Item
CS Oral History, 2022/04/18
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
CS Oral History, 2022/04/18
Description (Dublin Core)
This oral history is an anonymous interview regarding the hardships of being a low-income citizen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recording Date (Dublin Core)
Creator (Dublin Core)
Event Identifier (Dublin Core)
Partner (Dublin Core)
Type (Dublin Core)
Oral History
Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)
English
Education--Universities
Collection (Dublin Core)
Date Submitted (Dublin Core)
04/19/2022
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
04/19/2022
05/03/2022
05/06/2022
05/21/2022
Date Created (Dublin Core)
04/18/2022
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
HW
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
CS
Location (Omeka Classic)
Buffalo
New York
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
Audio
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:06:17
abstract (Bibliographic Ontology)
This oral history is an anonymous interview regarding the hardships of being a low-income citizen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
HW: 0:00
What's up, guys? I'm with CS. It's currently April 18, 2022, at 9:21 pm, and before we start our interview, I just want to ask for verbal consent to be interviewed and uploaded and published to the JOTPY website?
CS: 0:17
Yes, I confirm.
HW: 0:19
So to start off, I'm interviewing CS on being a low-income individual during the COVID 19 pandemic. And first off, I just want to ask, have you caught COVID yet during this pandemic? And if so, was it a struggle to acquire proper medical attention for recovery?
CS: 0:39
Um, I actually didn't catch COVID during the pandemic, when it was like when I was quarantining everything because my parents were really strict. They had me stay inside basically all the time. The only time I would, you know, go outside would be like a walk or like, you know, walk the dog or something like that, or get groceries. But, I mean, other than that, I didn't really catch it. I did catch it. And I did end up catching it afterwards. Um, but no, not during quarantine. Really. But to answer if I, what was the question? To acquire proper medical attention? Yeah. Okay. So basically, it wasn't really that hard. Um, I did have like a Walgreens down, like three streets over, you know, but um, it's also you can, like, deliver everything nowadays. So like, if I needed, you know, I mean, when I got COVID, it was all like, a feverish kind of stuff, chills, flu type of thing. So, you know, I had like, Mucinex and stuff. And, you know, my mom took care of me and stuff, but.
HW: 1:34
Gotcha.
CS: 1:34
Nothing. Yeah.
HW: 1:35
So.
CS: 1:35
Nothing really crazy.
HW: 1:36
Gotcha. So, did you a…, do you have a car? Or did you have a car during this pandemic?
CS: 1:40
Uh, my parents do, and like, I use it here and there.
HW: 1:43
Okay. So when you live on your own at college, do you have one or no?
CS: 1:47
No, I don't, unfortunately.
HW: 1:49
Oh, okay. So did that make obtaining food or other groceries a struggle as well?
CS: 1:55
Definitely. Because I don't have a car. So, I mean, I do have a license, but I don't have a car so I can’t really, you know, just whenever I need groceries just go over. But did, if I needed groceries, I did try Instacart a couple of times. It was it was a little, you know, expensive and stuff with the pandemic, but I guess yeah, transportation was tough at the time. Yeah.
HW: 2:16
Okay. Alright, so the next question I have to ask is, did you have a job during this pandemic? Or do you currently have one are still seeking one?
CS: 2:25
Um. During the pandemic, I did not have a job. I was always, you know, inside, couldn't really, you know, go many places. As I said, I was kind of, like, locked in, my parents didn't want me going anywhere. Because, you know, they're a little older, so I can't really get them, you know, in any danger. But I did not have a job. I did want a job. But after the pandemic ended, I ended up working at the Walgreens, which was down the street, but that was just because it is accessible. And, you know, I got what I needed too. I was just inventory. That's all I worked as.
HW: 2:55
Oh, nice.
CS: 2:56
Yeah. Now, I do not have a job anymore. But because that's because I'm a student. And it's tough. So as I said, I don't have a car at school, but.
HW: 3:03
Gotcha. So with that job, were there any benefits such as, you know, an employee discount or anything?
CS: 3:09
Yeah. I mean, yeah, an employee discount. Um it was just nice having like a, you know, check to check, you know paycheck every week or every other week. That was just nice. Because, you know, I got my own money. And if I want anything, you know, it was nice for me to be able to spend it, but I don't think it really, you know, did anything. I don't think I had any other benefits other than that, but yeah.
HW: 3:30
Gotcha. Awesome. That's great. All right. So next up. Um, so was this pandemic, mentally stressful for you in any way? Or?
CS: 3:40
Definitely, I mean, I feel like it was stressful for everyone. It was a tough time, you know, you couldn't really see many people. And I know, I was kind of, as I said, at home all the time, because I didn't want to go get my parents, you know, in any, whatever. But yeah, definitely stressful. Definitely stressful for everyone around me. But yeah.
HW: 4:00
Gotcha. All right. So, just to branch off of this, are you currently illegal?
CS: 4:05
Uh, yeah yeah I am.
HW: 4:06
Okay. Gotcha. So, did you, to cope with the stress during this pandemic did you drink or use any other substances to, you know, pass the time or?
CS: 4:18
Like, you know, I had a drink here and there, you know, with the family, like during dinner and stuff, but I never really, I said, I will repeat that I didn't really go out much. So, you know, I wasn't like, you know, getting drinking with the friends or anything. I was just kind of home all the time. But, you know, I had like, something in there. I didn't really use any substance during the time to cope. Kind of just went through it. You know, it feels like it was so long though. You know.
HW: 4:41
Gotcha. All right. So that's good. It seems like you were pretty well controlled for the most part.
CS: 4:46
Yeah.
HW: 4:48
Alright, so lastly, one thing I got to ask you, which a lot of people struggle with, uh during the pandemic, did you try to work on your physical health at all and get active and exercise and you know, go outside or?
CS: 5:00
Yeah yeah, I actually did I have like a gym downstairs not like a full one obviously but you know I have some weights downstairs I definitely use those a lot. I went on a lot walks, you know, like 20-minute walks, just to get like my mind right and just get some steps in during the day. Walk the dog you know, nothing crazy. But you know, gyms were really kind of closed at that time, you know, during the beginning and stuff but um yeah, I think I think just walks in, you know, little runs here and there. But, you know, I couldn't really play basketball like I always do, you know, I couldn't do that much stuff. So I ended up just, you know, lifting weights here and there and taking walks. But.
HW: 5:35
Gotcha.
CS: 5:36
It worked out, it was good.
HW: 5:37
Okay. And before when you did work out at the gym, did you go on-campus or off-campus?
CS: 5:45
Uh, I went off-campus. Yeah. Because on campus, there were like a lot of rules about it. And I just didn't really know what to expect. So but you know, my gym off-campus and stuff when it opened back it was, was much better. And it was it was strict, but not too strict. So.
HW: 6:00
Gotcha. That's great. So, uh lastly, before we wrap it up, I'm just wondering if you have any questions for me about this pandemic or?
CS: 6:09
Uh no, not really.
HW: 6:10
Alright. Okay, well, sounds good. Thank you so much for your time today.
CS: 6:15
No problem, you too. Appreciate it.
What's up, guys? I'm with CS. It's currently April 18, 2022, at 9:21 pm, and before we start our interview, I just want to ask for verbal consent to be interviewed and uploaded and published to the JOTPY website?
CS: 0:17
Yes, I confirm.
HW: 0:19
So to start off, I'm interviewing CS on being a low-income individual during the COVID 19 pandemic. And first off, I just want to ask, have you caught COVID yet during this pandemic? And if so, was it a struggle to acquire proper medical attention for recovery?
CS: 0:39
Um, I actually didn't catch COVID during the pandemic, when it was like when I was quarantining everything because my parents were really strict. They had me stay inside basically all the time. The only time I would, you know, go outside would be like a walk or like, you know, walk the dog or something like that, or get groceries. But, I mean, other than that, I didn't really catch it. I did catch it. And I did end up catching it afterwards. Um, but no, not during quarantine. Really. But to answer if I, what was the question? To acquire proper medical attention? Yeah. Okay. So basically, it wasn't really that hard. Um, I did have like a Walgreens down, like three streets over, you know, but um, it's also you can, like, deliver everything nowadays. So like, if I needed, you know, I mean, when I got COVID, it was all like, a feverish kind of stuff, chills, flu type of thing. So, you know, I had like, Mucinex and stuff. And, you know, my mom took care of me and stuff, but.
HW: 1:34
Gotcha.
CS: 1:34
Nothing. Yeah.
HW: 1:35
So.
CS: 1:35
Nothing really crazy.
HW: 1:36
Gotcha. So, did you a…, do you have a car? Or did you have a car during this pandemic?
CS: 1:40
Uh, my parents do, and like, I use it here and there.
HW: 1:43
Okay. So when you live on your own at college, do you have one or no?
CS: 1:47
No, I don't, unfortunately.
HW: 1:49
Oh, okay. So did that make obtaining food or other groceries a struggle as well?
CS: 1:55
Definitely. Because I don't have a car. So, I mean, I do have a license, but I don't have a car so I can’t really, you know, just whenever I need groceries just go over. But did, if I needed groceries, I did try Instacart a couple of times. It was it was a little, you know, expensive and stuff with the pandemic, but I guess yeah, transportation was tough at the time. Yeah.
HW: 2:16
Okay. Alright, so the next question I have to ask is, did you have a job during this pandemic? Or do you currently have one are still seeking one?
CS: 2:25
Um. During the pandemic, I did not have a job. I was always, you know, inside, couldn't really, you know, go many places. As I said, I was kind of, like, locked in, my parents didn't want me going anywhere. Because, you know, they're a little older, so I can't really get them, you know, in any danger. But I did not have a job. I did want a job. But after the pandemic ended, I ended up working at the Walgreens, which was down the street, but that was just because it is accessible. And, you know, I got what I needed too. I was just inventory. That's all I worked as.
HW: 2:55
Oh, nice.
CS: 2:56
Yeah. Now, I do not have a job anymore. But because that's because I'm a student. And it's tough. So as I said, I don't have a car at school, but.
HW: 3:03
Gotcha. So with that job, were there any benefits such as, you know, an employee discount or anything?
CS: 3:09
Yeah. I mean, yeah, an employee discount. Um it was just nice having like a, you know, check to check, you know paycheck every week or every other week. That was just nice. Because, you know, I got my own money. And if I want anything, you know, it was nice for me to be able to spend it, but I don't think it really, you know, did anything. I don't think I had any other benefits other than that, but yeah.
HW: 3:30
Gotcha. Awesome. That's great. All right. So next up. Um, so was this pandemic, mentally stressful for you in any way? Or?
CS: 3:40
Definitely, I mean, I feel like it was stressful for everyone. It was a tough time, you know, you couldn't really see many people. And I know, I was kind of, as I said, at home all the time, because I didn't want to go get my parents, you know, in any, whatever. But yeah, definitely stressful. Definitely stressful for everyone around me. But yeah.
HW: 4:00
Gotcha. All right. So, just to branch off of this, are you currently illegal?
CS: 4:05
Uh, yeah yeah I am.
HW: 4:06
Okay. Gotcha. So, did you, to cope with the stress during this pandemic did you drink or use any other substances to, you know, pass the time or?
CS: 4:18
Like, you know, I had a drink here and there, you know, with the family, like during dinner and stuff, but I never really, I said, I will repeat that I didn't really go out much. So, you know, I wasn't like, you know, getting drinking with the friends or anything. I was just kind of home all the time. But, you know, I had like, something in there. I didn't really use any substance during the time to cope. Kind of just went through it. You know, it feels like it was so long though. You know.
HW: 4:41
Gotcha. All right. So that's good. It seems like you were pretty well controlled for the most part.
CS: 4:46
Yeah.
HW: 4:48
Alright, so lastly, one thing I got to ask you, which a lot of people struggle with, uh during the pandemic, did you try to work on your physical health at all and get active and exercise and you know, go outside or?
CS: 5:00
Yeah yeah, I actually did I have like a gym downstairs not like a full one obviously but you know I have some weights downstairs I definitely use those a lot. I went on a lot walks, you know, like 20-minute walks, just to get like my mind right and just get some steps in during the day. Walk the dog you know, nothing crazy. But you know, gyms were really kind of closed at that time, you know, during the beginning and stuff but um yeah, I think I think just walks in, you know, little runs here and there. But, you know, I couldn't really play basketball like I always do, you know, I couldn't do that much stuff. So I ended up just, you know, lifting weights here and there and taking walks. But.
HW: 5:35
Gotcha.
CS: 5:36
It worked out, it was good.
HW: 5:37
Okay. And before when you did work out at the gym, did you go on-campus or off-campus?
CS: 5:45
Uh, I went off-campus. Yeah. Because on campus, there were like a lot of rules about it. And I just didn't really know what to expect. So but you know, my gym off-campus and stuff when it opened back it was, was much better. And it was it was strict, but not too strict. So.
HW: 6:00
Gotcha. That's great. So, uh lastly, before we wrap it up, I'm just wondering if you have any questions for me about this pandemic or?
CS: 6:09
Uh no, not really.
HW: 6:10
Alright. Okay, well, sounds good. Thank you so much for your time today.
CS: 6:15
No problem, you too. Appreciate it.
Item sets
This item was submitted on April 19, 2022 by [anonymous user] using the form “Share Your Story” on the site “A Journal of the Plague Year”: https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive
Click here to view the collected data.