Items

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  2020-10-06

  A Pandemic Birthday

  This year, birthdays were different. I didn’t get to celebrate with friends and family, I didn’t go out to eat, I didn’t celebrate with drinks at a bar, and I had to cancel a trip to Chicago that involved museum trips and live shows. Leading up to my birthday, I felt a sense of loss and homesickness, and felt some resentment about not being able to celebrate while others ignored Covid restrictions and stay-at-home orders. That being said, I made an attempt to turn my attitude around, and planned some simple, fun activities I could do at home. I ordered food in, picked up a pie from a local bakery, carved pumpkins with my family, and ended my day with some Animal Crossing. It ended up being one of the most relaxing birthdays I’ve ever had, and I received lots of virtual love from friends and family that brought me a sense of closeness, despite the distance.
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  2021-01-13

  My Pandemic Pastimes

  It is important to understand how our society has dealt with this pandemic, and my entry covers what I enjoyed during the pandemic. Things that got me through and kept me sane!
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  2020-12-01

  Nintendo Switch

  Ever since I was a child I have always had a love for Nintendo and their many consoles and games they’ve made throughout the years. As a child I played on the DS and 3DS and have wonderful memories with those consoles in particular. Before Covid, I didn’t think much of the Nintendo Switch. I always thought about buying a Nintendo Switch but never went ahead to make the purchase. I thought of it as an unnecessary console and thought I could just stick with playing on the 3DS when I felt the need to play a video game. I always loved the dual screen aspect of the DS and 3DS, something the Nintendo Switch lacked. Everything changed sometime in February when the Special Edition Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch was announced. Animal Crossing was one of the franchises which I had a lot of history with, playing ever since I was little. When I heard they were releasing an Animal Crossing themed Switch, I knew I had to buy it. Little did I know what world the Nintendo Switch would open me up to during a time of isolation, loneliness and chaos. I preordered the Nintendo Switch only a month or two before the pandemic broke out, it was as if I knew something huge was going to happen and I had to stock up supplies. I’d like to think I knew what was coming, and I was doing a favor for myself. By the time my Switch was delivered lock down had already ensued and all of America was going into quarantine. It was March 17th when it arrived, and the Nintendo Switch from then on, has been very special to me. For many people, the release of Animal Crossing New Horizons alongside the themed switch was a bright light in the darkness that is the pandemic. Through escapism, millions of people were able to escape to a deserted island they could build up to their wildest dreams through this game and I was one of those people. This game helped me think about other things than the pandemic, it gave me some joy in these trying times. I played many other games when I first got my switch besides Animal Crossing including Fire Emblem Three Houses and Rune Factory 4 Special. All these games gave me a place to escape to, and for me, having a place to escape to during the pandemic was the best thing that I could’ve done. The best part was I could share this joy with others. It’s not only the games themselves that brought me some joy during the pandemic, but also the communities along with it. I made countless online friends through these games, ones that I’m very close with. Through Discord, I joined a Rune Factory server and made many close friends through it. I felt a belonging during such an isolating period in our lives. I saw how others struggled, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t let that happen to myself. I’ve always been the introvert type but even now and then I get bored only spending time to myself. These video game communities helped me form friendships and bonds during a time that was thought of as impossible. Through Rune Factory 4 I especially made friends I’m still very close with even now. If I never had bought the Nintendo Switch, I would’ve never found these communities filled with wonderful people who were just like me, looking for belonging, looking for a friend, an escape from reality. Not only can I share my love for these games with these people, but I can share my Nintendo Switch with my family as well. While I’m quarantined with my family we would bond by playing games together on my Nintendo Switch. I never get to hang out with my older brother much since he has a full-time job, but I was able to get him to play with me and my sister, it was a heartwarming and fun moment I will keep as a good memory even during the pandemic. The Nintendo switch is a mediator between my quarantined space and the outside world through the internet. I can play online games with my friends and meet people through online gaming communities. I can see when my friends are online and see what they are playing. This day and age, with technology it’s so easy to connect with the outside world from your own bedroom, and so I did it with my Nintendo Switch. The possibilities of the Nintendo Switch are endless. Even when the pandemic ends, the Switch will never lose its value to me. I have made so many good memories with this Nintendo Switch over the past months I’ve had it, and I plan to make many more. There are many games coming to the Switch in the future such as Rune Factory 5 which I’m looking forward to. This time I have many friends who play the games I play, so when I start new games they’ll be by my side, and we can bond while playing the games together.
• 
  2020-12-15

  Campaigning Through Video Games

  As covid-19 continued, many political campaigns were forced to be more creative in their approach when it came to engaging with audiences. Some campaigns held virtual events and rallies. The Biden-Harris campaign decided to take advantage of the cultural phenomenon that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons to engage with younger voters. In the Nintendo game, players curate their islands and can create their own personal designs to share and use. This game has been significant to many millennials during covid, because it has been a place for young people to “hang-out” virtually and show off their creativity. The Biden-Harris campaign took advantage of this massively successful game and created their own island, Biden HQ. They created t-shirts and designs that other players could utilize. Players can still visit Biden HQ using the in-game dream code DA-7286-5710-7478.
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  2020-10-11

  No Summer in Wisconsin

  In January I had heard a few reports of COVID-19 starting to spread into the United States, but it wasn't until late March and early April that the whole thing became very real. I remember the day before UWSP officially announced that it would be sending people home. I was with all my friends in my dorm. I remember looking at one another and saying our goodbyes just in case we were all having to pack up the next day. I personally didn't like the dorms very much, but leaving earlier than I was expecting was particularly hard. The semester before I had gone home because of a death in the family. I was unable to cope with it and school. So the fact that I had to leave once again after having had two great roommates was a blow to my pride in returning. When I came home it felt very strange. Suddenly I had all this time off without really wanting it. My plans for the summer were originally to go to Japan for the Guy Healy Program, but that didn’t pan out. I didn't want to go back to work and I had some time before online classes kicked in. However, that’s when a long-awaited release appeared. On March 20th, Animal Crossing: New Horizons released on the Nintendo Switch. I ordered it to arrive the day of, and that game took up an enormous amount of my time. With classes ending and the summer beginning, there was still not too much happening. I put down Animal Crossing after playing it for a total of 655 hours (about 27 days). I felt empty and useless. I wanted to see my friends and enjoy the summer with them. I wanted to have an income but was still afraid to go in public. When I spoke to my mother about this she responded “The virus isn't happening anymore”. I spent most of my time sleeping and depressed. That’s when I decided to buy something I thought to be only for rich people. I bought an Oculus Quest AKA a virtual reality headset. I figured, since I wasn’t spending any of my money on going places, I’ll buy something to allow me to do so. As July began I grew frustrated with the limitations of my headset. Because of its limited processing power, I couldn't see all the places and people that I wanted to. So, that led me to my second large purchase. I bought a gaming pc (in my defense it was $100 off!) Immediately after placing my order, I got a job. I was very afraid of being around people, but I needed to get some of my funds back. I started working at one of the Dollar Generals in town and my goodness was it a shit show. To paraphrase: there was a new manager, numerous new employees, stricter rules, a coin shortage, numerous item shortages, I was the only employee who wore a mask every day until I left, and most customers did not wear a mask even after the federal mandate. I legitimately wished for death by the time August ended and had my medication dosage increased. Every day that went by was a day closer to me leaving and living in my new apartment in Stevens Point. On September 1st my roommate and I moved into our new apartment. I was so relieved and so happy to be far away from my reckless and conservative family. I was now closer to my school, my friends, and now I could plan my own meals! Classes began on the 2nd and they were entirely online, except for one. It was very strange waking up and not going anywhere. For the next few weeks my days went the same: wake up, eat breakfast, attend classes, eat again/nap, attend more classes, play games, do homework, go to bed. Over and over and over.. I started to feel like I was going a bit mad. Sure, I spent a bit of time with a select group of friends and went out to buy groceries, but I was starting to falter in my classes. I was sleeping through class, forgetting to finish my homework, and struggling to fall asleep. Feeling like I had nothing left in me, I made a few changes to my life. For one, I began eating healthier and taking my pills every day. I also had my dosage doubled again. Secondly, I started to work out a bit with a new friend of mine. Finally, I have been trying to fix my sleep schedule so I can have time in the morning to work on things and wake up for school. These last few weeks have by far been the craziest of them all. With the presidential election and Wisconsin's rising COVID-19 cases, it’s hard to find a sense of peace. I am home at the moment watching my little sister because my mother and step-father went to South Dakoda for their 10th anniversary. Last week I learned that my grandfather became infected, and today I learned that two of my cousins have now tested positive. The lack of fresh food at the house is driving me insane and I honestly just want to go back to my apartment. I can only hope that November won’t be as insane as I expect it to be. But hey, at least I have my 21st birthday coming up in December!
• 
  2020-04-02

  Screenshot of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch

  Since my friends and I aren’t able to visit each other in face-to-face, we have been playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons together online. Pictured are our three avatars hanging out in the game, similar to what we would be doing if we weren’t quarantined.
• 
  04/01/2020

  A couple who had to cancel their anniversary plans spend it recreating wedding photos in Animal Crossing instead

  A user shared a screenshot of a wedding photo they recreated in Animal Crossing on the reddit.com/r/AnimalCrossing subreddit. The virus canceled a lot of plans for people and people are finding new and innovative ways to still have a celebration of the event in the safety of their own homes. Video games have been a good resource for socializing safely for those able to access them.
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  2020-05-08

  UCI Pride in the Virtual Islands of Animal Crossing

  "I thought it would be funny to have my animal villagers in a lecture hall and to create scene that was relatable. I decided to share this photo with other students and maybe encourage others to make other funny UCI-related scenes and memes within the game." - Joshua Montefalcon, 2020 *UCI Almunmus Joshua Montefalcon, '18
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  2020-04-02

  Alternative “Animal Crossing” Wedding during the time of COVID-19

  Due to the forced cancellation of their wedding, one couple decided to use the new "Animal Crossing" game to hold a virtual ceremony instead.
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  2020-04-16

  Animal Crossing, NKY Style

  Many people around the world are escaping into the unfailingly wholesome and customizable world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Though insulated from the pandemic, COVID-19 often follows players into the digital world they create. A user from Northern Kentucky used the custom crafting feature in the game to share Governor Andy Beshear's message of social distancing with their town's villagers.
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  03/24/2020

  Animal Crossing Review - NPR

  While I do not personally own the console to play this game, everyone of my gaming friends have been playing Animal Crossing during this time. This opinion/review piece describes the appeal of the game in this moment of indoor isolation.
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  2020-04-04

  Animal Crossing with friends in the middle of quarantine

  On May 20th, 2020, Nintendo released its newest rendition of its popular Animal Crossing video game on to its console system, the Switch. Although friends might not be hanging out in person, they can meet up on Animal Crossing on the Switch, as evidenced by this picture.