else.

Protests are happening everywhere People know their rights, the right to protest People know their duties, duty to be informed But shouldn't they be informed, before they protest about what they protest? Maybe they are protesting for the right cause, but in a wrong way?

This is a picture of me, Dylan Sacks. I am currently a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts. Although I was on campus for the majority of the semester this year, I am home for about 10 weeks in total, because of the pandemic. Although Northeastern is unique compared to other schools because the majority of other schools around the country did not allow students to come back to campus after thanksgiving because of the pandemic, I made the personal choice to stay home until second semester begins (mid-january) for my own safety. This is where I spend most of my time, studying and working hard. On the computer monitor the application "Zoom" is pulled up. This is what all of my classes use so the students can feel as if we still have class. The difficulty is trying to feel as though these are normal times, and Northeastern and their amazing staff are doing everything they can to give us the closest they can to a traditional college experience.

Protests are happening in Punjab, India amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Punjab government 3.330 farmers had committed suicide, from 2000-2019. Due to the high debt, 536 farmers took their lives in just 2019 alone. Will privatization of the farmer market increase or decrease the debt? The new farm bill which was passed on September 27 is stressing a lot of people, they are confused and are protesting. Earlier, the government bought directly from the farmers. The new bill makes the farmer market a free market making entry for private companies. Privatization is good for the development of the country, but what about the small farmers? They are worried, stressed and not aware about what’s going on. They need a Minimum Selling Price (MSP), which is already given to them by the government so why the protests?

Coronavirus is a global pandemic that has disrupted all of our lives. I was just ending my senior year of high school, and i felt i had gotten everything taken away from me. As the numbers spiked, it became really scary and I realized how serious this really was. I want to show how serious this pandemic is in a poem i wrote.

This is a screenshot of the confirmation email for the scheduling of my COVID-19 test at Northeastern University on December 2, 2020. When applying to colleges in late fall of 2019, I would have never thought that I would be getting COVID-19 tests every three days and that it would be part of my weekly schedule in college. Northeastern University's motto throughout this pandemic has been "protect the pack." If everyone does their part by getting tested every three days, wearing masks at all times, and practicing six feet social distancing, we will get through this and remain on campus for the entirety of the semester. At first it was a little odd and inconvenient having to get tested so often. However, after the first month it was completely normal. It is something that I can do to make sure that my campus is healthy and to protect the fellow student at my university.

the Architecture studio spaces in the Annex building on the Wentworth campus, have been divided into cubicles. This was quite a change of scenery compared to the wide open space it used to be. The dividers give each student a cubicle of their own to do their work in safely. It has been hard to get used to, for the culture of studio here has always been one of collaborative work, checking in on a neighbor, and being able to be creatively influenced by peers. All of these things have unfortunately been put on hold by the virus. Once a lively, active space is now quite quiet and low key. I look to the future to be able to offer students after me the same great experiences I have been fortunate to have in this space when at its fullest potential with no barriers in sight. the use of all Covid protective measures being used in the CNC space over at the CfAR labs in the Wentworth Annex building on campus. PPE measures are very important to uphold in lab spaces where students have to collaborate with one another in order to successfully carry out their projects in the Architecture Department. These two students are seen wearing face masks, face shields as well as staying 6’ apart in order to maintain safety regulations. It is important to follow these regulations in order to continue our collaborative work flow. It took some time to get used to and has given the students new challenges to face while trying to safely share ideas and drawings with one another as well as working together in the lab spaces. From leaning over desks to draw on the same paper, to sharing tools, most aspects of collaborative work in architecture school have had to be rewritten in order to keep each other and professors safe during these times.

This is a project that aims to collect as many personal stories as they can. Through archiving the pandemic, they want to assess the impact of COVID-19 on people.

This is a chalk drawing that my friends and I made when we learned we would not being going back to school. This was very difficult because of the fact we were seniors had didn't get all the special things our last year . We wanted to make our mark on the school in a way that would show the school how much we loved coming every day. We went to the school and made this in the parking spots we usually parked in every day. This ended up going on the local news and the school website.

Being a dual-citizen has its perks under normal circumstances, but was incredibly useful when the United States-Canada border was closed amidst the pandemic. Every summer, my family and I do the road trip from Denver, Colorado, all the way to my grandparents' cottage in northern Ontario. However, this year, all unnecessary travel was completely restricted to non-citizens. Since we are all dual-citizens, we were allowed to enter, given we complete a 14-day quarantine before seeing anyone. It had been almost a year since my Granpa had a massive heart attack, and then survived triple-bypass surgery. Thus, my family and I thought traveling and completing the quarantine would be worth the risk if it meant we got to see them. Masked up, we drove across the Blue Water Bridge between Sarnia Ont. and Port Huron, Michigan. Normally, this bridge would be filled with cars and trucks, backed up in a 30-45 minute long line. COVID changed that. As we approached the border station, there were no other cars or trucks in sight. We slowly entered the only open crossing lane, and eerily, everything proceeded relatively normally. The pandemic killed travel, especially international movement; but I never would have expected to be the only vehicle crossing into Canada. It felt so unnatural and was an abnormal experience I hope I never see again.

When COVID-19 started to be recognized as a serious problem, the Federal Trade Commission warned of fake COVID-19 testing sites and ways to identify them. Now that the holiday season has started, articles are once again warning of fake testing sites and linking to the FTC's original warning.

In the beginning of the pandemic, I, like many others, was somewhat sure everything would inevitably blow over and we would be able to return to our normal lives. However, I came to unfortunately realize that we were in it for the long haul. I realized that I was going to have to start taking charge of my own life as it was essentially flipped on its back. I no longer went to school where I was preparing for APs. I no longer had my Track and Fields practices which were keeping me active and in shape. And I no longer got to see all of my friends everyday. The pandemic taught me that I would have to take the position of my teachers and prepare myself for my APs as well as my coaches to keep myself in shape and healthy. I began to study almost everyday and really developed a theme of resiliency within my life to bounce back from the detrimental effects of the pandemic. However, this story isn't about how I studied and prepared for my APs, its about how I ran and kept running the whole time of quarantine and how it led to some unforgettable experiences. When quarantine began I knew I was going to have to start taking charge when it came to my health and fitness. So, my friend and I began to run everyday at a local park near our houses. We would run through the woods and by the rivers and we just had a really good time. We were staying in shape and felt better than ever. And, we weren't just running on a track in a loop 20 times, we were exploring nature and becoming more accustomed to having to do things for ourselves. However, one day, this excitement that running brought to us would be exchanged with fear for once. My friend and I were running besides this river that we always run along. The river was quite tame a majority of the time but that day it had rained the night before and the rapids of the river were growing increasingly ferocious. We decided to stop at this one edge along the river and take a break as it was extremely humid that day. The river was very close to where we stopped so my friend decided to splash his face with some water from the river. And, without hesitation the river stepped him into its fearful rapids. I was scrambling. I didn't know what to do or what to think as my friend barreled down the river. I started running, screaming, and trying to think of something, anything, to help my friend. He was already at least 50 yards down the river and I was slacking behind trying to come up with some makeshift idea to save him. I knew there was no waterfall to worry about, however, the river was shallow rocks beneath the rivers surface were sharp and deadly. I began to run down the rivers edge to catch up to my friend. I looked around to find anything to throw to him that he could lodge between a rock or something. I began to dig up a bunch of leaves to look for a long enough stick, however, I ended up finding something that would prove to be even more useful. I found an old wooden plank. I was so scared and restless to find something so I took what I could find and threw it to my friend. And, he was able to lodge it between the bank and a rock sticking out of the river. I was able to pull him out of the river and he was saved. We were both in shock and had no idea what to make of the situation. I was scared and confused and didn't even know what to say. My friend finally broke the silence by saying the most anticlimactic phrase for that situation, "thanks." I said "your welcome" and then we both just started laughing and got up and walked back home. Evidently enough, the plank from the picture is the one that perhaps saved my friends life and is something I don't think I will ever forget. This event showed me just how unforgettable this pandemic is going to be. Like I said, I don't think ill ever forget what happened to my friend, and I will always remember the year 2020 as the year of unforgettable instances. My friend falling into that river showed me that things are going to happen in our lives that we aren't prepared for. I, like many others across the world weren't prepared for what this pandemic was going to do to our day to day lives. However, we learned to live with it and how to solve this problem just like how I was able to solve my friends problem and save him from that river. The pandemic has taught us just how unpredictable our lives can be, and just like how I saved my friend from that river, we have to learn how to save ourselves and overcome the unpredictability that this world has to evidently offer.

The easiest way to explain the feeling is exhaustion. As somebody who doesn't learn well independently nor online, this year has been hard in so many ways. Entering my third, yes THIRD (fourth if we're going to count spring 2020), fully online semester, I can only express what I feel as exhaustion. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, it feels as though there is not that light at the end of the tunnel everybody is talking about. While I know my troubles are surface level compared to the tragedy faced by many this last year, the turmoil I've experienced as a result is truly starting to hit home. I'm not the best online learner, I never have been, which is why in my time in college I have specifically designed my classes to fit into in person lectures only. My University has begun to transition into on campus classes again, although I am one of the few I know who have yet to have an in person option. While life isn't ever fair, it is difficult to continue to believe in a system that is providing resources and in person education to some, with no clear indicator of why they were chosen, and leaves others to continue to try our best. I love my school, I would not want to be anywhere else hands down, and I do believe that they are doing what is best for not only the student body, but our surround community as well. But gosh, am I exhausted.

I was never an artsy person nor was I someone who terribly hated arts either. When the pandemic hit, like any normal person, I stayed at home and was submitted to finding ways to entertain myself when nothing else could. I actually bought some markers on a whim thinking they were on sale. However, when I realized they were not, I wanted to return them. Until, I tried them and immediately loved them. I couldn’t draw well with them, but I loved the doodles I would just scribble out when I was bored. The vibrant colors were wonderful to my eyes and felt so free. They became a way for me to simply enjoy mundane life in the midst of this global pandemic.

In late August of 2020, I traveled from Fort Myers, Florida, to New York City. The pandemic affected the economy and travel extensively. For everyone's safety and to prevent damage to the economy, travel was allowed but restricted. As a result, prices for flights dropped, and my brother and I took advantage to visit our father, whom we had not seen in over a year. The airport seemed empty; however, when we boarded, the plane was full of people. We received care packages before boarding that contained alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer. Luckily for us, when we arrived in New York City, restrictions for COVID-19 in the city began to die down. Business' began opening, but most of the people who left their homes only went to work. Aside from a few individuals, the streets seemed dead. The streets pre-pandemic was full of life and culture. COVID –19 appeared to have stolen all that made the city vibrant. New York City is infamous for its subway rats, but what my family and I saw on a walk-through Central Park one day changed our perspective on them forever. We saw many rats running around the park freely. Usually, they will not run away at the sight of a person; they mostly do not care. But this time, they tried to get closer, almost as if they were grateful to see people. The foot traffic dramatically decreasing in New York forced the rats to move. They had to find an area where they could live freely, have food, and drink sources. Therefore, subway rats made the abandoned streets and paths of Central Park their new home. The manufactured rivers at the park made an excellent water hole. People regularly come to the park to feed other animals; birds, ducks, turtles, and squirrels are just a few. Because of this convenient food source, rats took advantage. They began to crowd around other animals hoping to receive food as well. Nonetheless, it seemed their relationship evolved past survival. We witnessed the animals at play. One would chase the other and vice versa. At one point, we found birds, squirrels, and rats eating together at the hand of a generous woman. The animals, abandoned by humans, began to come together, and in silence, the city gleamed with beauty. My trip to New York City in the year 2020 post-COVID-19 was unforgettable. The effects of the virus were visible in more than just the individual. It affected the economy, the culture, and the way of life for many organisms. The city quickly adjusted to the circumstances in hopes of survival. The resilience animals have as a community, their survival tactics, and prevalence are admirable features historians will appreciate when studying the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on society. Personally, seeing how COVID-19 forced the city that never sleeps to take a nap is a once in a lifetime experience.

In the midst of a pandemic, my parents also separated which left an intense question looming over the heads of my siblings and me. Who was going to be with who for Thanksgiving? I was informed about a week before Thanksgiving that all of my siblings were going to stay in Florida with my mother, which left me having to decide whether I was going to leave my dad in North Carolina alone or stay in Florida where I can finally spend time with my long-distance boyfriend after a long semester. I decided that no one should be along for such a great holiday and booked an impromptu flight from Florida to North Carolina. As my departure date approached I began to get very excited to spend time with my dad who I rarely saw, all the while the Covid-19 cases around the country were trending upward at an alarming rate. While out doing chores, my dad called me and expressed concern about being flying up in a plane and potentially exposing myself to the virus, which would in turn expose him. After a long conversation, my dad finally decided that he did not want me coming to Thanksgiving and disinvited me to his house. In a turmoil of emotions, I was obviously disappointed and hurt that my dad asked me not to come, but at the same time, I understood that as a 70-year-old man he was a high-risk citizen and I had to be mindful of his situation.

I uploaded this image because it describes what is going on in my life currently. I am not able to be at college currently. It's important to me because it is the reality of things. We have online classes, breaks are cancelled, and classes are ending early.

I have always gotten sick during the fall semester; it's just how my immune system has always been with my allergies and all of the normal sicknesses that go around this time of year. This year the fall semester and my normal sicknesses during it have been a source of stress for me on top of my classes. I am currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University and we have to fill out a daily health screening app that puts case investigators in contact with us if we report any symptom that might be related to COVID-19. This semester I have been in contact with case investigators twice. The first time was sometime around October 26 when I got my first COVID-19 test. I had a cough, a sore throat, and was experiencing fatigue but no fever. Just to be sure, I scheduled a test at a local CVS. The test at CVS you have to administer yourself and was unpleasant to say the least. My results came back negative on October 29, I told my case investigator, and returned to class. I missed my zoom class that Monday as well as my on-campus class that Tuesday. The following month, I developed a fever that reached 103.8 at its highest but I had no other symptoms except a cough after my fever passed. I tested on November 17 at another local CVS. It was the same self-administered test. I attended my class the Monday before, my temperature during which was between 102.8 and 103. I missed my class that Tuesday and got my results on November 20. It was once again negative, and I was able to return to my on-campus classes once my cough stopped. Like many other students, this pandemic has interrupted my normal school life and has added stress to an already stressful semester. In addition to this, not being able to attend class while I was waiting on my test results like has impacted my grades though I would not have attended those classes anyway if I were allowed to while waiting on my results.