I have a busier schedule now than I did when I left the house for more than grocery runs and work. I spend a lot of my time on Zoom, as we all do, but doing things I was not doing before. In April, quickly after Friday the 13th, my #twitterstorian dreams came true when Dr. Joanne Freeman launched History Matters…. And So Does Coffee with the National Council for History Education. A couple of months later, The Gilder Lehrman Institute launched a weekly series talking with a historian about their book called Book Breaks. I could never attend conferences like the Southern Historical Association annual meeting, and now they were available to me virtually. The Western History Association annual meeting was online in October 2020 and was one of the best conferences and online meeting experiences that I think is possible given the circumstances. I have seen Joanne Freeman and Dr. Heather Cox Richardson speak together frequently over the last few months, and each experience is just as fun as the previous. I am on the board of the Arizona Technology in Education Association. The ability to host events and PD without needing to secure locations and catering has increased the number of events that we host by what feels like tenfold. I also started my Ph.D. in history at ASU, and with those added time blocks to my schedule expanded my little world with cohort and classmates. The pandemic has forced us to come together in new ways. By trying to carry on, those components of our lives shifted to the internet and thus actually made them more accessible to our larger communities than they were before. It has prompted even more of the existing conversations about virtual conferencing from an economic and environmental perspective. Don’t get me wrong, I am eagerly awaiting my 2nd vaccine and the days when I can travel for conferencing, community, and research again, but I think I will frame my plans around a different question. I don’t believe that I will have to ask myself to choose what to attend and not attend. Instead, it will be what things do I want to engage with in person (and what things can I) and what things I will still attend, but from afar. We are closing in on a year in this pandemic, and with the new year, I think it is essential to try and find some kind of silver lining – and it is that I think the communities that we have built over the last year and continue to build will be larger and stronger. Now I suppose I need to mull over the ramifications of overscheduling, burnout, and prioritization.

The media focuses a lot on the losses children are facing during the pandemic. And while I certainly would prefer that the virus was contained and my son would be able to attend school in person, take piano lessons with his piano teacher beside him instead of on a Facetime call, and play with a friend outside of his older sister, my six year old son is genuinely enjoying quarantine. I realize this is a privilege - we have a backyard, space, two working adults who can afford food and technology, and a live-in grandma who can help with any distance learning issues. But my son seems to be thriving in this much simpler and quieter life. We always did a lot together as a family, but we did not spend a lot of time actually at home. Now that we’ve been home together for over ten months, we have settled into this new life that involves my son helping my husband make dinner every night. And he LOVES it. It’s not as though he had never cooked before, but to be able to do it every night, side by side with his dad is an experience he did not have in our pre-quarantine life that was much faster paced and on the go. Many nights, the little chef will bring me a menu that outlines the dinner and asks for my order. He takes such pride in telling all of us what parts of the meal he was in charge of. He assures us he is both the owner and the “cooker” of the restaurant and that his daddy is his employee. When dinner is over, he asks to take my plate, and has recently become very interested in washing all the dinner dishes himself (no complaints here). I certainly long for the day that we can go back out in the world, but I feel very blessed that my son will be able to look back at this year with happiness, even in the midst of such a dire situation.

Food is the centerpiece of all of our family gatherings, even the informal ones. Before quarantine, my in-laws would drop by regularly, and always with enough food for an army. In the almost twenty years I have known my mother in law, I have never seen her without being given food - even if it’s a fresh bao she pulls out of her purse (true story - this happened at my kids’ student of first trimester awards last year (pre-Covid). I saw her for a total of 20 minutes, just enough time to watch my son and daughter get their awards and dash back to work, and that saint of a woman gave me three warm bao she had picked up on the way from a local bakery. “Pretty good” she said, which is her seal of approval.) It is hard to admit as I type this that I have not physically seen my in-laws beyond waving through the front window when they drop off homemade jook (rice porridge) since March. We Facetime with them and text, but it is not the same. That is a long time to be away from people that have a house less than five miles from ours. My in-laws are over 70 and a huge part of our lives, to lose this year with them hurts in ways I can’t describe. And culturally, food is their “I love you” - they don’t say the words, they show it through sharing food. And we haven’t had a meal together in almost a year. My husband still cooks Chinese dishes. On Monday, we had 蔥 油 餅 (green onion pancake), dumplings, Hong Kong waffle, shrimp with peas and lumpia (yes, I know, that’s really Filipino, but it’s sort of a staple in our family), and it was delicious. But there is this odd shadow that sort of hangs over our meal, knowing how much his parents would have loved to share it with us. And yes, we Facetimed them so the kids could show them how well the waffle turned and my mother-in-law said she couldn’t wait to come over and try it. The feeling is very, very mutual.

One of our family’s favorite treats is boba and in our area, boba shops are as ubiquitous as Starbucks. Even though transmission of COVID through food is seen as a minimal risk, the process of going into a tiny boba shop to order and wait doesn’t seem worth the risk for an item that is not really essential. After years of vowing to never make boba at home (too much stirring), my husband caved in and ordered instant boba online. We were skeptical - would it really taste as good as the boba shops? Would the texture be right? Making it is a little time consuming, but we were surprised that the taste and texture are exactly right, even at home. My husband, who has always liked brewing different loose leaf teas, has gotten much more into perfecting the “perfect tea.” He has had a fun time experimenting with different teas and sweetness levels, and although I miss the different jellies and other flavors that you can get at a boba shop, I have to admit I am impressed at how easily we were able to conquer making something we never would have attempted without COVID. Added bonus - over the past two plus decades, I have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of plastic that is wasted with a boba drink (the plastic cups, lids, and giant plastic straws). Even with straws technically outlawed and the growing popularity of reusable boba straws, loopholes and lack of enforcement allowed most people to still use disposable plastic straws and the plastic cups and lids. When we make boba at home, there is no plastic involved, nothing is thrown away, and we use our reusable straws. An upside of COVID will be that it hopefully helps us to make small changes (like making our own boba and tea) to our lives to lessen our carbon footprints.

I have shown dogs for thirty-five years, which is my hobby and passion. Before Covid going to a dog show was a social event for all humans and canines involved. Exhibitors would greet each other with high fives and hugs. Ring stewards handed armbands to exhibitors, and judges would give placement ribbons to exhibitors and shake their hands when leaving the show ring. Both winners and losers were hugged in congratulations and condolences. Dogs could cue off of their exhibitor's facial expressions and were not leary of strangers who approached them. Dog shows were a laid back and social environment. When the pandemic created shutdowns in every aspect of life, dog shows all but disappeared in Arizona from the middle of March until early November. A few kennel clubs have opted to offer hosting dog shows with "Covid Rules" in place. Starting in November, showing a dog became "different." An exhibitor had to sign a "Covid survey and waiver form," have a scan temperature taken when entering the show grounds, wear a mask at all times, pick up armbands set out on tables and verbally declare the armband was received. When entering the show ring, a specific entry point and exit point was utilized, and exhibitors had to be six feet apart while in the show ring. After a judge examined each dog and determined placements, the exhibitors would stand six feet apart by placement placards and then exit the ring taking their placement ribbons off a table by the exit. There was not any physical human contact made between exhibitors, ring stewards, and judges. The physical challenge of running with a dog while wearing a mask restricted breathing, making showing a dog difficult. If a dog won at the show and a picture was taken, the photographer would offer to "photoshop" the judge into the photo with the dog and exhibitor or everyone socially distanced. In addition to no human interaction, dogs were unsettled by people wearing masks. Showing a dog in a Covid environment has become tiring and stressful, and going to a Covid dog show is not fun even when you win.

Scrolling through social media, I have been bombarded with innumerous posts that tell the now familiar tale of the passing of tribal elders due to COVID-19. Angry, sad…crushed – My entire being is blitzed with many emotions as I sit here reflecting on the recent news of the death of yet another elder from my own Nation, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Being made up of just over 1400 enrolled tribal members, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, like many other Native Nations, has come upon a time of extreme crisis. It has been stated by many that losing a tribal elder is the equivalent of burning down a library. This analogy is sufficient for many Native Nations although when considering the current state of language and culture for “smaller” Nations, this does not suffice. Every Washoe tribal elder that is taken from this world prematurely could be equated to the burning down of an entire country as our language has been designated as an extinct language by linguistic anthropologists because of the low percentage of fluent speakers remaining. This catastrophe has called for champions, for warriors. Warriors are those who sacrifice for the greater good, for the betterment of the collective. Washoe warriors have once again become numerous. Women and men, younger and older have taken up our positions to defend what we have left. This mobilization is reflective of the wide variety of skills and experiences Washoe people maintain. A foundational principle in Washoe culture, yeyelu, demands that we stand together. Seeing many Washoe upholding our traditions of protection offers me hope. Scrolling has become a task, one wrought with trauma and heart ache but more importantly of hope. HOPE. In prayer, Patrick DéɁileligi Burtt (Red Burtt from Wa She Shu St)

The World Health Organization is sending out public announcements to encourage people to trust the Covid-19 vaccine.

I actually agree with most of these predictions. I fear for the economy. I worry about the struggle people will face this year.

Woman works with covid patients and wakes up one morning to discover she can no longer smell. In the video she goes around the house trying to smell different items. Her face becomes more distraught as she realizes she is not smelling anything. This is a popular Tic Tok video type right now. Many people's first sign that something is amiss is the loss of smell and taste.

A grandpa drives 30 minutes to bring his granddaughter and her boyfriend some food and board games after finding out they were Covid positive. One commenter said, "Protect that man at all costs". Such a sweet and loving gesture.

@vivi.karkasi enters her home after getting her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. She notices some funny side effects.

Funny video by Makenzie McClure on Tic Tok. She says her brother claims to be unable to taste anything due to Covid-19. So she makes him what looks like a pumpkin pie, but she uses beans instead of pumpkin. Yikes! If this isn't sibling love I don't know what is!

From article: A Times reporter caught the coronavirus during the New York City outbreak last April. But the acute phase of the illness was just the beginning.

As a teacher, I miss our old normal. I miss my students. I miss the connections. The numbers where I live are pretty high and we have not been inside a classroom since March of last year. The kids are not doing well. No amount of scaffolding would be enough right now. My English Language learners are struggling and most have just stopped coming. Parents are frustrated (understandably), and it is evident in their desperate e-mails to me. I am failing them all but I keep pushing and adapting for them. I am so homesick for these kids. Seeing how other schools are dealing with Covid-19 definitely makes me sad. Apart of me wants to go back so badly that I would risk getting sick. The other part of me knows that I have children of my own and asthma. I need to be here for my own family.

With a nation in crisis on so many fronts, reading this article today gave me the feeling I could maybe exhale for the first time in a long time. Biden is facing a disaster on the Covid front with vaccines running out in California and New York predicted to happen by the weekend. Biden will be busy the next few weeks, trying to repair the damage done to so many community's during the Trump administration.

A cartoon shows a masked President Biden and Vice President Harris in front of the White House with a clean up crew of sorts.

Daily life at Head Quarters (HQ) Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) before COVID-19 and its restrictions was full of sounds and constant movement. It was customary to walk the halls and hear keypads beeping, and door locks clicking or overhear conversations as you pass people in the halls. Meetings were full of people, and the subtle roar of conversation was only stopped by the entrance of a General officer or other meeting chairpeople. As the restrictions for COVID-19 began to roll across the country, AFGSC was quick to implement them. First came a stop movement for personnel and a restriction of movements. There would be no or severely limited Permeant Change of Stations, and all temporary duty (TDY) was canceled for the foreseeable future. All personnel was to limit their office spaces to allow for six feet of distances and, if not capable of initiating telework procedures (which was an accomplishment in itself). This was the moment that life changed at HQ AFGSC. There would be fewer beeps and clicks. There would be no hallway conversations overheard because the hallways were nearly empty on a day-to-day basis. There were no more in-person meetings resulting in the muting of the subtle roars of conversations and the sudden silences created as meetings started. However, there was a new element created from COVID-19, a smell everywhere you went. Cleaning and self-sanitization ramped up at AFGSC. Every office you entered now had a hand sanitization station on a post or a wall. The restrooms and common areas cleaning increased, resulting in a lasting scent of bleach and other strong cleaners. But still, the most surprising thing was the silence that COVID-19 created in an ordinarily bustling Command.

Gabriel Rheaume’s Sensory history contribution to COVID-19 Archive I would like to submit my gray, cotton face mask to the COVID-19 Archive. It is perhaps not as the most important item, but certainly it is the most present item for me throughout this pandemic. At almost a full year into this adventure, everyone has a keen familiarity with and opinion of face masks. I got this one as a gift. It feels about the same as getting socks on Christmas, except more useful. I have used this thing every single day unless I forget it—which sends me into a chaotic panic. I am a teacher in a suburb of Nashville, TN. Our school district insists on teaching in person, despite having alarmingly high infection rates in our community. This mask is now part of my daily uniform, a non-negotiable. It serves as a role model for students. A sign that their health is of paramount concern to us. It is part of everything I do. I have dozens of paper replacements in my desk. Those aren’t as good. They straps hurt your ears. The cloth ones are better, more comfortable. I thought about getting one with my favorite band’s logo, but I am going to stick with this old reliable gray, cotton mask. The smell of this mask will haunt me the rest of my life. I wash it multiple times per week. It often smells like laundry detergent. That is a good thing. However, by the end of the day it often smells like whatever I had for lunch. The masks gets hot. It is blasted with my carbon dioxide for eight hours straight. It gets really bad when I have to lecture during the day. When you inhale sharply to talk, it sucks in the material. I’ve learned how to breathe differently when I have the mask on. Sometimes I just pinch the end and hold it with my fingers while I talk. I can rarely take it off. I panic if I forget to put it on when I leave my classroom to go anywhere. Who would have ever thought this little cloth mask would be so important? I often doubt that it is effective at preventing the spread or contraction of infection. I am certainly NOT an anti-masker. But it’s a piece of cloth. I guess that it’s better than nothing. This gray cotton face mask, sometimes imbued with the glorious smell of fresh linen in the breeze or Last night’s roast and mashed potatoes has become a source of loathing and resentment, but simultaneously an anti-viral security blanket (if only in my imagination). Yet, I can’t wait to get rid of this vile thing.

TikTok, an extremely popular social media app that allows users to upload short videos, never fails to showcase creativity. From dances to trends to recipes and more, it seems there is no limit to what its users can create. One of the most seemingly ridiculous examples of this is the “Ratatousical,” now formally known as “Ratatouille: the TikTok Musical.” User Emily Jacobsen began what became a viral movement by posting a short song she made up about the main character of the Disney/Pixar film Ratatouille, and it quickly picked up momentum. Soon more people began writing songs for the characters of the movie, choreographing dances, and designing sets for what became a very detailed crowd-sourced musical. Many joked that it needed to go to Broadway once Broadway reopened, and shared their dream cast for the show, posting song covers and orchestrations for the show. Due to the massive popularity it gained on TikTok, many official Broadway-related and Disney pages and websites began referencing the original song, playing along with the idea of this musical. Much to everyone’s surprise, on December 9, 2020, it was announced that an official virtual production of the show would be presented by Seaview Productions on January 1, 2021, featuring the original songs shared on TikTok with full orchestrations and Broadway actors performing them. The concert benefited The Actors Fund, a charity supporting workers in the performing arts and entertainment, and starred Titus Burgess (of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt fame) as Remy. Through the sale of virtual tickets and donations, over $2 million was raised for the Actors Fund because of this show, which was met with overwhelming positivity. All of the original creators of the songs featured were compensated and praised, and the collaborative effort brought joy and excitement to performing arts workers and fans alike. What seemed like a silly trend on TikTok quickly brought together hundreds of thousands of people, allowing them to share in what brings them happiness even when still separated due to the pandemic. The money raised through this project will go on to support those who have been out of work from the closure of theatres and the entertainment industry, which has led countless numbers of individuals to be out of work since early in the pandemic. This effort to collaborate and create allowed individuals to return to the feeling of community and support often felt in the performing arts and provided a creative outlet for many. While nothing feels quite the same as seeing a musical live and in person, it is inspiring to know that the performing arts community is alive and well, even in the midst of a pandemic. If you haven’t checked it out, I’d highly recommend it. Here’s to Remy, the rat of all our dreams.

Over the winter break, ASU launched an Innovation Quarter. For that quarter I created a series of pandemic prompts for students to respond to. Erin Craft also created half the prompts. The idea was to create specific, personal contributions for the archive. I used some of the prompts in the first week of the internship in HST 580 Archives and HST 494 the Undergraduate Research Experience

This submission details my own thoughts about the Journal of the Plague Year and why I believe it is important.

A nurse copes with the loss of a patient.

From the Article by Patricia Mazzei: More than 400,000 people in the United States who had the coronavirus have died, according to data compiled by The New York Times on Tuesday, as the anniversary of the country’s first known death in the pandemic approaches.

From article: "Each day, thousands of Americans have lost a mother, a husband, a last surviving sibling. These are some of the lives who were lost."

As Different variants of the COVID-19 spread, India continues to give vaccination in hope of slowing down the spread among the 1.3 billion population. Though testing for vaccines of the new variant has begun, India will be giving out the approved vaccines by its government to the people. Though some of the population is skeptical and choose not to receive the vaccine, India has put the drive on a voluntary basis and gives the vaccine to whoever wishes, as they push for immunization of the country. also, as cases soar through countries, India has begun making many cheaper vaccine options that many countries are in line waiting for.

As of today, 3.81 lakh people have been vaccinated in India of which around 600 have had major symptoms and 2 have died. The death of one has been reported not to be related to the vaccine while the other has death is yet to be detected for the cause. India continues to give free vaccines to neighboring countries as a kind gesture including Mauritius, the Philippines, and Myanmar

India has approved two vaccines, one developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and another by Bharat Biotech. The maker of AstraZeneca has told people to consult a doctor before getting the vaccine if you have weak immunity and other health problem that he listed.

Though the world's largest vaccination drive had been opened in India and plans to vaccinate about 300 million people by august, many people are doubting the vacine in India and believe that it does more damage than anything else. These are all speculations that have been spread around and none of them are really prooved.

The Article below speaks about India opening the worlds largest vaccination drive and in hopes to get at least 300 million of the population vaccinated by August. This is the approximate size of the United States. 30 million healthcare workers will the first to receive it followed by 270 million that are over 60 or that have an illness making them a risk for getting the COVID-19

My name is Delanie Cencelewski, I am 20, I live in Kingman, Arizona and I work for a private fiduciary office and deal with a lot of elderly clients. Before getting my vaccine, I really was not nervous at all and did not really feel any particular way about it. When I received the vaccine, I was in Bullhead City, Arizona at a local pharmacy called DeeFLat Pharmacy with one of my coworkers. It was only two people in the pharmacy, one administering the vaccine and one working the counter. The lady asked for my I.D. and insurance card, then I sat in a chair and got the shot. I had to wait in the pharmacy for 15 minutes so they could monitor me and make sure there were no symptoms. I am not sure which vaccine I received. I felt fine getting the vaccine, it did not hurt at all and was pretty quick. Later that day, I developed pain in the area of my right arm where I got the shot and a headache and fatigue, but other than that I was fine. I got the shot on Saturday, 1/16/2021, and am still experiencing fatigue and pain in the arm. I got the vaccine partly due to work because I come into contact with many elderly people in my community and because I have diabetes, so I fall into the 1b category for the vaccinations in Arizona.

The first Korean space blockbuster is set to release soon. Korean film and media and culture truly have advanced during the past 5 years of my life and it is good to see parts of my culture be spread far.

With the re-release of Plastic Love onto Spotify, I have been listening to it on repeat for hours on end to help through the melancholic times of the monotony known as these wretched times. This art resonated with me, so thus I submit it along with other art that I feel encapsulates the soul of creative thinkers during this time.

This piece of art was done by a Japanese artist during the pandemic. It is of various Furbies in various monochrome settings.

The picture I submitted shows how I have dealt with the pandemic in order to pass my time during the quarantine. I have started to play more board games with family and friends in order to pass the time and keep my mind active. All of us who play truly have started to enjoy playing the board game Risk as it allows for us to strategize, enjoy each other’s company, and to increase our mental activity. This game is fun as well because it allows us to catch up with one another over this long and fun board game.

The picture that I am sharing is that of our newest family member, Petey. He is a Catahoula Leopard Dog who has webbed feet and was bred to go into the bogs. My husband and I found him online from an animal rescue in which we found out he had been abused which made us love him evermore. We have been wanting to get a new puppy for a while in order for our other two fur babies to have a playmate. As a result of the pandemic, we thought now would be the best time since I am working from home and it affords me to be able to train and work with a puppy. This is important to me because he has become a vital part of our homemaking. We keep our sense of humor, even more, bringing new adventures, and allowing for us to make a home for a dog that had not seen love before. To say the least, Petey has fit into our household great and is now part of the pack.

At the end of last year, after some motivation from my friends, I began to stream on the gaming stream platform Twitch. It had always been a wish of mine to do something along those lines, but my timidness limited my capabilities. Considering how much of my time in quarantine was spent gaming, my friends encouraged me to start streaming, while I still had the opportunity. I can't wait to continue in the new year, especially with the support of my friends, so that I can have a small following in the future!

Over quarantine, with so much more free time, my friends and I found ourselves becoming invested into a fun mobile game called Dragon Raja, where we customized characters and created friends from around the country/world. The game had events scheduled at specific times every day, which allowed us to keep track of the days as the months dragged on, giving us something to look forward to when there wasn't much that we could do together.

My story and photographs talk about the beauty and power of nature and how spending time in nature can help us get through the pandemic.

This submission is a description of the five favorite things I have used to help me get through the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as I have had to transition to working from home.

If I had to recommend some pandemic hacks for people 100 years in the future, I would say: -Stock up on sweatpants, hoodies, and fuzzy socks! Since you will more than likely be working from home, comfort is a must. -Set your Zoom video setting Touch Up Your Appearance to 100%. It will compensate for not wearing makeup on Zoom calls. -Stop watching the news. It will only stress you out. Your friends and family will definitely be updating you anyway on the latest stories. -Edit your social media to avoid the negative nellies, conspiracy theorists, and political debates. -Create a weekly dinner menu and schedule grocery deliveries once a week. So much better than going to the grocery store. -Go on regular walks to get out of the house and get some fresh air. -Read books with a cup of steaming hot tea next to you while bundling up in a soft blanket. -Forgive yourself for gaining quarantine weight! -Naps. Take a lot of naps!

As of January 12, 2021, I began my final semester as an undergraduate at Arizona State University. Four wonderful years consisting of academic rigor, late-nights, and wrestling with the not so smooth transition to online courses. Admittedly, I still have reservations about online instruction; though, I am warming up to the idea and have had success so far in staying engaged and enthusiastic about learning. With that being said, my immediate goal for the year 2021 is to continue my education and pursue a Master's in History here at ASU. At this crucial juncture in my academic career, I have spoken about it over the past year to my close friends, family, and personal mentors, that the idea of not applying would be a step in the wrong direction. I believe I am ready for all the challenges and opportunities that come with an advanced degree. And so, over the coming months, I will continue to establish vital connections, build upon my existing support groups, and plan on starting Fall 2021 at ASU as a graduate student. Thinking of a future after 2021 has also frequently crossed my mind. I have two prospective PhD programs in mind, but I hope to add more to the list. -Solidarity

Although the pandemic has been rough, there are several activities that help keep me sane during our time at home. We all have to make the best of it, right? The following are five things we did to make the best of this crazy time: 1. We Facetime'd with our children and grandchildren two to three times weekly. Nana and Papa quickly got into a fun routine to help virtually put the granddaughters to bed. 2. We established Friday afternoon Zoom happy hours with friends. It turned out to be way more fun than we anticipated. 3. My husband I found some great Netflix shows that we binge watched together. 4. We took advantage of our extra free time to cook and eat together as family almost every night rather than a couple of nights a week due to busy schedules. 5. We love how restaurants and other establishments who previously did not deliver started using DoorDash. My family has definitely taken advantage of Baskin Robbins ice cream deliveries! This past year has definitely been an interesting and probably much needed social experiment for our family!

Our family holidays consist of fun get togethers full of traditions we enjoy. Thanksgiving is loud, full of chaos and laughter. Christmas means the entire family at my house. We make a ton of food, eat, and open presents, have a Secret Santa and white elephant exchanges, which again are fun, loud and chaotic. At the end of the night we take a huge family selfie in front of the tree. This year it was just my husband, daughter and myself, no siblings, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. We didn't quite know what to do with ourselves after we opened presents so we watched movies all day then ate leftovers for dinner. My parents spent it alone for the first time since 1964. They were sad but they enjoyed reminiscing about their first Christmas as newlyweds. Although it was still a nice day, it wasn't the same. Once more, it reminded me never to take seeing family for granted. It is a precious gift. I hope and pray that this will be the only year we deviate from our family traditions.

Awww poor rich, self-absorbed people. In the past week we surpassed 2 million global deaths from COVID. Our nation’s capitol was attacked by domestic terrorists led by an insane person who thinks he is king. Families have lost jobs, been evicted, and can’t feed their kids. Social injustice runs rampant. Yet this is breaking news on Yahoo. Stop it. Just stop it!

My story deals with how I had to change my gift giving approach for my son in the 2020 holiday season. I chose not to shop in stores for his gifts, to reduce my exposure to the virus and avoid passing on a virus from myself to others. Instead, I gave him gift certificates. This change reduced the holiday joy for me, as I greatly enjoy shopping for just the right gifts for him by directly engaging in the shopping experience in a physical location, and he appreciates the effort and the unique gifts I always found for him. This is a response to the #pandemicprompt on the holidays for Arizona State University, HST 580.

This documents are important to me because they show what I do to help me deal with the pandemic. They are also important to me because reveal a unique perspective and way of interpreting events that I believe will be valuable for the archive. Description of Images: An abandoned glove and mask in a parking lot. Such sights became as common as other forms of litter. A shield hat to protect against Corona. I never dreamed these existed. This tag shows store associates that this item (which was returned to the store) is officially sanitized and can be put back on the sales floor. This is not a tag shoppers were supposed to see, but it must have been missed.

These documents tell the story of my COVID-19 Holidays. It is important to me because it shows what changes I experienced in my holiday plans and offers a unique perspective. Description of images: 4th of July Concert at the Dell Diamond Baseball Park in Round Rock TX. Note the 4-person "Pods" on the grass indicated by the blankets. The blankets were brought by people who had purchased a Pod. Google Santa Tracker Dec. 24th, 2020.

2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all of us and caused so many different changes that everyone has had to adapt to and overcome. However, 2021 is a new year and the potential for great things is huge! In my New Year, I am aiming to: 1. Finish my senior year strong: I have only 2 semesters left until I graduate from ASU and I would love to do this in person! I miss being on campus and I am looking forward to finishing! 2. Having family gatherings again: I really miss being able to be with my family (there are so many of us and I miss seeing them in person)! Seeing the people you love over a call is fine, but it is not the same as being able to hug and kiss them 3. Starting law courses: I am looking to go to law school after graduation and am so excited to start the courses! I would like to take them in person and in the valley (I am trapped at home) and having the ability to study with people and go for food!

Due to COVID-19, some of my holidays looked a little different this year. Thanksgiving this year looked extremely different for my family. Every year, my immediate and extended family go camping together and over the years it has grown to over 50 people. Due to COVID-19 and the fact that my mother and I have diabetes, my immediate family and I decided not to go this year. Instead, we chose to stay home and cook for just the 5 of us that live in my house. We still had the turkey and ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the other goodies we usually eat. It was kind of sad that I couldn’t see my family this year and have fun camping, but it still turned out to be just as nice with only those that I live with!

For this new year I have many goals and aspirations. One of them being that COVID goes away (I know that is not how it works). I want to go back to regular life and be able to see everyone’s smiles. I do not want to be shamed for going out to get food instead of staying home 24/7. I do not want to have to take my temperature three times before going to work. Something else I want to change, is that I want to stop living through historical events. I am a history major and I prefer to read history books, not live through them. It seems that in 2020, if it wasn't something that was going wrong, it was another. I will be graduating in May and one of my biggest goals, although I do not have control over it, is to have a ceremony. I am a first generation graduate and I know my family and friends have been waiting for this day. I also want to get into graduate school and continue my education journey and continue to grow. This year I seem to have a lot more goals and resolutions than I have in the years past.