Items

• 2024-11-26T12:05

  Baba's Whistling

  "Khedni Maak" by Salwa Khatrib was stuck in my dad's head the entire lockdown. He would whistle it in the garden that he revived during quarantine. He'd whistle it in the living room, the kitchen, I'd hear it across the house even with my door completely shut. It was so calming, so beautiful, I recorded it one time so I could always have it to listen to in case I needed to hear it one day... I could hear it from outside in the rare moments when I opened my window, whenever he'd take the trash out or leave for the grocery shopping. We had a strict no opening windows rule in the house although when I look back at it, it seems silly now and suffocating just thinking about it. I don't know how we got through it. Maybe it was the soft whistle of Khedni Maak.
• 2024-11-11

  Parallel Timelines

  In 2020, I jumped to an alternate timeline. Everything I had known before became somewhat stranger, uncanny, the familiar suddenly not quite familiar. I began to lose trust and safety in my community, my family, and myself. I wondered if it was the beginning of the apocalypse. I wondered how we would survive -- any of us. It started with an earthquake. We lived in southeastern Idaho, and I had never experienced an earthquake in my twenty-five years. I was home with my partner and our two dogs. There had been news of the virus spreading in places far from us, but it seemed distant and inconsequential. Nothing seemed to touch us in our rural, isolated patch of Idaho desert. Things were as they'd always been and always would be. We had just made dinner -- mini Hawaiian sliders, kettle chips, and orange soda -- and had settled in to eat when the soda in the bottles began to ripple and shake. The dogs lifted their heads and tucked their tails. We both stared at the soda, then shifted our gazes out the window to the dry Lost River Valley, where we watched the land move in a way that didn't seem to make sense. I felt the shift internally as the earth shifted in kind. Something inexplicable had changed. Soon, people began to talk of the apocalypse; swarms of locusts (or murder hornets), natural disasters, plague, conspiracy, political unrest, riots. It was global; it was in our backyard. It was far out of our control and too close to home. And though wouldn't know it for a few more months, I was pregnant. I had never planned to be a mother, but I suddenly had to grapple with bringing a daughter into this unstable, dangerous landscape. The following week, my partner was laid off from work. Uncertainty grew. Lockdown protocols began, but they were ignored by most of our community. I continued going to work at my public-facing job, afraid each day that my unborn child and I would be infected with the mystery virus by the many, many people in my community who didn't believe it existed, who ridiculed me for wearing a mask, who thickly associated the taking of health precautions with opposing political ideology, compromised morality, and poor intelligence. My partner began to experience inexplicable health concerns: sudden, severe bouts of vertigo, rapid heart rate, weak pulse, fainting spells, inability to digest food, and days-long migraines. It was chronic and debilitating, preventing him from seeking consistent work. None of the health providers he met with was able to identify the source of these issues, citing either anxiety or sympathetic pregnancy and sending him home. He worried he was dying of an undetectable disease. I worried that nothing would make sense ever again. When I was seven months pregnant, our landlord made the decision to turn our home into a vacation rental. This left us to either pay highly increased rent or find a new home. However, over a few short months, the cost of housing had nearly doubled in our community, and we could no longer afford to live there. Our only option was to move out of state to live with family. My daughter was born healthy, though I gave birth alone because the hospital would not allow visitors. A couple of months later, in our sick and sleep-deprived states and while navigating new parenthood, we packed all we knew and took the leap. We came out alive on the other side. Nothing was as it had been, but we were hopeful of new opportunities. Trump left office. The vaccine was developed and distributed. My partner found ways to cope with his mystery illness and found meaningful work. We both returned to school. Things moved on, forever changed but not destroyed. But now, in 2024, I've jumped timelines again. It started when I swallowed a pill of Iodine-131, a radioactive isotope of iodine meant to kill the thyroid cells in my body that had become cancerous. Something shifted at that moment, and each event since has eerily mirrored the events of 2020. I once again find myself feeling that sense of strangeness, that uncanny reality, that loss of trust in the self and the other. I am unexpectedly pregnant with a second daughter, and the pregnancy is high-risk because of its proximity to the radioactive iodine treatment. My partner works, but I have struggled to get back into the workforce. There have been sudden personal conflicts with the family that have supported us, and we are now faced with finding a new home within the next six months. My physical and mental health have declined. And as of this week, we are living with the nearly unfathomable reality of a second Trump presidency. I try not to attribute unneeded significance to perceived patterns, but it's hard to ignore the parallels between then and now. Each shift feels like stepping into an uncanny mirror: familiar yet alien. I wonder if these parallels suggest a lesson or are simply the chaotic rhythm of life. In the midst of it all, I hold on to the small victories -- the ways we’ve learned to cope, to rebuild, to love fiercely in uncertain times. Despite everything, we are still here. I hope that this time, the other side will bring more than just survival: it will bring peace. As I sit with the weight of both past and present, I am reminded of what remains constant: the love I carry for my children, the strength I find in my partner, and the quiet resolve to face whatever version of reality lies ahead. Maybe we all live in parallel timelines, revisiting familiar struggles in different forms over and over again. For now, I’ll keep moving forward, one hand in each of my daughters', one uncertain step at a time.
• 
  2019-10-05

  Tourism Story for the COVID-19 Archive

  Living in California, there were many local travel restrictions, and many transportation methods, stores, and restaurants were shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When travel restrictions were lifted in 2023, My family and I didn’t travel, and we continued to wear masks and practice social distancing. At the same time, I would daydream about traveling to many places. One place in particular that I have yet to revisit is the ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. A few months before COVID spread globally, I had traveled to Cancun with my father just to go and see the ancient city; although I did take photos of the ruins, I wish that I had taken pictures of the placards and recorded the historical facts that tour guide was sharing with us. For my next visit to Chichén Itzá, I’ll create a note to write a journal about the people, places, and any historical facts I come across while taking videos and photos.
• 
  2022-03-03

  Wellbeing and Travel to Hawaii During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  tourism changes and effects on local economy
• 
  2021-11-21

  A Weekend In Vegas

  This was November 2021, a time when the coronavirus was still very much an everyday threat to human lives, but also when some sense of peace and ease had returned to travel. The mask was commonplace, only to be withdrawn to take a photo or to eat, and in many cases to make a fashion statement (i.e., stocking several of different colors and varieties to match any outfit).
• 
  2023-01-21

  Our Family's Winter Road Trip

  Here, I share a bit about myself and my family. Though many people are still not traveling, my family and I have done quite a bit, especially with my work as a grad student, an educator, and a coach. The pandemic slowed a lot of things. And my very demanding schedule is always a factor. But with the help of family, we are able to do much more than expected.
• 2021-03-07

  Story of Sickness, Vices and Travel

  I remember when then Covid-19 pandemic first started, I was working at my current suit store, and we did not know what was going to happen at first. I did not travel anywhere, as at this point the global travel market was almost completely shutdown. There was discussion between the managers as to whether we would close the store and wait this out until government officials set the release date, or stay closed indefinitely. Eventually as more earlier information was released, we closed the store. As the pandemic spread, most of Florida as well as the rest of the country was shutdown. I spent most of my time at home. I tend to enjoy a cigar with a whiskey and/or another drink while enjoying the cigar. Eventually the whole state was shutdown and completely incapacitated. I spent the time eventually trying to remain entertained within the "Tiger King" series on Netflix, but once that was over with, I went through other modes of Coping. Eventually I went through my late Fathers Cuban cigar collection to try and have some type of enjoyment. I smoked close to all of his Cuban cigar collection, which in case of misinformation, Cuban cigars in the USA are impossible to obtain by retail standards, otherwise my grandfathering them in pre-personal consumption ban. I smoked close to 90% of my late fathers Cuban cigar collection, something which I didn't want to do other than celebratory or personal reasons. Covid-19 was most definitely not a reason. Therefore with the smoking also came the drinking and drank almost every bottle of anything, within the 5 month period in the state of Florida for the outright shutdown. I think eventually after a long lookback into the vices that were involved in being so isolated, the vices reign supreme when human beings do not have each other. Which speaks to the point that throughout history we, as humans, are extremely social beings. Isolation does not work well for long term, and state sponsored isolations. I think that if i were to travel, given the chance, I would not have traveled anywhere being so close to the genesis of the disease. Not in terms of China, but being so close and available to the disease without further info, would have been disastrous for my family. If I would have gone to any country would have been either to Israel or Rome, Italy, more specifically the Vatican. I believe my faith is primary to life, and either the homeland of the Christ or the home of the church during those times would have helped me spiritually, and physically, in tremendous ways. I probably would have documented my trip via my own phone camera or Instagram in whoever was viewing at the time. I would have definitely been sure to have gone to see St. Peters Square, The Sistine Chapel, and other sites in the Vatican City. Other than that the Israeli areas would be the supposed areas where Christ walked and spoke. Such as Golgotha, Garden of Gethsemane, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. These places during the pandemic, assuming they were open, were locations at the top of my list. Date: These thoughts and events happened on March 19-20 of 2021. Location: These memories and forethoughts would have taken place at the same time.
• 
  2021-07-16

  Since we can go anywhere... Why not Texas? Go big or stay home!

  We didn't know anyone in Texas, but we knew a few people from there, and they were nice. We didn't know anything about San Antonio except that the Alamo was there (we remembered that), and the internet said it had a Six Flags. We had no reason to go anywhere, except that it was July of 2021 and I had just finished what I could only hope would be the most difficult year of my teaching career (turns out it was). We had a tax return in the bank and a fire in our eyes. It was go time. We didn't have to fly there. It cost a lot more, and neither my wife nor I had ever flown in an airplane as children. But then again, we hadn't endured a Pandemic as children either; so we flew. How did this random trip turn out? Magical. The hotel was expensive, but my daughters loved the pool. The Alamo was full of historical paradoxes, which I completely geeked out on, and we all loved Six Flags. But the best moment of all happened as we walked the cobblestone streets of old San Antonio, sharing a box of chicken. We saw a man camping on the front steps of a church, and my daughters together decided to give him the rest of the chicken, since he was probably hungrier than we were. He thanked us with his words, but even more with his eyes, and my daughters learned that even 1000 miles from home, with nothing but a half-eaten box of chicken, you can make a fellow human smile. And that made the trip worth every penny. I could never ask for a better return from a tax return.
• 2020-08

  Trip to South Lake Tahoe in 2020

  Shortly after it was announced that some of the most restrictive measures in place due to the covid 19 pandemic were to be lifted, I took advantage and planned to leave town. One of my first trips was to South Lake Tahoe in August of 2020. I choose this trip because I figured it was the safest option since I would mostly be outdoors and could stay away from people as much as possible. I was also desperate to be outdoors after being stuck at home with family. The trip went without a hitch and got the rest and release I needed. Along the way however, I did notice several changes because of the ongoing pandemic. Thankfully the areas we visited were mostly to ourselves as there was hardly anyone. Still the people we did encounter seemed almost as relieved as us; I'm not sure if it was because they were also in the great outdoors or if they were just happy to see another person who was also just wanting to be out in nature. Still, mostly everyone maintained more than sufficient distance from one another. Restaurants still offered reduced capacity and keep guests distanced. Although some businesses and locations did not require masks anymore, many still wore them (including myself). I observed mothers wiping their children's hands. Fathers carrying extra masks. Hand sanitizer was still hard to find (thankfully I had some). Occasionally there would be that person who defiantly denied a mask or just didn't wear one when everyone else. Many people would stare at this person. I would personally get nervous around groups who were particularly loud or in large groups, although I must admit I've always been a bit socially anxious. It was just that now I was not only uncomfortable with unfamiliar groups of people, I also wondered if they were sick, or if they ever were, and did they even care. I thought these things as I watched spit fall from people laughing or eating. I paid special attention to employees and staff at restaurants and establishments. Would they wipe the spit off the counter? Did they wipe down the tables? I was especially hyper vigilant and felt guilty. I was traveling during a deadly pandemic with my family still back at home. Thankfully, I didn't get sick. That didn't happen until after I was called back to work since I was deemed an "essential worker." Then I would become ill for about 4 torturous months.
• 2020-05-23

  An Anxious Stroll Through the Japanese Tea Garden

  Although I have taken longer trips to New Orleans, Costa Rica, Boston, and Mexico since COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted, I consider the local afternoon stroll through the local San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden to be the first real COVID trip. It was May of 2020 , and, at that point, the most of outside I had experienced since late March of 2020 was sitting in my backyard or making hasty trips to the grocery store. With the weather so gorgeous and with doctors and politicians saying it was safe to go to parks so long as we kept our distance from other people, my boyfriend and I decided to venture to the Japanese Tea Garden for a stroll and a picnic in the park, just outside of the gardens. Unbeknownst to us, this was a very popular idea; we arrived to the gardens to find it swarmed with other people hoping to get some fresh air. The Japanese Tea Garden can be tricky to navigate with an abundance of people around; it consists of narrow pathways, bridges, and stone staircases surrounding large ponds, streams, and waterfalls, so we found ourselves having to squeeze past people, only inches away from them. What was worse, we neglected to bring masks, thinking we'd be far away from park-goers. Not having my mask made me feel incredibly anxious. We cut our walk through the gardens short and continued with our picnic in the larger park, safely away from the crowds. I felt like I could finally breathe safely. When I got home, I was very nervous that I may have come in contact with someone with COVID. This feeling persisted for a while. At the time, it was still very difficult to get tested for COVID if you were not a healthcare professional due to the scarcity of tests and testing locations in San Antonio. Additionally, our mayor, county judge, and local health advisors warned of a spike in COVID-19 cases which did not ease my tension. I essentially waited on pins and needles as I monitored myself for symptoms. While I didn't catch COVID (the first time I caught COVID was in November 2022 actually), I didn't make another venture like that for another three months due in part to the anxiety I experienced that day.
• 
  2020-06-08

  Cross-Country Road Trip During Summer of 2020

  This story is about my family's experience of having to move during the COVID-19 pandemic from Georgia to Washington State and the road trip that took place. It was a stressful event because we did not know much about COVID-19 at the time and how it would affect us if we did contract the virus. We did not even have typical creature comforts to comfort us.
• 
  2023-07

  Grandma's Funeral: A Trip Not taken

  It tells a story about how COVID prevented my family from attending my grandmother's funeral. Leaving us unable to properly say goodbye and grieve with family. It's a travel story with no travel.
• 
  2022-05-15

  Bahamas 2022 - First Trip Post-Covid

  My first trip in the post-covid era was to the Bahamas in May 2022. It had been years since I was last out of the country. The family of one of my close friends has a timeshare and I was invited to spend a week down there with a handful of friends. Heading into the 2022 trip, I was nervous about international travel, especially to a place I had never been before. The fact that I was with my friends made things a little more comfortable for me, but I still didn’t know what to expect or if I would even be able to make it to the Bahamas and back home. See, at the time the Bahamas still required a negative covid test to enter the country as part of their “covid visa” protocol. The country also required a negative test to leave the country. The friends I was with were very cavalier when it came to covid and covid restrictions. I was nervous, and I was and am considered high risk due to the nature of my asthma, but I was still determined to have a good time with my friends… and it ended up being one of the greatest trips I ever went on. New experiences, new food, a break from my life (which had become aggressively difficult to deal with), that trip was everything I had hoped it would be. I always kept a mask in my pocket just in case, but the nature of the negative covid test at least gave me some peace of mind that I’d be okay. The picture I included is of a smaller part of the group - 5 guys having a time on a lazy river. I remember laughing hysterically with each lap we did. That was the first time post-covid where I finally felt free and relaxed.
• 
  2020-03

  Canadian Travel During Covid and After

  Contrasts domestic travel during Covid to respond to security program needs versus personal travel from Canada to the United States post-pandemic, and the different airline/airport experience.
• 
  2021-03-19

  Easing Into Travel

  This story details how our family eased back into travel once restrictions were lifted, by starting close to home and venturing further and further out. It reminds me of how much we value family trips, and how a positive outcome was that COVID forced us to discover things closer to home.
• 2020-10-15

  Travel with Your Worries

  When travel restrictions were lifted from COVID-19, I waited a few months to take a trip away from home. One was to Flagstaff, Arizona in October of that year. At this point, mask mandates were still in affect in many places and there was restrictions on how many people could come in with me to the doctors office, which is what I was traveling for. This was the first time I would be seen by my doctor in over a year, as with COVID restrictions, they had shut it down to telehealth. It was also still scary after being cooped up for months to be out, and having to eat out, something we hadn’t done in nearly 8 months. The second trip I took was only weeks later to go to the Children’s hospital in Phoenix. Again, masks were still required in most places, and even a sneeze made everyone jumpy still. My child could only have one person escort them into the hospital and we had to wear masks, which was fun with a child that was under 2 years old, but it worked. It also made things go much slower than it has been since 2020 as well as they were extra careful sanitizing and spreading people out. I also remember the housing for people that needed to stay at the Children’s hospital was also limited to one adult with the child being treated at the hospital, which made it harder for parents that had to stay with their children. I remember a lot of fear traveling, making sure to have sanitizers, masks, and anything else we might need for everyone. I remember a lot of worry.
• 
  2023-09

  My First Solo Trip

  During the events of COVID-19, I was in recovery from a serious illness that attacked some pretty valuable organs and, therefore, was immune-compromised. It was pretty shocking as I had been perfectly healthy up until that point and was just entering my early twenties. Therefore, I did not and could not travel during COVID. So, by the time of my first trip, post-COVID, travel restrictions had been lifted. I am currently as physically recovered as it gets from what happened and living life in a new normal! The first trip I took was to visit my sister in Alaska, where I stayed for about two months. We had a blast, and it was great catching up. I saw the ocean for the first time, and it was a particularly emotionally moving trip to experience. I will be heading out to see her and her lovely puppy, Honey, again in January, and I am excited to see them and explore new places! I am also hoping to rockhound in AK to add to my ever-growing rock collection.
• 2022-09-09

  Seoul-Searching During Covid 19

  Although Covid restrictions were slowing fading away by the end of 2022 in the United States, it was a process for me to travel to Seoul in 2022. Before traveling I had to fill out various forms of documentation indicating that I was healthy enough to travel. In Korea, you were still required to wear a mask in public places but other than these mandatory requirements, the trip was extremely enjoyable. I personally didn't mind it and thought the extra precautions showed a sense of care. In some ways it also showed the difference in societal standards and cultures. I got to go to museums, shops and eat delicious food. I loved it so much and it was an immerse learning experience.
• 
  2021-03

  First Time Traveling after COVID-19

  At the end of March 2021, I took a trip to the Idyllwild Mountains in Southern California. Getting to the base of Idyllwild Mountains was a 15-minute drive from where I lived. I rented an Airbnb with my family to enjoy the upcoming snow. Having multiple members in my family with compromised immune systems, we were still taking self-isolating and social distancing very seriously. During this period in California, Disneyland reopened, and restrictions eased around the state. Right before the trip, California leaders announced that anyone over 16 would be eligible to receive the vaccine the following month. While I wanted to go out and make happy memories, like enjoying Disneyland again with my family, I remember the anxiety of even staying in the Airbnb with my family and the worry that we would catch the virus. However, because of the cleaning policies and the relative isolation of the location, it felt like a safe way to travel while still being able to take enough precautions to limit exposure. While there are excellent restaurants in Idywild, we brought groceries to our rented cabin. We felt this was safer because we were still uncomfortable dining out then. Although we only stayed on the rental cabin property, it was still such an enjoyable experience. I got to watch the snowfall with my niece and nephew. We made snow angels, played board games, and ate homemade chili. It was a magical experience after prolonged stress, fear, and worry. While we were still socially distant and isolated during the trip, it was such a memorable experience, and I will forever treasure the memories we made together during our first time traveling after the start of COVID-19.
• 
  2020-08-20

  Coming Back Home

  When lockdown happened in March of 2020, I was in college in New York. I was immediatly picked up by my uncle and taken to their home in Long Island were I stayed basically stuck in an 8x8 room with a large bed and a dresser as a desk for the next 4 months. When flight restrictions were finally slightly lifted I took the first flight out to my home, Puerto Rico. Everyone had to wear masks, disinfecting stations at every corner, and it was very empty. When I got to PR, the baggage claim turned into a medical security depot with people in hazmat suits everywhere, plastic curtains draping every hallway, and incredibly tight restrictions on movememt. It was a miracle I got back. When I was home, I was finally able to walk outside in my neighborhood and decided to explore the river by my house that I had never really been to, even though I had lived there for 18 years. That's what this video represents. It represents the first real moment of freedom and nature after months of isolation and flourescent lights. That video also represents refuge, I was seperated from my homeland for over half a year at that point, 2 months by choice and 4 months by force. And though I was out in the jungle by myself, it was a much healthier form of isolation than what I had been doing in New York. So I appreciated my flowing river and low hanging tree branches all the more.
• 
  2022-06-22T19:17

  Covid-era Road Trip to Cahokia

  As the cloud of Covid-19 began to dissipate in 2022, we made our annual summer pilgrimage from Arizona to Michigan, where much of my extended family still resides (and we can escape the heat of the Southwest). Due to lingering concerns over crowds and close contacts, we decided we would drive and make stops in Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis, where we ventured to a place I, the dorky World History teacher, had eagerly selected: Cahokia Mounds, the "Largest Pre-Columbian Site North of Mexico". Approaching Cahokia, the scene might appear like a scatter plot of natural hills if they were not carefully mowed and kept generally free from trees and overgrowth. One can climb a staircase that ascends to the higher levels of Monk's Mound, the largest of several earthen pyramid-like structures in the area. I remember feeling conscious that it was the kind of climb that humans had made for several millennia, at Mesopotamian ziggurats, or similar Maya constructions at Chichen Itza, or the Acropolis at Athens-- up staircases, closer to the heavens, to honor deities or witness a royal wedding, or a coronation. I suppose my leashed golden doodle at my side and my chatterbox children following me injected distractions from the historical fantasies... Maybe I'm romanticizing this climb in my own memory. Yet, the view of urban St. Louis from the top of Monk's Mound is beautiful, and one feels the transience of human endeavors-- the rise and fall of cities and civilizations. This particular hill I stood atop was, one-thousand years prior, an epicenter of socioeconomics in North America. Tens of thousands of people resided in the area, and perhaps hundreds of thousands visited seasonally from as far afield as the Gulf Coast to the south and the Great Lakes to the north, to witness and partake in rituals, celebrations, and social and economic exchanges. These mounds, constructed entirely by humans without draft animals, once held up large structures and were heavily populated for special events. They are now mostly barren and lonely, an occasional visitor climbing the steps for physical exercise or an exercise in perspective. Though Cahokia's peak and decline as a site occurred well before the Columbian Exchange and arrival of Eurasian diseases, the barren hills and surrounding areas (and the isolating existence of the pandemic we were experiencing) made me think of the general decline and displacement of indigenous people. We were experiencing, in 2022, a pandemic that caused isolation, debilitation, distress, trauma, and occasionally death... Yet earlier epidemics were an absolute apocalypse for indigenous people throughout the Americas, often emptying entire regions of people well before the arrival of explorers, colonizers, and settlers. To stand atop Monk's Mound, and to survey the urban sprawl of St. Louis in the distance, is to experience, spatially, tremendous change over time. My single life will hopefully last a few decades longer, and making this climb with my own children gave me a joyful sense of legacy and time beyond my own existence. For a few quiet moments at the top, however, I felt alone and small, a tourist under the weight of the distant past.
• 2022-06

  Travel to Disney Orlando

  Went to Disney in Orlando, specifically Hollywood Studios to experience Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and Star Tours since I really enjoy Star Wars, specifically Star Wars Legends, not exactly a big fan of the Sequel Trilogy, but I do enjoy Disney's Andor, Rogue One, and Mandalorian. I had been to Star Tours a long time ago, and it was interesting to see how the ride had been updated with more enhanced graphics. However, Galaxy's Edge was a little bit of a letdown since it had extremely high prices and not that much merchandise. Also, there were no Star Wars action figures, which were present in vast quantities when I had previously gone. There were no COVID restrictions in place.
• 
  2024-07-22T18:05:00-02:00

  Travel during COVID (@HST643).

  This story is important because it shows just how long the COVID restrictions lasted, and also how responsible we chose to be after the pandemic. Hello everyone, my name is Lamario Thompson and I’m a first-year graduate student (and History major @HST643) here at Arizona State University @Arizona State University. When the travel restrictions were lifted for COVID, I didn’t travel, and only traveled for the first time during the summer of 2024. I took a flight from Albuquerque, NM to Shreveport, Louisiana from July 22, 2024, through July 26, 2024, however, by then COVID restrictions had been lifted such as six-foot distancing, mask wearing, and fist bumps rather than shaking hands. The only restriction that was still mandatory was getting the COVID booster, but that was primarily for my job as I work for University of New Mexico Hospital as a Patient Care Coordinator in which I come in close proximity to many patients (and staff) @unmhcovidboooster. I still wore a mask while in the airports and on the flights as I felt I could get exposed to anti-vaxxers who felt invincible against COVID. I flew from Albuquerque, NM to Houston, Tx, and then had a connecting flight to Shreveport, Louisiana. There weren’t any indications that there were any COVID restrictions at the airports or when I arrived in Louisiana. It’s interesting to note that when my folks traveled here to Albuquerque from Louisiana in June 2021, COVID restrictions like mask-wearing had literally been lifted a day before they arrived. However, less than 24 hours after their arrival here, the mask-wearing mandate had become mandatory again here in the entire state. The COVID restrictions really didn’t get lifted here at work until Spring 2023. I, however, kept wearing a mask and social distancing until Spring 2024 @covidprotocols. @Fall B Session 2024 @HistoryofTourism.
• 2022-06-04

  My 21st Birthday in Las Vegas

  During the pandemic, I didn't get the chance to celebrate my birthday through a party or the drive-by birthdays that became common. My Grandma was high risk and because of this I was out of work and could not go anywhere aside from the grocery store or her house to bring her groceries. This caused me to feel sheltered in our home for almost two full years until I returned to work late in 2021. Even whilst working I tended to keep a mask on and gloves just to be cautious and protect my family. Despite the difficulties we still ended up getting sick several times, but we kept our time away from the house minimal. This changed with my twenty-first birthday which took place in June 2022 when the restrictions were much lighter. We decided to take a trip to Las Vegas as I could do many things that come with being 21, including gambling, drinking, and the sort. Even though this was long after things had reopened, I still felt very uncomfortable to be in public. The idea of staying in a hotel felt as if I was begging to catch COVID again. This is because it looked as if there had never been a pandemic to most of the people walking around, since nobody was wearing masks or trying to be overly clean (myself included). It looked the same as it had many years prior when I had last visited the city. I did not think about it at the moment but it felt as if we had achieved a level of normalcy that I had taken for granted for so long. It made me understand how grateful I should be for having the luxury of travel or being outside for that matter. Some people will never have that type of luxury again, much like my grandma who I still have to wear a mask around. As she is in her late 90's we still cannot take the risk of exposure, this makes me remember the pandemic and how tired I was of being at home. She is still living through that and this is years after we have left lockdown.
• 2021-11-25

  Thanksgiving Travel 2021

  After COVID 19 restrictions were lifted in November of 2021, I did take a trip to Arizona for Thanksgiving. My daughter had recently moved to be with her mom in Texas for the year and we decided that since we could travel, we would meet in Arizona with my ex-wife’s family for Thanksgiving. I took a flight from Oregon to Arizona and had to wear a mask in the airport and on the plane, it was not a problem for me because I had worked in the service sector for the entire pandemic and was accustomed to wearing a mask for hours at a time. Once I was in Arizona we mostly stayed in the familial group at the house, I took my daughter to an outdoor park, and a few of us shared a car trip to a convenience store. I had to wear a mask the whole trip back to Oregon as well and I took a COVID 19 test a few days after and watched for symptoms, but I did not contract it.
• 2020-03-01

  Ghost Town Adventures

  During Covid, when everything was on lockdown, my wife and I found ourselves with quite a bit of free time. She was running a non-profit an I had recently started to go back to school. So, in order to get out of the house we decided to explore ghost towns. At the time, we lived in Montana and there are sometinh like sixty, give or take a few, within a days drive. So we would pile into our little chevy Aveo and drive out to a ghost town somewhere. What supriseed me the most was that even though Montana lists ghost towns on their state map not all of them are abandoned. More than once we would drive down a long dirt road into an old mining town that was supposed to be abandoned only to see people living in a trailer or in one of the refurbished buildings. Honestly, exploring old and forgotten parts of the state was alot of fun. Without covids restrictions we wouldn't have done it either. The only time we needed to interact with others was at the gas station for provisions and that was fairly standard. Just mask up keep your distance and go. One thing that suprised me about visiting ghost towns (aside from people living in them) was how long many of them managed to stay alive. For those of you who aren't familiar with the settlement of the American West, mining was fairly important in the mid to late nineteenth century. Regardless of whether it was silver, gold, copper, tin or any other metal, towns would form around successful mines. One these places ran dry though the townspeople would move on. But for quite a few, the mine would continue to be explored and excavated for years after it had quit producing. Seeing records of people living in an area in the 1920's and the mine not having produced anything significant in twenty years was fascinating. My wife and I spent quite a bit of time talking about these peoples lives, hopes, and dreams. Then of course if there were vampires hiding in the mines. I don't want the events of covid to ever repeat themselves but I miss the time toghether that it gave my wife and I. We have a child now so any adventure like this would be different but I might try to have us go get lost somewhere together one of these days.
• 
  2021-12-01

  A Very Covid Christmas!

  it was December 2021, covid vaccines had come out earlier in the year and many people were excited to get it, while some were completely untrusting of them. My whole family was on board with vaccines and beleived that as the vaccines were becoming availabe to everybody, the worst of the pandemic was behind us. We needed a vaccine card in order to travel to England. We had been vaccinated and were willing to abide by the conditions for travel that the US and the UK had in place. The night before we were supposed to fly out to Enlgand, "Omicron" came out and we did not know what to do. If we didn't go we would lose thousands of dollars that were non refundable. If we went we were risking our health because, according to the reports, Omicron was a different, more potent strain that the vaccine did not cover. My family and I talked about it and made the decision that, so long as we used N95's, took precautions and were safe we would be ok. We did that, we traveled to England at the height of Omicron, we went for 4 days and even though the virus was potent, we were safe and had a great time. The masks actually helped in two ways, one: they kept us safe from the virus and two: they kept our face warm as it was about 30 degrees. We saw a lot of people in England that abided by the health mandates, everyone was respectful, it was a trip that we will never forget.
• 
  2021-11-26T20

  Indie Rock Amid a Pandemic

  My first major break from the COVID-19 pandemic was attending a concert. I saw Houndmouth perform at the Vogue theater in Indianapolis on Nov. 26, 2021. I flew home for Thanksgiving from AZ to IN and my friends invited me to see one of our favorite bands. I thought, well I've already had so much exposure to other people on this trip, what more could this outing do? I felt safe enough to put myself out there maskless for the first time in a year and a half. November of 2021 was a significant lull in the number of COVID cases, likely the downturn from the Delta variant. I was glad to get out for this experience because barely a month later the Omicron variant hit nationwide and discouraged us from such outings for a few more months. The concert was an absolute blast. There was a recent change to the band's lineup after their new album Good for You came out. I got to stand right up front with loud bass, thunderous drums, and some very good friends I hadn't seen in a long time. It was like a literal breath of fresh air to "get back to normal" even though we'd be masking back up once again for about another year. Since I was coming from the Navajo Nation where I teach high schoolers, our mandates and regulations were far stricter than Indiana's where many folks had enough of the rules and ditched their social distancing and mask early. Returning back to the Rez, I had to resume conforming to tight regulations, especially in my classroom.
• 
  2023-10

  Trip to Canada

  This object says about the pandemic is that the world was able to recover from the pandemic. This is because a lot of countries had shut down their borders and so this picture shows that people were able to travel quickly again. This is important to me because this is the first time that I traveled outside the United States.
• 
  2023-01-20

  Happiest Place On Earth Found Its Spark

  This picture was taken in January or 2023, just a few months after the world “opened up” after the 3 year pandemic that rocked our world. This was the first trip my family and I took after the pandemic, the feeling of the park was that the world had healed and everything was normal again. Oftentimes, Disney is regarded as the happiest place on earth. They’re are multiple pictures that show the barren, happy-absent parks during the pandemic. The castle being lit, surrounded by people with no more fear of COVID was a great feeling. It felt as if the world had a giant sigh of relief.
• 2021-01

  2020-2021; Florida and Covid-19

  I was a Freshman in college working at Busch Gardens Tampa when Covid happened. I remembered I was at work, it was a Sunday evening, the day before spring break, and my boss said that park is gonna close go file for unemployment. I thought that was weird because the park never closes, like ever. The only time in history BG closed was for Hurricane Katrina. Anyways, I decided to take advantage of the cheap plane tickets during this time period and travel for the first time, and I was able to make some wonderful memories and see the beautiful West Coast. But once the dust settled and I came home from spring break I had to leave school and move back home. Being stuck at home without a job was mentally draining. Fast forwarded when school started again we were able to move back into the dorms but class was online and we really couldn't leave. At first I just wanted to get away from my parents and get my independence back. I got vaccinated shortly after it was available to college students because I honestly felt that it wouldn't kill me, and people were sick and dying and I thought I could at least help. I was very cautious about washing my hands and wearing a mask, even though nobody else I knew cared because sadly the state of Florida didn't take it seriously. Due to being in a dorm alone for so many weeks/months, it took a really bad mental toll. and then my Great Grandmother died of Covid-19. Nobody knew what was happening, she just got sick and the Covid turned into double ammonia, and shortly she passed. After that my mental health plummeted and I almost dropped out of school. This was Jan. 2021. I started taking it very serious afterwards even though I lived in the one place that did not and never shut down. But she got sick from a kid in our family being asymptomatic and spreading it to her. Personally I feel the pandemic changed my life. I lost someone so important to me, I had to reevaluate my mental health to the point I had to get counseling again and get an ESA. I also now feel I lost a few years of my life. It's just weird. Still to this day most of my family thinks it was fake, a military tactic, and refuse to get vaccinated. For some reason in Florida, everyone was convinced Covid couldn't spread because it was too hot. I mean maybe? I never once got sick but so many others did. It was just strange being in a place where nobody cared. When I traveled to other cities it was a ghost town, but not here. Everyone partied and went out like nothing happened. And then after, in the years 2021-2023 sooo many people moved to Florida because they thought its cheap and we wouldn't close down. And now as a result of being the "fun state" who stayed open and encouraged people to come, our Covid rates spike higher, and it's unaffordable in the cities. The impact was insane.
• 
  2020-03

  Some moments from March and April, 2020

  At the beginning of the 2020 COVID pandemic, I was a Sophomore in college. My friends and I had heard about the strange sickness that was spreading to the western states and after a few weeks, we realized that we might get sent home from college. The night we learned that we were leaving, it absolutely POURED rain. I was working at the front desk of my dormitory watching girls scream down the sidewalk to try to get to the dry dorm. Then, a salamander crawled through the front door. I was so shocked. After that, I raced around campus with a friend and got completely drenched. I loved it. When we got back to the dorm, a group of girls were leaning out of their 3rd-floor window reading off an email from the university to a group of boys standing outside. We were being sent home. I was devastated and cried on the phone to my parents. The two videos show a group of chickens my family and I got and my studying habits and how much I missed being with friends and outside of the house.
• 2021-05-17

  Pandemic dissertation

  When the pandemic first began, I, like many others, was thrown into a state of limbo. Libraries closed, archives became inaccessible, and academic conferences—those crucial opportunities for feedback, networking, and camaraderie—were suddenly canceled or pushed online. My dissertation project, which had centered around Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Victorian women’s classical education, felt fragile, threatened by the collapse of the usual avenues for research. How was I supposed to dive deep into historical sources when I couldn’t even access a physical library? But amid the chaos, something shifted. Forced to work from home, I began to realize just how interconnected the process of writing a dissertation truly was, even during a time when the rest of the world was shut down. The acknowledgments section of my dissertation reflects the way that this work, which I had once seen as intensely personal and individual, was, in reality, a collaborative effort. Writing may have happened alone at my desk, but the project was supported by a network of people whose contributions, both large and small, made the completion of this dissertation possible, especially during such an uncertain time. Foremost among them was my partner, who became my steadfast companion not just in life but in the daily challenges of academic work during the pandemic. Whether it was keeping me company during virtual museum tours, discussing the nuances of classical scholarship, or simply offering a comforting presence during long days of writing, her support was invaluable. The pandemic forced us to slow down, to turn inward, and in doing so, it also made space for deeper conversations about our work, our passions, and the ways in which scholarship could help us make sense of a world in upheaval. My friends, too, became an essential part of my pandemic dissertation journey. With travel restrictions and lockdowns in place, we turned to virtual spaces to connect, spending time together in ways we hadn’t before. Thanksgiving in 2020, for example, was spent on Zoom, sharing stories, laughter, and academic frustrations as we navigated this strange new world together. In the midst of a global crisis, these friendships provided a sense of normalcy, a reminder that even though we were physically apart, we were still there for each other, helping to keep one another grounded. One of the greatest challenges during this period was the sudden loss of access to physical archives and libraries. As someone whose research depended on Victorian newspapers, letters, and rare books, the closure of these resources was daunting. However, the tireless work of librarians—unsung heroes of the academic world—ensured that my research didn’t grind to a halt. Despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic, these professionals went above and beyond, tracking down digital copies of materials, recommending alternative sources, and, in some cases, mailing documents directly to me. The importance of their work became more evident than ever. Without their help, my dissertation could not have moved forward. My dissertation committee, too, played a critical role in helping me navigate this challenging period. Transitioning to remote work and online defenses, they remained steadfast in their support, providing invaluable feedback and guidance throughout the writing process. Their adaptability and encouragement, even when it came to working within the constraints of a global pandemic, reminded me that scholarship is always an evolving process, and that sometimes the most creative solutions come in times of difficulty. Interestingly, the isolation brought on by the pandemic deepened my connection to the subject matter of my dissertation. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a woman whose passion for classical education placed her at the margins of the male-dominated academic world, had faced similar challenges in her pursuit of scholarship. Her determination to learn Greek, her insistence on participating in intellectual conversations from which she was often excluded, and her role in advocating for women’s education resonated more strongly as I grappled with the limitations imposed on my own work during this time. Browning’s struggles, once confined to the past, felt strangely contemporary in a world where isolation, restricted access, and the need for perseverance had become the norm. As I worked on my dissertation, I also began to see how the pandemic was shaping my understanding of academia itself. What had once seemed like a solitary endeavor—this long, arduous process of researching, writing, and revising—was revealed to be deeply communal. The pandemic forced me to rely on others in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and in doing so, it opened my eyes to the collaborative nature of scholarship. Whether it was through the support of my partner and friends, the assistance of librarians and my committee, or the inspiration drawn from the work of past scholars like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, this dissertation became a testament to the power of community, even in times of isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way we lived, worked, and connected with each other. For those of us working in academia, it presented challenges that sometimes felt insurmountable. But it also offered a profound reminder of the importance of resilience, creativity, and the communities that sustain us. Writing my dissertation during this time was not just about completing a degree; it was about finding new ways to connect with others, drawing on the past to make sense of the present, and discovering that even in isolation, we are never truly alone.
• 2020-03-13

  An unforgettable tale

  I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a junior in high school, walking home with my friends. But prior to this, my government professor was very adamant about this new virus spreading around known as COVID-19. I had no idea what it was or why he was so obsessed with this virus. I didint think much of it until I saw the news that there was going to be no school. Later did I know, my life was going to take a drastic turn. Remote learning was a new concept for me. I didint complain since all I had to do was wake up and walk to my desk and turn my computer on for my first period class. It was the best thing ever. I passed my classes with ease and had no trouble learning or understanding material. This “paradise” was going to end when I would reach college. Learning through remote learning was so difficult. I was initially a biology major, which requires a lot of attention and understanding of the material in order to pass but I couldn’t. Being stuck at home was finally taking a toll on me. I wanted to get out of my house and be free. Walk around without a mask and be social with people. That’s when I realized that I was lacking social skills. It was sophomore year when schools were opening up. I was excited. Arriving at my first class and I was stunned. Seeing so many faces. I was scared. I didint know what to do. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. This “fear” would stretch until senior year of college when I started becoming more comfortable with my peers around me. Using the resources available for me. I can safely say I’m finally growing out of this craze known as COVID-19
• 2020-03-13

  An unforgettable experience

  I remember coming out of school, walking home to celebrate my moms birthday. Prior to this, my teacher was, once again, talking about this new virus called COVID-19. He was very adamant of this soon to be pandemic. He was always informing us to stay safe and education might take a drastic turn in the future if the cases keep increasing. I did not think much of it and honestly thought he was going crazy. Later did I know, he was right all along. I was one of the unfortunate ones that graduated high school online which I was not bummed out at first but later on realized that It was missed out on of my biggest milestones. Speaking education wise, it was really fun since all I had to do was get up and turn on my computer for class. It felt effortless and assumed that school from now on is going to be the easiest thing in the world, until I got to college. Remote learning in college was, by far, the worst experience in the world. When it came to concentrating and understanding the concepts, it was really hard. I was not doing well in any of my classes. I hit a roadblock. I was fortunate enough to manage and pass my classes with the help of my sister but I would soon hit another roadblock in my life. In my sophomore year of college, we were allowed to take in person class which I jumped to the opportunity but I struggled with on of the basic necessities every human being should have. Be social. I was always a shy person who kept everything to himself but the pandemic reinforced it to another level. I was not able to participate, or even join any clubs because all I wanted to do was rush home. I did not want to interact with anyone. It would take a toll on me since I started to go down a path of deep sadness and lack of energy to do anything. I missed a lot of my assignments. Skipped school. I did not want to associate myself to school. I, once again, was fortunate enough to find help and escape this reality I was creating in my head. That the outside world offers so much and I started to enjoy school. It is the 23 of September and I can safely say that I am reaching a level where I found impossible when I just started college. I found a rhythm that fits me and my needs and I am not stopping.
• 2020-01-07

  500 Square Feet

  When my wife and I got our first apartment together, we chose one which was affordable and small with the intention that we would spend as little time as possible there. Then we were quarantined and spent nearly an entire year in the apartment. We bought a house shortly after.
• 
  2024-08-08

  Natural Hand Sanitizer

  This is not a story. This is about to stay always hygienic and healthy what we need to do
• 
  2021-01-16

  In Grey

  It's an expression of my pain fro. Losing my daddy and it helps me to heal to tell the story thru music and video like this.
• 
  2024-07-27

  College Durring Covid, a Reflection

  This document is a reflection on the pandemic. It is written in a stream of consciousness style.
• 2020-03-12

  Young Mom during Covid-19

  I had a birthday weekend trip planned to GA in March 2020. My baby and I flew down a few days after the initial outbreak and warnings began. I remember wondering if it would add an extra week or two to the trip, with delays and precautions, but would've never guessed months would pass! We stayed in GA for 3 months, grateful to be out of a big city and to have my parent's large home and yard, sidewalks to walk but really hard being away from my husband and baby from their father. I was grateful to be surrounded by extended family but it was sad not spending time with my partner and for him being isolated. He didn't interact with anyone while he stayed in our home and worked remotely, it was lonely and hard. When we decided enough protocol was in place we could try our best to safely return home we were anxious in the airport but thankfully did not get sick. The masking protocol didn't feel burdensome or silly to me, it was a challenge for my child, though they did wear it as needed for small amounts of time. My child's 'toddler' years were not spent interacting with many children their age, or with any adults other than family. It was interesting to see how they developed after the pandemic and was able to become more social in time and with more opportunities.
• 2024-07-23

  Ashley's Pandemic Adventures

  During the pandemic I learned that I am not the type of person to sit still especially after being laid off from work. I did things from kayaking for the first time in my life (not pictured), to renovating my house, building a garden and buying ducks and taking care of them. I also was still in school (online), so I did my homework when I wasn't doing anything else. Despite the pandemic stopping the world, I didn't let it stop me from doing things that were important. During the kayak trip, I came face-to-face with a water moccasin that I never saw (not even after I got out of the brush), then later down found out I paddled over a gator that I never noticed was in the water. I did see the one snake that I paddled under though and was terrified it was going to fall into my kayak *shudder*. Renovating my house was both cathartic and rejuvenating because it felt like I gave the house a new lease on life. We bought ducks out of fear that groceries would be harder to come by (we were going to eat the eggs don't worry). Unfortunately, a pack of coyotes got to them a few months later which was a bit traumatizing. This was about a week before I blew my tire on my way to work. These were signs that I should have quit the job I managed to get, but I never listened. My dog and cats helped me with my homework during all of this because study time is important to keep the brain active. I painted actual paintings, fixed one of them that needed to be updated. I planted a garden, and somehow grew a pumpkin patch that sadly never grew pumpkins. Later, towards the end of the year I saw a full rainbow, and the end of one landed in my backyard. I felt that this was a sign that things would be alright even if it seemed like it wouldn't be. No, I never went to the end of the rainbow because you should never trust leprechauns. I will say...the one thing I never got used to was wearing masks. I get claustrophobic if I can't feel like I have air...and the masks were quite suffocating. I still wore them, but definitely never like them.
• 2024-07-23

  Why don't I remember most of Covid?

  I remember working remotely from my kitchen for my job. I remember watching movies. I remember being locked down and taking trips to the supermarket wearing masks. I remember avoiding touching things and copious amounts of hand sanitizer. I remember my parents getting older and using facetime to be able to see them. I remember them dying and not being able to take a flight across the country to be there. I remember that birthdays happened without parties. I remember having Covid after being vaccinated, being careful and giving up so much of life. I remember finding out that friends had passed away and not knowing they passed. I remember starting to make changes in the way I do things like open a door without touching the handle. I remember being concerned for the safety of others and wearing a mask for their protection. I remember being chastised for wearing a mask and people trying to shame me for it. I remember holding my breath when a person passed me on the street to reduce risk. I remember standing farther away from people in line and not talking to people. I remember not seeing a smile and not remembering to smile. I smile now. It takes effort but I smile now.
• 2020-03-24

  From The Traditional to the Unknown: Moving from In-Person to Online Learning

  Much like other college students in the spring of 2020, I did not know how to react to the news that a virus called COVID-19 had begun infecting major cities, towns, and people. As an avid gamer, it appeared to me as though we started heading down the path of a zombie apocalypse or something similar to that, such as the ones you see in Call of Duty. I can still remember where I was as a sophomore in college when my school decided that it needed to shut down, sending students back to their homes and moving classes to the online world. At the start of what became pandemonium, I was with my friends in one of their dorm rooms, and we watched as the former president of the school, with a panel of other officials, answered questions about the pandemic and how the institution would respond. From my perspective, it seemed that no one knew what to do, and it was disconcerting to see that the leaders of the school were themselves in a state of flux. But who could blame them? In many ways, that spring of 2020 was unchartered waters, where everyone, including our leaders, did not know what to do or how to set forth a concrete plan. The lack of certainty, as I recall, led many students to become unsure of how the school would handle classes, graduation, plans for reimbursement for housing and dining costs, and, most importantly, the health and safety of the students and faculty. From that moment in spring 2020, it seemed that the college landscape would never be the same. With that said, this leads me to the point of my story. When the school decided that all classes would go online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester and the entirety of the following school year, 2020 - 2021, it seemed entirely new and, in some ways, scary. Never before had I taken online classes, let alone know how to operate a program called Zoom. When I read the newsletter from my school saying that the 2020-2021 academic year would be online, it seemed, from my view, almost pointless to make students do schoolwork at a time when everyone was more concerned about their health and not getting other people sick. From that perspective, I felt angry, confused, and dismayed about how online classes would work. More importantly, I wanted to know how professors would respond to the situation, hopefully having them recognize that they should not assign a traditional amount of school work for a semester course given the extenuating circumstances beyond the classroom and college. I can still recall taking my first online class, and I felt utterly lost. I did not know how to operate Zoom, I did not know how to interact with my professors and classmates by staring into a camera on my computer, and I did not know, at the start, how challenging it would be to feel motivated to do the schoolwork. The latter was a difficult obstacle to overcome as being back at home and not in a classroom made it easier to forgo doing school work for a day, creating a lackadaisical mindset that negated my ability to do my assignments in a timely manner. On top of that, not being able to physically see my professors, either in class or in their office, made it even more difficult to ask questions. As someone who typically raises an abundance of questions, it seemed to me that that was no longer possible. Having to send several emails back and forth and then only have a few minutes to speak with a professor on Zoom after or before class made the process more cumbersome. The transition from the traditional classroom setting to the unknown world of online learning was a significant curve ball created by the pandemic that made the last part of my sophomore year and my entire junior year feel less important. The online medium essentially made the coursework seem less valuable to me. Even though I lived on campus in my junior year, 2021 - 2022, at the height of the pandemic, the educational side of my college experience became impacted to such a degree that I found myself not as engaged about the work or the course material. To that end, I share this story because it is one of many about how the pandemic took a substantial bite out of educational processes from 2020 into 2021. The classroom never felt the same during the pandemic and when I was on campus in 2021. Everywhere was a ghost town. In many ways, having to go from the traditional classroom into the expansive world of online learning was not something I thought I needed to think about as a college student. Of course, no one could have predicted what was going to happen, making the situation during that time all the more difficult to accept. I look back on it now and realize that I did lose a year and a half of my college experience. It is an unfortunate outcome of the pandemic, but I am thankful that no one in my family passed away from the disease, and all of my friends were safe as well. I wish I could relive my sophomore and junior years as a regular college student. However, having gone to college in the midst of the pandemic is historic, and I want to tell other generations about this experience. It will be challenging for future students to know what it was like to go to school at the same time a rampant disease spread across the globe. On the flip side, I think going to college during this time shows resiliency and courage on the part of many people. I hope this story is one that many can relate to as we move forward from these troubling years and continue to grapple with the legacy caused by the pandemic.
• 2021-06-13

  Infectious Intimacy

  When the pandemic started, I was living in a studio apartment in North Austin. I was single, my friends were quarantining, and I was going stir crazy. I got on Grindr to look for someone to spend some time with. I just wanted some human contact. I ended up talking to a cute boy and we decided to meet up, because we were both social distancing and had been recently tested. Funny enough, he worked at a morgue. He offered to pick me up, and when he arrived, I was SHOCKED to see that he had driven his hearse to get me. It was a great reminder about how close death was for all of us in the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2024-05-20

  Walk With Me Surving Covid

  This book takes you on Tracys journey as a COVID survivor through a traumatic experience. She is faced with losing her independence, having to rely on others, and letting go of a love she thought she wanted only to find the real love she needed. Tracy shares how she copes with depression and PTSD and lives and functions with it daily. This book is a powerful testimonial from a truly strong woman who shares how her faith was her strength
• 
  2024-06-18

  Handwashing @ the National Records of Scotland

  It is summer 2024, I am visiting Edinburgh, Scotland for a study abroad class with ASU online MA history students. Today, I am working at the National Records of Scotland. As I visited the loo before I headed upstairs to research, I noticed this sign reminding staff and the public to continue washing their hands to reduce the spread of COVID-19. I hope that none of our students/staff get COVID while here and that it is a mild strain if they do. It feels like a phantom on the past, but one that could certainly reappear unexpectedly.
• 2020-04-10

  Connections

  My personal experience with Covid-19 is that for me it has shaped the way I see relationships and it has also affected me personally with my grandparents death. I think that quarantining is important but as a teenager it has made it more difficult to socialize and has made me more awkward and opposed to talking to others. My familial relations have also been affected as my grandparents lived in Europe and I was not able to see them a last time before they passed and was not able to attended their funeral. It is hard to come to terms sometimes and is a difficult fact to accept. I think that Covid has reshaped the way I see relationships and human connection and is something that I actively am trying to improve.
• 
  2024-05-10

  Two weeks turns into months

  Hearing of this so-called COVID-19 virus towards the beginning of my junior year of High School sounded a little suspicious. It was as if I was watching a movie about an apocalypse. Where everyone rushes to the supermarkets and grabs everything they can. Disinfecting every item as we bring it back into our house. Making sure we wear masks. The news of hearing that two weeks off of school to any student sounds amazing. Although I didn't expect it to turn into months. Not being able to see any of my friends or teachers. Learning everything online has changed the way schools teach to this day. It went from "Yes two weeks off" to "Where did time go?". As time passed going back into school was an adjustment as well. Only kids with the same starting last names had to go to school one day while the other half had to another day. Still, wearing masks doing COVID check-ups before entering the school as well as even checking our temperature as we walk in. Overall looking back I've noticed how hard Covid hit globally. People had to isolate for long periods of time, making sure family members and friends were okay. It was overall a tough time, but we can take a lot from this pandemic to use in future uses.
• 
  2024-05-10

  Better Days Ahead

  The story I submitted talks about the important lessons I learned from the pandemic, life lessons that I will continue to take with me through my life.
• 2020-04-01

  Navigating the Pandemic

  Covid-19 was life changing not just for me but for the rest of the world. Finding out that school was going to closed for a day, to two weeks, to months and then suddenly spending my senior year of highschool through zoom. At first, like every student I was excited that school was going to be off for a few days but who would have known what we were in store for. During this time, I was taking all classes through zoom, just like every other student, and the only thing that mentally got me through this pandemic was my PGC family. PGC is known as Peer Group Connection in my high school, Thomas A. Edison CTE. This class was operated by the seniors who had this own group with another partner to talk to freshman, sophomore, and juniors. This class was mainly about encouraging and helping one another as well as doing activities. Although, the pandemic had a significant impact on this class, we were only meeting through zoom but overall we were all eachother's support system. We talked about any and everything with our kids, the good and the bad. This helped us tremendously with our emotions, as well as still having fun through such a difficult time period.