Item
BA Oral History, 2022/05/11
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
BA Oral History, 2022/05/11
Description (Dublin Core)
A student describes their experience working during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Recording Date (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)
05/11/2022
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
05/11/2022
05/16/2022
05/17/2022
Date Created (Dublin Core)
05/10/2022
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
HW
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
BA
Location (Omeka Classic)
Buffalo
New York
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
Audio
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:05:53
abstract (Bibliographic Ontology)
This oral history is an anonymous interview regarding a student describing their experience working during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
HW: 0:00
What's up guys? I'm with BA right now. And it is currently May 10th, 2022 at 8:34 pm.
Before we start our interview, I just want to ask for verbal consent to be interviewed and uploaded and published to the JOTPY website?
BA: 0:15
I confirm.
HW: 0:17
Alright, so to start off, where are your working hours affected by the outbreak of COVID-19? At all?
BA: 0:24
Yeah, they basically were completely taken away. The store just closed down where I was working for like months during the outbreak, so I didn't really work at all, I kind of just stayed home. But yeah.
HW: 0:39
Um, so has your transportation method changed since the initial outbreak?
BA: 0:44
No, actually, not at all. I drive a car. So I mean, I just drove everywhere. Yeah.
HW: 0:52
Did your employer reduce the amount of workers present at the workplace at one time following the outbreak?
BA: 0:58
Yeah, originally, there were like five people, I think working and it kind of got cut down into two or three. And the shifts all like switched around. So yeah, definitely reduce the amount of workers.
HW: 1:09
Alright, so next, we are expected to follow strict cleaning procedures such as wiping down countertops, sinks or bathroom facilities.
BA: 1:18
Yeah, we had to wipe down everything after you know, the day was done. And actually just in between, like sometimes when my boss would just come he would just be like, make sure that everything's clean. Everything's sanitized, because that was like a whole, you know, big deal during the pandemic. So, yeah.
HW: 1:32
Alright, so and with the necessity to clean a lot. Did you notice an increase and sanitary awareness among your co workers as well?
BA: 1:44
Yeah, I mean, everyone was everywhere. Everyone had to wear a mask and sanitary gloves were being worn. And as I said, everything was wiped out. Everything was like sprayed with, I guess, I guess, what was it, you know, cleaning materials or whatever. So yeah, gloves, gloves, masks, Clorox all that stuff.
HW: 2:05
So next up did the tasks assigned to you at work change or no?
BA: 2:10
Not really. Actually, you know what? Yes. Because as I said that, there were less people working. So we did have to do we did have to pick each other stuff up. So but also extra tasks assigned were like, you know, cleaning, which took more time than usually because you don't usually do that.
HW: 2:27
Did you notice any co workers leaving or any new workers coming in after the outbreak?
BA: 2:33
Ah, actually, actually, yeah, one person left? No, to actually left, because I think they just, you know, they didn't want to bring it home to their parents or anything but to answer your question yeah.
HW: 2:45
Where are your wages affected at all by the pandemic?
BA: 2:51
No, actually, there weren't. I mean, actually, you know, technically they weren't because I did work more hours, but no, like, my salary was not.
HW: 2:57
Gotcha. So following the outbreak, do you find it difficult to juggle both personal and professional life at the same time?
BA: 3:06
Sort of in the way that professional life and personal life? I mean, how do I put this you know, my professional and professional life still, you know, worked, I still did what I did, I still have my job and all that. And I did get to go home and have my personal alone time with my family and stuff. But at you know, I didn't really have a social so I don't know if that counts as personal.
HW: 3:28
Yeah, I get that. And during a pandemic reinforce for one any government subsidies such as unemployment relief?
BA: 3:36
No, I was No, I actually, I didn't.
HW: 3:39
And did your work become any more difficult with social distancing?
BA: 3:44
Yeah, I guess, a little more difficult. You know, it's definitely annoying, like tedious and, you know, to have to, like, clean up and stuff, all that, but it wasn't like the worst thing in the world. I'm much I'm very glad that like that. That's done.
HW: 4:00
So this kind of goes along with wearing masks. Did you think the work about work environment got a little less friendly, you know, maybe it would allow us to interact with not as much talking going on between coworkers?
BA: 4:10
Definitely less talking. But we still had to, like communicate around the store and stuff. And like we I mean, the mass, I wouldn't say prohibited us from talking, you know, we still everything was friendly.
HW: 4:22
Alright, so when working during the pandemic, did you experience a significant amount of increase in stress at all, or?
BA: 4:30
Definitely, I think I think most people did. I think it was a tough time and, you know, working and making sure that everyone was safe and not you know, bringing it home to my family and stuff was definitely a worry of mine.
HW: 4:42
And did you experience it as for lack of motivation at work or even keep your job entirely during the months of the outbreak?
BA: 4:50
Definitely experienced a lack of motivation in my job and it just in general, but I did need to make money during the time and I wanted to keep my job so I just you know, I just had to get up every day into it.
HW: 5:01
So I know you guys had to wear masks going into work every day, but was a vaccine medic ever required?
BA: 5:07
No, it wasn't at the time. I think it ended up becoming mandated to work there, but no, I don't think. Yeah.
HW: 5:18
And then I'll ask, I was just wondering, did your family experience any hardship with job loss or other complications because of the pandemic?
BA: 5:26
Definitely. I mean, yes, my family definitely experience hardship. Because, you know, I couldn't bring it home to my parents, as I said earlier, but other than that, it wasn't too bad. I mean, it was annoying. It was what everyone had to deal with, I think or most people had to deal with.
HW: 5:40
Alright, so that's pretty much all I have to ask. I'm just wondering before we end this, do you have any questions to ask me?
BA: 5:47
No, I don't. I don't.
HW: 5:49
Alright, sounds good. Thanks. I appreciate your time.
BA: 5:51
Yeah, of course. Thank you.
What's up guys? I'm with BA right now. And it is currently May 10th, 2022 at 8:34 pm.
Before we start our interview, I just want to ask for verbal consent to be interviewed and uploaded and published to the JOTPY website?
BA: 0:15
I confirm.
HW: 0:17
Alright, so to start off, where are your working hours affected by the outbreak of COVID-19? At all?
BA: 0:24
Yeah, they basically were completely taken away. The store just closed down where I was working for like months during the outbreak, so I didn't really work at all, I kind of just stayed home. But yeah.
HW: 0:39
Um, so has your transportation method changed since the initial outbreak?
BA: 0:44
No, actually, not at all. I drive a car. So I mean, I just drove everywhere. Yeah.
HW: 0:52
Did your employer reduce the amount of workers present at the workplace at one time following the outbreak?
BA: 0:58
Yeah, originally, there were like five people, I think working and it kind of got cut down into two or three. And the shifts all like switched around. So yeah, definitely reduce the amount of workers.
HW: 1:09
Alright, so next, we are expected to follow strict cleaning procedures such as wiping down countertops, sinks or bathroom facilities.
BA: 1:18
Yeah, we had to wipe down everything after you know, the day was done. And actually just in between, like sometimes when my boss would just come he would just be like, make sure that everything's clean. Everything's sanitized, because that was like a whole, you know, big deal during the pandemic. So, yeah.
HW: 1:32
Alright, so and with the necessity to clean a lot. Did you notice an increase and sanitary awareness among your co workers as well?
BA: 1:44
Yeah, I mean, everyone was everywhere. Everyone had to wear a mask and sanitary gloves were being worn. And as I said, everything was wiped out. Everything was like sprayed with, I guess, I guess, what was it, you know, cleaning materials or whatever. So yeah, gloves, gloves, masks, Clorox all that stuff.
HW: 2:05
So next up did the tasks assigned to you at work change or no?
BA: 2:10
Not really. Actually, you know what? Yes. Because as I said that, there were less people working. So we did have to do we did have to pick each other stuff up. So but also extra tasks assigned were like, you know, cleaning, which took more time than usually because you don't usually do that.
HW: 2:27
Did you notice any co workers leaving or any new workers coming in after the outbreak?
BA: 2:33
Ah, actually, actually, yeah, one person left? No, to actually left, because I think they just, you know, they didn't want to bring it home to their parents or anything but to answer your question yeah.
HW: 2:45
Where are your wages affected at all by the pandemic?
BA: 2:51
No, actually, there weren't. I mean, actually, you know, technically they weren't because I did work more hours, but no, like, my salary was not.
HW: 2:57
Gotcha. So following the outbreak, do you find it difficult to juggle both personal and professional life at the same time?
BA: 3:06
Sort of in the way that professional life and personal life? I mean, how do I put this you know, my professional and professional life still, you know, worked, I still did what I did, I still have my job and all that. And I did get to go home and have my personal alone time with my family and stuff. But at you know, I didn't really have a social so I don't know if that counts as personal.
HW: 3:28
Yeah, I get that. And during a pandemic reinforce for one any government subsidies such as unemployment relief?
BA: 3:36
No, I was No, I actually, I didn't.
HW: 3:39
And did your work become any more difficult with social distancing?
BA: 3:44
Yeah, I guess, a little more difficult. You know, it's definitely annoying, like tedious and, you know, to have to, like, clean up and stuff, all that, but it wasn't like the worst thing in the world. I'm much I'm very glad that like that. That's done.
HW: 4:00
So this kind of goes along with wearing masks. Did you think the work about work environment got a little less friendly, you know, maybe it would allow us to interact with not as much talking going on between coworkers?
BA: 4:10
Definitely less talking. But we still had to, like communicate around the store and stuff. And like we I mean, the mass, I wouldn't say prohibited us from talking, you know, we still everything was friendly.
HW: 4:22
Alright, so when working during the pandemic, did you experience a significant amount of increase in stress at all, or?
BA: 4:30
Definitely, I think I think most people did. I think it was a tough time and, you know, working and making sure that everyone was safe and not you know, bringing it home to my family and stuff was definitely a worry of mine.
HW: 4:42
And did you experience it as for lack of motivation at work or even keep your job entirely during the months of the outbreak?
BA: 4:50
Definitely experienced a lack of motivation in my job and it just in general, but I did need to make money during the time and I wanted to keep my job so I just you know, I just had to get up every day into it.
HW: 5:01
So I know you guys had to wear masks going into work every day, but was a vaccine medic ever required?
BA: 5:07
No, it wasn't at the time. I think it ended up becoming mandated to work there, but no, I don't think. Yeah.
HW: 5:18
And then I'll ask, I was just wondering, did your family experience any hardship with job loss or other complications because of the pandemic?
BA: 5:26
Definitely. I mean, yes, my family definitely experience hardship. Because, you know, I couldn't bring it home to my parents, as I said earlier, but other than that, it wasn't too bad. I mean, it was annoying. It was what everyone had to deal with, I think or most people had to deal with.
HW: 5:40
Alright, so that's pretty much all I have to ask. I'm just wondering before we end this, do you have any questions to ask me?
BA: 5:47
No, I don't. I don't.
HW: 5:49
Alright, sounds good. Thanks. I appreciate your time.
BA: 5:51
Yeah, of course. Thank you.
Item sets
This item was submitted on May 11, 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.