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2020-08-21
After a few days of online schooling, my daughter had a breakdown. She was trying her best and feeling frustrated. Her breaking point was finally accomplishing her task and not being able to get her teachers attention because of technical difficulties. Her teacher was congratulating all her classmates and recognizing their work but she didn't. She felt defeated and wanted to quit. I tried to console her and blamed the computer and not her teacher. She then decided to crawl under the table and cry of frustration. This picture is important to me because it describes how remote learning is going in our home. I have tons of pictures of her in front of the computer doing well in class, but this is a moment that happens a lot that I rarely document. My daughter knows she cant go into school because of Covid and understands as much as her five-yar-old brain can but she is without a doubt struggling. This photo reminds me that children are suffering just as much, if not more, than adults are during this challenging time.
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2020-08-20
There's so much that Peru is doing right in terms of public health measures. This campaign is one more example, "Primero mi salud," (First my health), which is encouraging people to wear a mask and face shield on public transportation. The Ministry of Health has done a great job of creating campaigns and promoting sound public health measures. A commentator says...and people should wear them in markets, and everywhere, which is true. Infection rates will go down if more people follow these protocols.
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2020-08-24
Like most people, I have discovered an interest in hobbies that I never really had the time to indulge in prior to the pandemic. I was living in San Francisco, beginning the end of my college years and looking forward to what the future held for me and my beautiful, and not at all expensive, B.A. in philosophy that I was to receive in December 2020. Most of my friends were graduating in the Spring and I was so envious... that was until the pandemic hit.
Everything moved so quickly. I had only 3 days to move out of my apartment, say good-bye the the people closest to me, and leave the city I've had the privilege of living in for the last three years. A city where I've scattered memories all over the place, danced through the streets with kindred spirits I hadn't met before, and developed a fierce love for my first home as an independent young woman. All stripped away from the palms of my hands, and in a matter of days it was the end of an era. It was the beginning of a global pandemic, something barely anybody had experienced before.
The world seemed to only inhibit negativity and death, a cocktail very few people could take, and that's including a chaser. Sadness filled the air and polluted social media platforms. We all felt uncertain, scared, and alone. These feelings crept up, and leeched onto us. But one thing was absolutely certain, I had all the time in the world. There I was, 22 with no job and nowhere to go. There was nowhere I could go. So I did what any ordinary person would do in this situation, and I taught myself how to function the way humans did before social media and the internet.
I learned to do some of the things that were once taught to young women in school with the intention of making them a qualified wife, but I called them hobbies. I learned to knit, embroider, sew by hand and by sewing machine, thoroughly clean a bathroom, and I also mastered the art of Mediterranean cooking. In the photo I have a attached I am showing off a scarf that I made in the first couple of weeks in quarantine. I playfully boasted my finished craft to my philosophy of nature class, and we all had a laugh. I miss that group of people.
I do, however, find some happiness in being able to take a step back and slow down. The only reason I was able to do so was because I didn't have a choice in the matter. The world was crashing down right before my eyes and I couldn't do anything to stop it aside from staying home and staying away from others. What I think this narrative has to say about the pandemic is that people actually have the capacity to entertain themselves outside of the internet. Growing up I was always using the internet. I went from selecting my Top 8 on MySpace to watching prank videos on youtube to having class virtually. I have become sick of screen time that I have no choice but to pick something up to stay interested in the ordinary day to day. I've developed skills that could help me out in the future, if I could be so brave to assume there is a future of course. It is important for me to find some light, to find some joy. I giggled before this global pandemic, I've giggled during, and I will giggle after. Heck, I giggled while writing this personal narrative called an assignment. I have to giggle, it keeps me young and alive. It is important to find some light in all the darkness, and I think that's one of the most important things I've truly learned through all of this: To be the light you so desperately want to see.
I've called that scarf my quarantine sqarf, and I can't wait to wear it for the rest of my time and then gift it to someone I love one day when I am old and saggy, if I am so lucky to get there. Stay safe and wash your hands.
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2020-08-24
The eerie and empty streets of downtown San Francisco shows social fears and ultimately the decisions to stay home amid the pandemic.
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2020-08-21
During this pandemic, I have felt loneliness, I have felt very very lonely. I have felt confusion, fear, and loneliness. When I was stuck inside my house during quarantine, I thought that it would all go away, that everything would be back to normal and that it would be ok. But no, instead this pandemic has prevented me from seeing my friends and has prevented me from seeing my grandparents who live right down the street who I see every day. This virus has definitely taken a toll on me mentally and personally. My mental health during this pandemic has been like a roller coaster, it has been out of control and it has caused me to just wanna see one of my friends and just hug them, but because of social-distancing and since the virus can literally kill anyone, I couldn’t. I love hugs, but for the past 5 months, I couldn’t. I can't feel the amazing feeling of embracing another person, the warm hugs are just one of the ways that make me feel a lot better when I'm sad, or happy, or simply just having a hard time. Now I’m in college, taking half of my classes online, and wondering if there would possibly be an outbreak at my university. The thought of something like that happening scares me but doesn't surprise me either. Me not being able to sit next to someone, or hug someone, or hang out with someone, or swing on a swing with someone, is just the main reason why I have felt severe loneliness during this pandemic.
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2020-08-22
It’s really interesting to me that this recent public health promotion is advocating for nursing and responding to your baby’s changes. The parents are wearing face masks, so it’s clearly tying into the Coronavirus pandemic and larger public health concerns. From the Instragram account of the Ministerio de Salud del Perú.
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2020-08-24
I created this sweet (as in cool) poster to promote the JOTPY Internship and recruit more participants for the fall semester. I love the imagery of hand sanitizer as liquid gold. The fact that it a public mural makes it even more compelling.
I started off with 9 students enrolled in the fall internship. This internship is open to ASU history graduate students. Yet, slowly that number dropped down to four. I’m not sure why. I don’t think that there’s a better opportunity out there right now. Nowhere else can you complete a remote internship on the scale of the COVID-19 archive. This archive is magnanimous, it’s important now, but it will be remembered as a watershed moment in public history projects.
I do recognize that people are busy, and the fact that the internship goes beyond the normal 7.5 week session is an extra piece to juggle, but in my mind anyone who wants to do public history or gain a serious skill set needs to be part of this project. I hope I can convince more people to join.
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2020-08-22
Do I have what it takes to homeschool my kid? I never thought I would consider homeschooling, though I find myself in this unusual position. I am working from home, teaching online, and the current online curriculum isn’t working for my daughter. So after talking to one of the ASU JOTPY interns (Chris Twing) who also homeschools her kid I had the chance to look at 3 different homeschool programs she sent me.
In the end, I liked the curriculum from Blossom and Root. It seems to encourage creativity and individual expression, and I love that. The math will require a supplemental program, but if she wants to go back to the bilingual school she’ll have to pass a math exam in Spanish anyway. So, either way I’ve got to come up with a Spanish math plan.
This picture shows one of the activities from the literature lesson. We read two stories from The Meadow People, the “Selfish Caterpillar,” and the “Lazy Snail.” She had to make characters out of clay and retell the stories in her own words. It was honestly a lot of fun, and much better engagement. I love working, but this is helping me see a way to support by child and connect with her through education.
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2020-08-18
Sitting next to my 6yo while she sits on Zoom for 5 hours isn’t working. The teachers assume that a parent is there ready to jump in at any moment, and if we aren’t problems bubble up. For example, I was working on Maya’s second day of school and I missed that she took a bathroom break and missed that her teacher scolded her for taking one.
I emailed the school’s principal, because while I really, really want her to attend the bilingual school, I don’t think it’s possible with the current set up. I wrote an email and asked, basically, what would happen if she unenrolled and came back.
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2020-07-07
My experience is a firsthand story about my 14-day quarantine after I was diagnosed with Covid-19. I do not want to talk about the physical aspect of quarantine because I was asymptomatic. I want to touch on the mental wear and tear one can go through while isolating alone. No human interaction, for me, can take a toll on me because I am a very social person and can fall into a rut if I do not have social interaction. The first thing that is lost during isolation is routine. Life comes to a standstill and because there is little obligations, your mind allows you to get out of habit. The second thing that goes is a purpose and a motivation to do tasks that are typically part of your daily life. Although life is going on in the outside world, that perspective was not there for me. The last thing that goes away is your energy, not just physical energy but mental energy. My mental energy started to lack because I have a hard time being confined and I like to recharge by doing activities outside. Isolation was not just a physical challenge but a mental challenge.
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2020-08-24
At the age of 18, never did I expect that the end of my senior year of high school would be plagued by a global pandemic that has tested this world's ability to adapt and innovate on the go. On March 12th, 2020, was the last day of high school for me at Westwood High School in Westwood, MA. My fellow students were aware that Covid-19 had begun to take its toll on America. We heard rumors that the school administration was planning on taking a one week breaks to assess the situation at hand. I remember some students being excited that they would have a one week "vacation" and others being more aware that this one week break was really just a way for the school to say that school would be conducted remotely for the rest of the year. As I returned home that Thursday, I received an email from the school announcing that there would at least be a two week hiatus to deeply clean the school and plan for the future. At that moment, I knew my school year, spring sports season, final prom, and my summer were seriously altered. It is what it is. I am not a selfish person, so yes I was upset, but I knew these changers were for the better.
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2020-08-24
I typically play Dungeons & Dragons with a few people every other week. As things have been a constant roller coaster for many conflicts are always on the rise. Having to change everything from in-person games to fully online was quite time consuming in the beginning. Unfortunately, quite a few people had to drop out entirely due to having to find new jobs. I have been told that they look forward to the games and feel everything isn’t as crazy when they can spend a few hours hanging out and enjoying time playing together. I found myself with a lot more time on my hands recently with everything still dragging along and put in a lot of work to make sure the games are still available if the group finds they will be able to participate.
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2020-06-01
These photos portray the heightened social and political tensions that occurred after George Floyd's death. Systematic racism, marginalization, and police brutality sparked an increase in civil unrest, resulting in a mandated curfew in San Francisco. Floyd's tragic death caused rioting, protesting, and looting nationwide, concurrently taking place during the worsening pandemic of COVID-19. As many businesses closed their doors, many closing for good, few essential businesses such as Safeway stayed open. Strict policies in regards to wearing faces masks, social distancing as well as more intensive cleaning measures, were enforced to ensure the safety of the community at large. In short, the photos of store policies depict the rapid changes that were implemented in response to COVID-19. The rest of the photos show how our store took cover during the intense rioting that spiked in late May and early June. A few depict the aftermath of the looting at a local Safeway branch; the store that I worked at was not unscathed in the looting scene. I hid with a couple of employees in the manager's office, on the phone with police, as people broke in. This is just a small glimpse into a larger event that reverberated nationwide, sparking massive outcry, and hushed voices to rise as many sheltered during this pandemic.
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2020-04
The modern day photo, the one quivocating social distancing to Communism, I first stumbled upon on social media. The photo instantly made me think how paranoia has always played a part in the American attitude towards the government; Americans have always been quick to assume that the government isn't being straightforward with them and that there's a conspiracy afoot. That conclusion leads me to the second photo, taken in August of 1959 in Little Rock, Arkanasas, was the response to school integration that allowed African-Americans to go to formerly White-Only schools. As you can see, it's a mirror image of Americans forming conspiracy theories or general paranoia that is usually scapegoated onto Communism.
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2020-05-01
This is a diary of 8-week quarantine. Coming back from another country at the beginning of pandemic, hospital, some sad thoughts - it is an unfinished diary. Life continues and we should get used to the new world so I stopped this diary. Although in my home country, Belarus happens worse things that I described in a diary. We have revolution right now, people die, peaceful protesters are bitten, tortured, and gotten to prison. But it’s a whole another part of my life, which I could not even imagine at the beginning of a pandemic. So enjoy the diary of innocent and naive Yana from the past.
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2020-08-22
The COVID 19 pandemic is devastating to even to a small community like my own. People continue to live in fear of the virus and it is only worsening for my own small community. This picture helps to show one of the positives of this devastating disease which is being able to get closer to my family members. During isolation I ended up spending a lot of time with my grandparents and we were actually able to get closer. I feel this says a lot about the pandemic. It shows that times are tough to people and this disease has got everyone concerned. During these harsh times it is now more important than ever before to have a good support system. The support from families and friends I feel is what kept me going and a lot of my other colleagues felt the same way. Through COVID 19 then I was able to get closer to my own family and I think this one positive despite these difficult times helps to make my time during this pandemic a little more manageable. I think both this picture and story helps to document both the effects of COVID 19 on a small town and one way that people have adjusted to the new environment.
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2020-03-30
Let me share with you the story of my COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. The outbreak in the United States came after our school's spring break. At that time, we were instructed to attend classes online, and we were unprepared to the rest of the semester. And it has also been accompanied by the cancellation of many campus activities. The quality of the course is compromised. Both professors and students are severely tested because the new teaching modality has never been used. The professors ponder how to teach and design exams online, and the student tries to adjust to the new studying environment. What'sWhat's more, as students, we lost all kinds of group discussion activities, presentation and face-to-face experience in class. Online courses are always less convenient than face-to-face ones. But as students, we have to overcome it.
Another thing that is affected by the epidemic is the mindset. I can imagine the COVID-19 will break out in the United States because it's a very contagious virus. It isn't the flu, but it is a virus. In the early stage of the outbreak, many people had very wrong misconceptions about the coronavirus. This misconception is more deadly than the COVID itself.
When I walk down the street, most people don't wear masks because they think they don't need to wear masks. One passer-by even told me that masks were useless for the virus. I am so shocked by their mindset. It is the first time I can actually feel that the COVID is less lethal because people who don't believe masks can save a life are really trying to challenge COVID with their lives.
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2020-07-20
It is my last year of undergraduate studies and a really crucial year for the transition into Medical School. Experiencing such a thing as this pandemic at such a momentous period in my life was intimidating at first but gradually transitioned into a much required reflection. The lockdown had started at the end of the Spring semester and the importance of school and studies started to fade away into what seemed like a never-ending holiday. The semester then ended and summer seemed like an extension of the holiday even though entrance exams were just around the corner for Medical School. Two months went by in a flash and nothing but a lazy attitude was accomplished. I then recieved this letter in an email from my grandfather who was half-way accross the world. The letter was a short story about his life and the educational aspects of it. He was clearly reliving some of his memories from when he was my age and wanted to impart some much needed advice onto me. Without knowing my mental state at that point, he knew exactly what I needed and could somehow sense my cowardice. His letter gave me a "kick in the butt", which was much required. From the letter; arose in me a certain kind of motivation that had escaped since the start of the lockdown. The letter is a small example highlighting the privilege of an education. It exemplifies the importance of learning, which can be useful for every student. The yearning to learn must never stop, especially at a time such as this.
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2020-08-24
It is the health code that is required for every Chinese citizens to enter public buildings and use public transportations. It proves that you have not encountered any one who has been tested positive nor did you traveled to a high-risk area in the last 14 days; you would only be allowed to go into the public if the health code is green. It has become a daily essential for me, like face masks and hand sanitizes.
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0020-08-23
When COVID-19 began, I was in San Francisco with my roommates. The stay at home order seemed to come so suddenly; our families told us domestic travel may be shut down and encouraged us to fly home. So, I packed up a single suitcase and flew home to Colorado the next day, not really expecting that I would be home for the next five months. It was a relief to see my family, but it was strange spending so much time at home after being in college in another state for the better part of two years. What happened the week before I went back to San Francisco seemed to be a sign that it was good that I had been able to be home with my family for a while. In Colorado, I live with my parents, younger brother, and yellow lab Sundance. We got Sundance when I was 8 years old, and he has been my best friend for the past 12 years. He has had epilepsy and arthritis from a young age, so I always knew there was a chance he would find his way to doggie heaven while I was away at college. Because of this, every time I went back to SF after visiting home, I'd have a small talk with Sundance, telling him to hang on until the next time I saw him. I had this talk with him a few days before I planned to start my road trip back to San Francisco. I told him I was leaving, and that I knew he could hang on until I got back. The next day, Sundance couldn't get up. We brought him to the vet, who told us he had bone cancer in his elbow, causing him too much pain to want to put any weight on it. Sundance was 12 and a half at this point, so an amputation would do more harm than good. Since he couldn't do anything on his own - go to the bathroom, get up to eat or drink, or get up to greet us, we decided it was his time to go to doggie heaven. My mom said he knew I was leaving, and he wanted his "whole pack" to be there when he had to move on. It's always too soon to say goodbye to your best friend, but I think that this was true. After all, he did wait until I was back home again to say goodbye. Quarantine has been hard, but it gave me time with my family and my dog that I will forever cherish.
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2020-07
As a prospective law school applicant, I took the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) this past July in an online proctored format. Far from what I expected for such an important career-altering test, taking it in my bedroom in a household with five other family members was definitely unprecedented. The comfort of home allowed for me to be less nervous, but required me to think about the test will scared that any noise made by my family would result in a disqualification of my test. Overall, I’m grateful to still have had the opportunity to take it, although definitely under very different circumstances.
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2020-08-23
Throughout my time curating and finding impacts of the pandemic named COVID-19 I have learned that through the many hardships that Americans have encountered over the past several months we are adaptable and resilient to change. I have also learned that human beings ARE mostly generous and giving entities especially when faced with communal heartache. Many of us have felt empathy at its finest by living in a difficult situation that is similar to the difficult situations that those around us are going through. Through this collection, and through the collections of others, I have seen that people have deserted self-centered mentalities placing them with more understanding than ever before. I look forward to seeing where these unselfish and positive mentalities take the humanity of our world.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my work curating, archiving, creating oral histories and working as a team towards a common goal in this difficult time. I look forward to refining these beginning skills I have acquired over the last 15 weeks by continuing to work in cyber archives, whether it be professionally or recreationally. This experience has been unforgettable for me personally and professionally and I am proud to have been a part of saving this historic time in global history.
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2020-08-23
When I first began the Journal of the Plague Year internship, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. I wanted to be part of something impactful and important during the pandemic and was hoping to learn some new skills that could be applied in furthering my academic studies or in future job pursuits. What I discovered as the internship went on is that I was going to get to do all of that and so much more. What I thought was going to be a “standard” internship was instead a fast-paced, jump in with both feet without looking, rollercoaster ride. I had no previous experience doing public history work beyond conducting an oral history interview with my great-grandmother for an “Aging in Rural America” course during my undergraduate studies. What I discovered was the entire behind the scenes effort that makes these pieces of information readily accessible to the public. As the internship progressed, not only was I adjusting to constantly changing best practice regarding curation, but I was also learning new skills that I would have likely not learned anywhere else in my academic career. What started, in my mind, as a simple internship turned into one of the greatest learning experiences of my academic career, to date.
Never had I imagined that I would learn, let alone use, some of the skills that were cultivated during this internship. While I am not a fan of the redaction portion of public history, likely because I don’t feel very adept at it, many of the other skills introduced and learned during this internship appealed to me greatly. During the blog post writing assignment, I discovered the challenge of attempting to write an attention-grabbing piece that was interesting to read to a general audience yet informational enough to convey the necessary information while maintaining a condensed length so as not to lose a reader’s interest. This was extremely challenging for me as I tend to be long-winded and include to much “fluff” in much of my writing. I, however, found the challenge enjoying and plan to continue to hone my blogging skills; maybe even someday start my own history related blog. One of the most enjoyable skills that I learned was the entire range of conducting and polishing an oral history. The development of questions, the interview itself, the transcription (the first few attempts were very rough), and even the cataloging and archiving of the history were a joy once I understood and was comfortable with the process. Finding new tools to use as part of the oral history portion of the internship such as otter.ai was also an extremely rewarding aspect of the process. This skill will likely prove itself especially useful in my further academic and professional pursuits.
Finally, the experience of interaction between the interns was unique in my experiences working with others. Never have I participated in an entirely digital project or team experience before the JOTPY internship. The experience was unique and very rewarding, and the interaction between the interns was exceptional. Not only did we conduct weekly meetings regarding the archive and internship and work remotely within groups using digital tools within the internship group, but we connected, interacted, and worked with other groups and individuals associated with the archive using the same tools (Zoom, Slack, etc.) I have had some of my fellow interns in other classes during my program, but being able to actively see, speak, and work with my colleagues was a wonderful experience and I was lucky to be part of such a great group of historians.
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2020-07-12
On a Sunday this past July, my cousin texted me out of the blue saying that she was about to start driving from her home in Oakland, CA to Los Angeles and that she would love to stop in Santa Barbara, CA to have lunch with me. I was really excited to get her text, because I had been feeling extremely lonely that weekend. I hadn't seen any family members in-person since March, since I don't live very near any of them. My cousin had been following social distancing guidelines extremely carefully since March, and I had also been following them while allowing myself a little more freedom. Given that, we didn't even consider having a not socially distant lunch. I picked up food from a restaurant for us and set chairs far apart for us to eat in my front yard. When my cousin arrived, she even volunteered to go the bathroom in yard so that she didn't have to enter my house. I thought that was a little over-the-top, and we ultimately decided it was okay for her to come in wearing a mask to use my bathroom. We had a great lunch, just eating and laughing. It was so uplifting to be in the same vicinity as a loved one. Then my sister FaceTimed us from her home in Chicago with her baby. This is where things got pretty hilarious. We tried to set up my computer in a way that allowed my cousin and me to both see and be seen while also staying more than six feet apart. It was nearly impossible, but our attempts made us laugh so hard. It just felt like such silly thing to be doing. I had such a great time with my cousin for those couple of hours. Her presence and all of the laughter definitely lightened my mood.
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2020-08-21
The frustration of many within the LGBTQ+ community over blood donations has been especially pronounced in the middle of the pandemic. The FDA recently moved the requirements for gay men to be abstinent from 12 months to 3 months. Activists and others point out that because blood can be screened for HIV, and that the rules are outdated and don't make sense. It is tragic that those who are capable of donating blood in this moment of crisis are unable to do so based on these current regulations. It brings back images of gay men that tried to donate blood after the Pulse nightclub massacre, but were turned away.
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2020-08-23
When I embarked on the journey that was the JOTPY internship, I was unsure of what it would entail. I knew there would be assignments centered around collecting information in regards to COVID-19, but I did not know the extent. I was very surprised to learnt that we would be in fact completing our own oral histories.
At the beginning, it was easier to contribute items to the archive, and extremely fun. But, as the work got more in depth, things got tougher. I had dabbled in oral history before, but had only done it to the extent of transcribing myself. By being introduce to Otter AI, my job got a lot easier. However, I'm still not a fan of oral history transcription.
This course/internship taught me a plethora of skills. These included working with a team, curating fro an archive, software skills and more which I hope to incorporate in my future classes and career. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and look froward to seeing it come full circle.
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2020-08-23
When I embarked on the journey that was the JOTPY internship, I was unsure of what it would entail. I knew there would be assignments centered around collecting information in regards to COVID-19, but I did not know the extent. I was very surprised to learnt that we would be in fact completing our own oral histories.
At the beginning, it was easier to contribute items to the archive, and extremely fun. But, as the work got more in depth, things got tougher. I had dabbled in oral history before, but had only done it to the extent of transcribing myself. By being introduce to Otter AI, my job got a lot easier. However, I'm still not a fan of oral history transcription.
This course/internship taught me a plethora of skills. These included working with a team, curating fro an archive, software skills and more which I hope to incorporate in my future classes and career. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and look froward to seeing it come full circle.
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2020-08-20
It seems that LGBTQ+ seniors are often overlooked within the community. In a pandemic that disproportionately impacts older Americans, this is especially problematic. In addition to the unique issues faced by LGBTQ+ people, being a LGBTQ+ senior makes that position especially precarious. It's relieving to see that there are organizations dedicated to protecting LGBGTQ+ seniors and I hope that this merger proves to be effective.
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2020-08-20
The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn more attention to online students, and given some people more time. ASU Online students have been working to develop one of the first online student governments in the nation, to represent Arizona State University's online campus. As part of this, ASU Online hosted its first ever Welcome Week via Zoom and is building rapport and establishing connections with the online community. It can be difficult to interact with your peers online in a social context, and this has provided many students the opportunity to connect and build new friendships. The community that has been built by online students, has provided myself, as well as others, the feeling that we are not alone during these unprecedented times.
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2020-08-05
This picture is significant to my COVID-19 experience in 2020 because it caused me to stay on the highway for approximately 3hrs. Due to new Covid laws usually when a high-tension wire hits the ground, they can find ways to get everyone away from the wire. However, since we have to stay 6 feet apart the cops and fire department couldn’t speak directly to everyone. We had to remain in our vehicles and just assume everything was going to be alright. This was my first time experiencing something like this. A lot of people couldn’t handle just sitting in their vehicles not having answers and so they turned around on the highway and tried to drive backwards to get off the road.
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2020-08-21
BeYouASU is a LGBTQ+ student organization that welcomes students from all of Arizona State University's campuses. BeYouASU kicked off its first book club for fall semester, which was held over Zoom. The return to school this fall feels much different than years prior, but BeYouASU is providing students the opportunity to connect with each other during this difficult time. Making new connections and friendships in a welcoming environment is something that is especially important in these unprecedented times. For book club, we are reading Susan Stryker's "Transgender History."
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2020-08-15
Este video fue grabado en día en la ciudad de Arequipa, como se sabe el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas esta prohibido ya sea lugares que estén fuera del hogar o dentro del mismo. Es por esto que algunos jóvenes optaron por celebrar el día de Arequipa en Characato distrito que se encuentra alejado de la ciudad el cual está rodeado de chacras los jóvenes pensaron que no serían atrapados pero al parecer algunas personas dieron aviso a los militares que se encontraban haciendo guardia a alrededores. El hecho ocasionó que al ser descubiertos empiezan a huir del lugar siendo perseguidos por el personal del ejército vecinos del lugar grabaron lo sucedido.
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2020-08-10
Throughout this pandemic, one of the hardest hit groups of people in terms of how much the community wide lock down halted life for the time being, were high school seniors. This picture was taken as a replacement for what prom photos would have been in May.
While this might come off as a shallow thing to place importance on, these prom photos we took mean more than just trying to reclaim the high school experience. Of the girls in this photo, four of us are now college freshmen. In our last few weeks together we took every opportunity to get together for lunches, dinner, or drive in movies, things that we took for granted pre-covid. As a result, the pandemic has ingrained in me a very important principle to have: live as presently as you can. I can honestly say that my best friends and I are closer than we ever could have been had our high school experiences not been put on pause for six months. I appreciate their company more, and I believe wholeheartedly that our experiences apart, and subsequently together, have strengthened our bond for good.
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08/23/2020
Kelsey McIntyre lives in Walnut Creek, California. She discusses how the pandemic caused her to lose both of her jobs but says she is grateful that her state and local government responded the way that they did, or things could be much worse. Kelsey feels that she has grown closer with her family who are in various places across the United States, and that the increasing prevalence of technology such as Zoom makes it possible to communicate with them. Kelsey talks about the impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ+ community by the cancellation of Pride Month events and the LGBTQ+ community being at increased risk for exposure by those who are most vulnerable. Kelsey talks about how her partner works in news and she relies on them to get updates about what is happening, as well as checking the news on her iPhone She also talks about how she has learned to establish boundaries with her partner and that being together frequently can be both good and bad. Kelsey believes that masks will be mandated indoors a year from now, at least where she lives, and is optimistic that people in the LGBTQ+ community are actively participating in preventative measures.
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2020-08-23
This story is very significant for me as its something that I never thought i would have lived, a pandemic. I was very lucky of passing this past six months in my home with my family where I have learned to value everything a lot I spend most of the time in my home. What I have uploaded is a video from a very recognized mountain called el Avila which happens to be my every morning view from my balcony. El Avila represents protection to our city, the same way the mask is protection for us in these very critical moments.
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2020-05-04
We decided as a family to create a film that documented our experience of lockdown. The film is a narrative that is loosely based on our family's lived experience in the time of Covid-19. The act of making the film as a family served to connect us creatively. The film also acts as a time capsule.
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2020-04-05
The Coronavirus is not a one person issue. Everyone has had to deal with it and no one has been unaffected. I would like to recount for the archive my personal struggles during this pandemic so that they may be used for research purposes in dealing with something like this in the future.
Before the pandemic started, I was a senior in high school. I had just asked my girlfriend to prom, which was just a few months away, and I had a 4.5 gpa for my senior year compared to my 3.5 for the rest of high school. I was excited to run spring track and try to break 5 minutes in the mile for the first time in high school. I hung out nearly everyday with my best friends. I had just committed to Suffolk University and was excited for the future.
I didn’t really realize how bad Covid-19 was going to be until what would be our last day of school. It was a thursday, and all of us thought it would be a quick two week break to get rid of the virus and we would all be back. Obviously, that was not the case.
I am a pretty social person, so when the lockdown was announced a week later, I really struggled with staying inside. Even with facetime, xbox live chat, and texting, I was not able to get enough social interaction. I felt extremely lonely. Spring sports were obviously also cancelled. This was just the first domino to fall in a long list of unfortunate events for me that, no doubt, many others experienced as well.
A few weeks into lockdown, my girlfriend called me in tears telling me that her blood condition, which affects her nerve endings in almost her entire body, had gotten much more severe. Even worse, Covid-19 was making it harder to go to the hospital for the treatments. For her health, we had to break up, and I have not talked to or heard from her since.
My older brother had also moved home from college at this point from UMass Amherst. While my younger brother and I have always done well in school and been well behaved kids, the same could not be said for my older brother. An avid weed smoker and oftentimes alcohol abuser, I had to share a room with him for all of quarantine, and continue to do so now. He experienced a lot less rules and a lot more freedom while in college, and did not transition well back to the stricter rules of our household, and often took this out on me. While he did not physically harm me, as I am much stronger than him, he continued to throw flurries of insults and mental abuse at me, ruining my every day. He also did this to the rest of my family, making it hell for everyone at home. At one point, my mother kicked him out, and he had to live with his boyfriend for a while.
My mother also did not deal well with staying inside. She has struggled with her weight almost her entire adult life, and the closing of gyms during Covid-19 made her lose all motivation to stay in shape. She gained almost 100 pounds back in 2 months. My older brother coming home also caused her mounds of stress. Since my younger brother hid in his own locked room, and my older brother screamed or stormed out when my mom got mad at us, she took out all of her frustrations on me for the smallest things, taking away the devices I used to contact all my friends just because I had forgotten to put my shoes away or do the dishes.
My father and my younger brother both dealt much better with the situation, but that did not save me from the rest of my family. After missing school and all my friends, getting my spring sport cancelled, losing my girlfriend, my brother and mother constantly berating and harassing me, and having nowhere to go but my shared room with no privacy, I began to free fall into a major case of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Prior to this pandemic, I had never spoken with a therapist. I used to get bullied in elementary and middle school, but I always had ways of coping such as sports, hanging out with friends, and focusing on school, but now I had a real problem on my hands. After about 4 weeks of struggling inside of my own head, I finally realized I needed professional help. My parents set me up with a woman named Rachel via Zoom, and I talk to her every thursday. She is a licensed therapist, and is part of the new wave of technological medical care in this time of a pandemic. While she has not solved my problems, both the easing of restrictions and her mental guidance has helped me to cope with my situation. I am very grateful for her, and although I am not fully back to where I was before the pandemic, I am continuing to recover to this day. I leave to move in at Suffolk in 5 days, and I could not be more excited for the change of scenery, new friends, and a chance to continue my sport into college.
The pandemic has been hard on everyone, and I am sure that I am not alone in my struggles. I wrote this so that people can look back in the future to realize just how devastating an impact can have on one individual’s life if not handled properly, because Covid-19 genuinely rocked my world.
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2020-05-22
In high school, I worked for South Windsor Parks and Recreation as a program leader for the before and after school program, as well as a camp counselor during the summers. On March 12, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont announced that schools will be closed beginning that Monday, March 16, for at least two weeks due to COVID-19. This included my program, putting me and all of my coworkers out of a job during this time (and, eventually, the rest of the school year), and taking away the childcare that so many South Windsor families depended on, including my own. I was a senior in high school when this happened, trying to work as much as possible to save up for college. My department was working hard to create an alternative within our state's guidelines to remain open and operating without compromising the safety of our employees and families. Unfortunately, COVID-19 was too unpredictable at the time and we had no idea how to protect everyone other than shutting down completely. For months, my coworkers and I heard nothing from our supervisors, as they had no new information to give us. On May 22, 2020, we were sent this flyer with information about a modified summer camp for 2020, called "Camp Evolution," with guidelines covering group sizes, social distancing expectations, and mask mandates. Many former counselors made the decision to not return for camp, including myself, as I lived with my grandparents at the time who, in addition to being in their 80s, also had preexisting conditions. I also know of many program leaders who will not be returning to our before and after school program due to similar concerns. The camps and programs have also been finding themselves short on participants, as most families in South Windsor are concerned about the virus, and many are currently working from home, so they no longer require the same childcare as before. For many families with parents who are not able to work remotely, such as my own, are thankful for these program reopenings, as well as the smaller group numbers that come with them. I am proud of my department for working so hard to keep their employees and families safe while also continuing to provide services for those most in need.
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2020-01-01
2020 started off with a lot of motivation. I started my university transfer application very early in the year and got accepted to my top school right before spring break. All the stress was over and i was ready to enjoy the spring break in Cancun then... CORONAVIRUS. My daily routine change drastically. I went from being in school and hanging with friends to falling asleep or getting bored during my online classes, eating and sleeping. It has become my new routine. Most students are going through this too. *sigh* When will it be over?
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2020-08-21
In February of 2020, I was a high school senior trying to finish up high school and think about what I was trying to be doing the next school year. By March, the Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker declared a stay-at-home order and I was finishing high school by doing assignments and emailing them to teachers. Then the shut-down really evolved as my high school prom and graduation were both canceled. Well, our graduation was only partially canceled. Six students receiving diplomas were allowed to show up every 30 minutes, with no more than five family members present, and everyone remained socially distant throughout the process.
My parents both started working from home and always seemed to be doing something I had not previously heard of, Zoom calls. To get a head start on college, I had signed up for a Summer class at Suffolk University. Amongst other reasons, I had chosen Suffolk for its proximate location to my home, its outstanding science facilities (a brand-new sciences and lab building), urban feel and connections to local businesses, hospitals, and research facilities. Then the class went remote and Zoom meetings became the norm for me.
The Politics of a Global Pandemic class involved a weekly Zoom forum with panelists from around the world. Topics varied weekly, but the theme always involved global politics around this pandemic. At first, I figured it would be mainly US politics, since it is a presidential election year. Then we talked about a variety of pandemic's global impacts, economic effects, cultural changes, and how society and political leaders view these challenges.
We didn't use Zoom calls in those last few months of my senior year of high school. Then two months later, Zoom became so mainstream that the biggest political convention of my lifetime (to date) was actually held virtually. The title of the article, "The DNC Is the Best Zoom Meeting of 2020—So Far" resonates as it seems like this could be just the beginning. I turned 18 just prior to the pandemic and registered to vote. From what I've seen in online videos of past conventions, were speeches, political endorsements, and balloons cascading from the ceiling of a stadium as a candidate accepts his or her party nomination.
This pandemic changed things for me, for global politics, and society so drastically, I wonder when or if in-person schooling and politics will ever be what I saw and experienced over the course of my life. I’m now registered for all virtual classes this fall; and probably more Zoom calls.
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2020-08-21
This picture was taken seconds before I walked across the makeshift stage at graduation. With the sun glaring down and my name about to be called, it almost felt like a normal ceremony. Normal, save the distance between myself and everyone and the sinking feeling that I still couldn’t quite ignore. My last year of high school was anything but what I had imagined it would be. In certain ways, it felt as if I had missed out on what many take for granted. Instead of the final celebrations and traditions of a senior year, COVID-19 gave me an entirely new mindset. I saw the humility of the world, and also the faults we often ignore. I walked across that stage and into an uncertain future, one that I can only look towards optimistically.
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2020-06-12
The image I chose represents the pandemic, as it shows the many people protesting in the back with masks on. It also represents Lil Baby’s solidarity with the current BLM movement. He’s leading a George Floyd Protest in his hometown of Atlanta on a bicycle. This image is very important to me because as a Lil Baby, as well as a huge hip-hop fan, it represents how although we have a worldwide pandemic going on, that we shouldn’t stray away from the true problems in our communities. Baby used his huge platform and fanbase to spread his feelings and stance on a very relevant issue during today’s day. Even though he had COVID to worry about, he didn’t let it stop him from participating and leading protests over an issue that he believed strongly in.
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2020-08-17
With the pandemic, the lives of many people have changed. For me, I see the changes most significantly at work. I started working at Planet Fitness in January, before the lockdown. I enjoyed my shifts and loved interacting with members at check-in. When we returned to work in July, my work shifts changed significantly. One of my new responsibilities included enforcing our mask policy. Not all members were as accommodating and understanding, as the member featured in the photo collage. Most times when asking members to wear masks, they would apologize and put on their mask. Other times, member's responses varied from rudeness to annoyance. The most shocking aspect of working at the gym during a pandemic is the lack of empathy some people have. In our first month back, many members were coming into the club or calling the club, unhappy that Planet Fitness had resumed billing since they did not feel comfortable returning to the gym. Overall, while there have been some bumps in the road when it came to the reopening of the gym, it has been nice to regain some semblance of normalcy with going back to work and interacting with my members.
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2020-08-23
I had planned to take the summer off from classes but when I saw an opportunity to be part of real time archiving in relation to the crisis I was living through I eagerly jumped at the opportunity. While I was initially worried, we, as interns, would get stuck doing the repetitive tasks no one else wanted, I was thrilled to be part of the creation and problem-solving process of a real time archive.
While most students in my program focus on American or Global history my focus has been on public history. One of the tenants of public history is involving everyone. The archive became a place to see this in real time. We weren’t collecting only around famous people, important people, or large movements. We wanted to collect the stories of everyday people and also took the time to figure out whose voices were missing and attempt to remedy that problem. To that end I took on an extra project to add Black voices to the archive. I collected a list of all the historically black colleges and universities and also searched for museums and cultural or heritage centers across the country that we could contact in hopes they would want to work with us to add those voices to the archive.
In addition to curating and adding items to the archive each week we focused on learning a particular skill set related to the archive. The one I struggled with the most was oral history. Though I am fine speaking in public and am not an introvert, I found conducting my first two oral history interviews exceptionally unnerving. However, I also discovered how important they are and what an incredibly rich source of information oral histories represent. What I learned from oral histories was so impressive that I have plans to conduct an oral history program in conjunction with my local historical preservation commission in the future. I am also no longer nervous about conducting oral histories.
By the end of our fifteen-week internship we had become even more than a team, we had become a family. I believe this was partially due to a shared crisis. We were living through the Covid-19 pandemic together. For many of us, our weekly Zoom (online meeting platform) was nearly the only face to face contact, though virtual, we had with anyone. This was the case for me. Another intern joked he was going to rename his journal about the project, “The Summer I Distracted Myself from a Pandemic by Thinking about the Pandemic”. I realized that is exactly what happened. The pandemic really started in mid-March for me. I spent the initial month or so sewing face masks and that was how I kept myself focused and sane. Once the internship began in May I began processing my experience of the pandemic by working on the archive. I believe this summer will have been one of the defining moments of my life.
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2020-08-23
At the beginning of my senior year in high school all I could think about was what college, at Suffolk University, was going to be like. I was excited to see a new part of the world, and to get the chance to meet new people. However the covid-19 pandemic changed every thing, and the image of the perfect college experience in my head was met with a stark reality that includes getting regularly tested for a deadly virus, avoiding physical contact with other people, online classes, and signing up on schedules for every day activities such as doing laundry, going to the cafeteria, going to the library, getting the mail, etc. While I am great full that Suffolk has taken the time to put in place all the necessary precautions needed to stop the spread of covid-19, I can’t help but to feel that myself and many others are going to face many challenges that did not exist before the covid-19 pandemic, and miss out on many experiences that we are no longer able to have because of the ongoing pandemic.
Even though the my first full semester of college has yet to start, I have already gained some experience in attending class in a virtual setting, through an online summer course. At first I thought taking this course online would be difficult and that I would struggle to learn since I was not it a learning environment and was surrounded by many distractions. While I did sometimes find my environment to be distracting, I did find that over all it was not to difficult to focus in class. What I actually found to be most difficult about the online courses was coordinating group projects with other students. Although group project partners did a great job doing their share of the work, it was still difficult coordinate our projects since we all lived in different states, and were unable to meet in person. Other than this I found my online class to be just as engaging as class I have taken in the past.
Though the struggles of online class is not my only concern for this fall semester, instead I’m more concerned that this new social distancing environment will make it more difficult to meet new people and to make connections. Suffolk has gone to great lengths to provide not only safe learning spaces, but also safe public spaces and single room boarding for its students although theses new policy make living in a new place feel even more lonely. To combat this new social divide Suffolk has been creating virtual and in person social distancing events that have allowed students and staff to get to know each other. These events have done a great job at making me feel more apart of the Suffolk community, and have lessened my fears about this upcoming semester.
While the covid-19 pandemic continues to bring many struggles and create new challenges for people all over the world, I still believe that I will be able to thrive in college, and that the new challenges brought on by covid-19 pandemic will be met by creative solutions. I plan to continue to strive as a student and as a member of the Suffolk community, and to embrace the new social distancing norm.
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2020-03-29
Early in the pandemic, when we were sheltering in place but were allowed to be outside for exercise (here in San Francisco), I started taking photographs of signs people posted in and around their homes. This became a daily activity while I was out for a walk. Usually the signs were fairly small and were posted in windows. But sometimes they were more elaborate, like this one with a quote about the nature of courage from Maya Angelou. It made me realize that courage isn't the absence of fear; it's something else. The longer quote includes this: "Having courage and showing courage means we face our fears." That has really helped me in this frightening time.
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2020-02-14
It was Valentines Day this year and I just got out of school and was prepped for my last race for my high school track season indoors. I was shocked that my coach gave my teammates and I the opportunity to run at Reggie one last time as we were barely qualified to run the 4x800. Distance running wasn’t something that I could describe as being experienced in however I was deeply invested in the sport as my diet, my routine and how I functioned daily was a mere resultant of it being in my life. At the time I knew a little about COVID seeing how it began to affect New York the most and how Massachusetts has seen a couple sightings of it as well starting to see some cases arise in the Boston area and throughout the state in general. Once my team got to Boston, the meet shortly started and I knew that I had a couple hours to chill around and get myself into the mindset of running well and quickly in my event. I finished my homework and I proceeded to look around the center with my friends just chatting and laughing like normal teenagers would do to pass the time. I got to see one of my best friends beat his personal best in the 1000 meter by large chunks of seconds and I knew that this would be the start of a positive day in the realm of Tewksbury running. My other best friend was able to run under 10 minutes in the 2 mile as he was qualified to get a medal for beating out the last Billerica kid that was in his way(in Track, there was some tension between my town and Billerica due to the proximity of the towns and the competition that they had). After bolstering enough energy to yell at them, I got my opportunity to run. Even though my race was short lived and I was put in a negative mindset for how poor I ran the race and wasn’t happy with my time, I was able to goof off and hype up my other teammates who absolutely killed it in their races. The sad part of it all was how I told myself that in spring I would be able to crush my current personal best in the 800 meter with ease by training. Too bad I wasn’t informed then that my highschool career for track ended there.
In April, I reached out to the coach of Suffolk University to talk about my passion for the sport and how I wanted to continue my journey in improving my ability to race hard. Once I heard back from him and got the “ok”, I was pumped and excited because now I know that I can train my heart out for a sport that I love and see myself grow slowly over time. Some of the positives though were short lived as it hit me like a truck when I found out that I had posterior tibial tendonitis in my left ankle. At first glance, an injury such as this seems measly small and could be healed with proper assistance due to icing and stretching but this is my second time getting this type of tendonitis in the same ankle and it took me a little over two months to heal before running again. An added wound to this scar was the fact that I couldn’t cross train in some sort of practice area where I normally can be injured with having the comfort of other individuals surrounding me to forget that I ever got injured in the first place. Running by yourself is a mental obstacle for runners during the pandemic as they need to adapt to now mainly listening to their own footsteps. Being injured at home left me with the image that my teammates are progressing through the summer making the best of this situation and improving as distance runners while I had to chill at home and maybe substitute my daily run for a little more strength. A constant seventy days of that took a toll out of me as that was really the one excuse I can tell my parents to let me get out of the house for a bit. During quarantine and my time off, all I wanted was to goof off again with my friends as we question certain people who may be looking at us funny when we run or decide to run in the trails with nearly getting ourselves hurt. The copious amount of games of spikeball after a practice and the dinners right after runs were drilling right through my mind as the months of May through early July hit. Running is a great stress reliever for me and with the addition of being around people who adore the sport as much as myself, it feels like a second home that I could be myself and be able to progress well in. It made me look back on this Valentines Day and repeat to myself that I took some things for granted which were my passion for the sport in the atmosphere of having other people who love it as much as me and the time spent in general.
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2020-06-05
For as long as I can remember, there has always been music playing in my house, whether it be as my two sisters and I wake up each morning or up until the moment we fall asleep. Over the years, we have memorized thousands of songs and have connected with thousands of artists as we listen to anything we could find in the depths of our parent’s music collection.
Our parents soon realized that they could teach us anything by means of a good song. As we would press play on the little radio that used to sit in our room, each CD would expose us to a different place, time, or mindset, while also subtly infusing messages of acceptance, equality, culture, kindness, and more. My sisters and I memorized songs in different languages, while also learning about the history and experiences that shape good music.
Music became our life’s foundation and soon, in addition to listening to music for hours on end, my sisters and I started singing at various places in the small town of Smithfield, VA, where we grew up together. Hungry for more, we each picked up an instrument and learned to play guitar from listening over and over to our favorite albums and the occasional YouTube tutorial. We started to dissect the harmonies that we would hear in our favorite songs and ultimately formed our own sound that we loved sharing with the people we met within our little southern town.
After learning hundreds of songs to play together, we soon realized that we wanted to start writing songs of our own. We were excited to create something that was inspired by our own experiences together, whether it be derived from feelings of happiness, sadness, heartbreak, anger, or excitement.
Since we had listened to and interpreted music since we were born, the importance of songwriting is was not lost to my sisters and me. We understood the power it holds, as it frees the minds of thousands who desperately want their perspective to be represented and encourages storytelling that is inspired by real love or real loss. We were intrigued by the strong beliefs, wild imaginations, and raw emotions that ensure the timelessness of great songs.
Being provided a space and a medium to write down unbridled and heartfelt ideas in addition to working with artists who inspire a safe and collaborative environment has allowed the intricacies of songwriting to come naturally to my sisters and me. Sharing my songs to audiences of all ages and sizes is absolutely exhilarating and I view my passion for meaningful lyrics as the greatest gift that has been given to me.
My sisters and I began traveling to and from Nashville, meeting and collaborating with songwriters and artist to create meaningful lyrics and beautiful melodies. As our music began to directly represent what we were feeling as individuals, over the years my sisters and I started to use our original songs to communicate with each other and those around us.
On March 13, for the first time in our lives, the music in our house stopped. It was replaced by the sounds of live updates from the news. As we watched the death toll rise and the heartbreaking stories of people who lost their loved ones to the virus, we were silenced by the impact of the disease. We realized that people were unable to interact with each other and that the effects of virus was attempting to strip humanity of things it needed to survive.
As for my sisters and I, our entire lineup of summer performances was canceled, as well as the final trip to Nashville we had planned before I left for college. My sisters and I finally had to come to terms with the reality that we may not be able to sing out together again, as I would leave Virginia to move to Boston at the end of the summer.
We struggled with the fact that we wouldn’t have the time to say goodbye to the thing that had connected us the most throughout our entire childhood and as we came to terms with our new reality, turned to music to help us get through this challenging time.
With the rest of my senior year canceled, I had the time to sit and think about a lot what music has given me throughout my life. I discovered that even though I loved the songs and albums I listened to over the years, it was the time spent with my sisters that meant most to me.
I thought about all of the different experiences we have shared over the years and how hard it is going to be when I would venture off on my own soon. My sisters were truly the thing in my life that I loved the most, so how was I going to be able to live 700 miles away in the middle of a global pandemic?
My sisters faced the same uneasiness and uncertainty, and as usual, music served as our escape. We realized that while our situation may have been difficult to navigate, we are so incredibly lucky and grateful for the experiences we have shared and the opportunities we have been given. In the end we understood how fortunate it was that we were healthy and committed ourselves to always staying grateful even in times as unprecedented as this.
We discovered that all we ever really needed was each other, and that there is more power in the relationships that you build with the people that you love than any virus or other obstacle that may come our way.
I think that throughout this pandemic, the world is coming to terms with the same lesson: that human connection is one of the most impactful aspects of our lives. I hope that in the aftermath of a world redefined by a global pandemic, we all hug each other a little tighter and sing a little louder.
Attached is my sister and I singing on Zoom for the first time.
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2020-08-23
My story of the Quarantine is that initially I was kind of excited about the prospect of having an excuse to stay indoors. This is due to the fact that I am a homebody and would rather chill with my friends rather than go to parties. However, one thing that I did not think of was that not only would I be staying home most of the time, but a majority of the rest of my family would as well. When I was younger, having everyone home was not a problem, but now we are all grown up, and we all need our space. Due to Quarantine, getting that space that I wanted was rather hard. It felt like I was having a hard time being able to be alone without someone hearing what I was saying. Not only that, but it was also hard because the conflicts in my family came to become more and more prevalent/ This is due to the fact that things like the college process and transitioning from high school to college seemed to have been made a lot harder. Instead of this Summer being relaxing and giving me room to breathe, it was made into one of the hardest times of my life.
The short story titled "I Have Mouth, and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison captures how I felt during the pandemic. In the story, the characters are trapped underground and are totally helpless to the situation that they find themselves in. In many ways, I felt almost the same way to these characters. I felt like I was trapped in a place that I felt as though I had no control over anything because it was not my domain. Like the narrator of the story, I too felt as though I had no mouth by the end of it all. This is due to the fact that I am not the best at standing up for myself or handling conflicts. Not only that, but I feel like whenever I would try to argue my point, I always felt like nothing would happen. Even if anything did happen that went my way, it always felt like it was not enough to feel like a victory. By the end, it would just reinforce my unwillingness to speak up for myself or to just let things go and allow them to continue. I hope that I will be able to improve things once my time at Suffolk starts and when this Quarantine ends.
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2020-04
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted my family and I drastically but by having faith we were able to overcome it. It has been a very difficult time for my family and I as we were tested positive a few months ago for the novel coronavirus and shortly after we recovered, one of my uncles passes away due to complications of the virus. I chose this image above and the title because it reflects what I had during everything that my family and I went through due to COVID-19. Having faith is what got me through it all and it’s very important for me to always continue to believe in it.