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2020-07-25
My Covid Graduation
Throughout my high school career, the one thing I was most looking forward to was graduating, as any high schooler would look forward to. Not only just getting my diploma and starting my next step in my life, but the actual action of walking across the stage, looking out seeing my family and friends sitting in the crowd cheering me on. The whole concept and excitement of graduation day. Getting all ready in my cap and gown, sitting in the seats next to my classmates who I had grown up with for 13 years and listening to our principle and class president speak. The feeling of finally being free from that era of my life and walking out of the arena with the diploma in my hand. This is what I was looking forward to at the end of my senior year. When my school first switched to online, I still had hope of going back to normal in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, as we all soon began to realize we were not going back, I realized I would not have this dream of a normal graduation after all. My school still had big plans for our class of 2020 graduation. We had a big senior parade where we drove through our village past all of our teachers and big posters of our pictures lined up on the street. Following that, we had our covid-19 version of graduation. There was a stage set up outside of our school and a section in front designated for close family and friends to watch. That day, I had many emotions. I wanted to be excited for graduation, but the thought of all my class has missed out on was still lingering in the back of my head. I walked across the stage and received my diploma, wearing a mask along with everyone there. I watched all of my friends walk across the stage and receive their diplomas too, but on a video. As heartbreaking as it was, I realized this wasn't something I should be sad about. The pandemic opened up a whole new idea of adapting for everyone. It showed everyone that no matter what could possibly happen, such as global pandemic, there is always a way to make the best out of a bad situation. I was still able to make unforgettable memories and have a memorable graduation. This is important to me because I know this is an event that will always be remembered in my life and it was something that helped change my perspective on everything in life. -
2020-05-27
TikTok Takeover
In this world there are many things we cannot predict. For instance, we could not predict the effect COVID-19 would have on us and our everyday lives. In this unfortunate situation it is important to understand perspective. If we were able to travel back in time and show someone a picture of a masked and fully sanitized person shopping, they would think you were crazy. Along those same lines, if you were to show someone the app TikTok six months ago they may not even know what it was or what you were talking about, and if they did, they surely weren’t using it every day. When I first downloaded the app TikTok back in February before COVID-19 hit, I didn’t realize how popular it would soon become. I was mildly curious and wanted to check it out for a few minutes. Soon after, I was hooked, and it became a more prominent source of entertainment for me and millions of other people. I recognize that TikTok also has many drawbacks, including misinformation, negative suggestions, security issues and more. But for this purpose, I am focusing on TikTok as entertainment in this pandemic crisis only. Today, TikTok is used by millions of people and is still growing. The very week my sister came home from college early because of COVID, we made a TikTok together about how our mom makes us take a walk around the block for fun---a sign of the times when literally all we could do was walk “around the block.” In a time of uncertainty, it felt good to do something lighthearted. I have noticed that there are many different takes on this app. People love it, and people hate it. I may have started out seeing TikTok as just another social media app, or even a waste of time, but due to the pandemic, I now see it in a new light. In some ways, it is a way for people to express their creativity, to try new things, and inspire others when personal interaction is limited. It is a reminder that you are not alone in this time of hurt and crisis—what better way to relax over the pandemic than making these fun videos and seeing so many other people doing the same. In addition, emotions are high during the pandemic as it sometimes seems it will never end, that everything is out of your control, and there is a lot of repetition. It almost seems like we are in the movie “Groundhog Day.” TikTok is the perfect way to funnel those emotions everyone has been feeling and at minimum provides a lighthearted break from the world. As I open the app, I am instantly engulfed in uplifting and positive videos, comedy videos that truly make me laugh, and a feeling of empathy towards others that reassures me that I am not the only one living through this event that is changing history. Furthermore, one of the most important parts of being socially distanced and quarantined is communication. It is easy to lose communication with friends and distant family members during a pandemic, yet one of the things TikTok offers about this pandemic is ironically connection, just not in person. This app provides a means of communication that no other app possesses and a sense of community, even if it is an odd one. This article and Tiktok itself are important to me because they show that TikTok and other social media platforms can truly bring people of all ages together in ways that surprised me. This includes not just young kids, but all generations of people as well as whole families. Social media has always been around and growing, and every generation has its phase, whether it’s MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, or Tiktok. However, what truly makes this app important to me is its ability to show a lighthearted and fun side of a world facing not-so-lighthearted issues for all generations. I don’t know what will happen to it in the days or weeks ahead, but TikTok has definitely left its mark on society during this time. -
2020-05-10
Watching Netflix Together but Apart
In the months before social distancing due to COVID-19 started in California, my friend and I had been watching our way together through the series Call the Midwife on Netflix. She'd usually come over to my apartment once or twice a week and we'd watch a couple of episodes together. Once COVID-19 became an issue, this was no longer an option, but we still wanted to continue watching Call the Midwife together. Fortunately, we discovered that we could use Netflix Party to watch the show simultaneously on our laptops in our separate homes. Netflix Party also provided a chat box so that we could easily maintain a conversation about the show as we watched. So now, when we want to watch Call the Midwife, I get on my Netflix account, create a link through Netflix Party, text my friend the link, and there we go! As much as I miss being able to watch with my friend in the room with me, it's nice to be able to watch from wherever I want. Like from my bed with my cat rolling around! -
2020-08-26T12:04
My Covid story
During quarantine I played a lot of games, mostly modern warfare, spend time with my dogs, and talk to friends. One of my friends told me he tested positive last week, so I worry about him everyday. I traveled to Arkansas with my dad to help fix up a house and see my cousin. -
2020-06-15
arias
me and my friend went to a thrift store and why i chose this photo is because it was during the pandemic before everything got bad -
2020-03-14
A life of unpredictable moments.
During the time of our spring break in 2020 we were headed to Florida with a bunch of friends and my brother who was in high school but got switched to online 2 days before. During that time the pandemic really took off. While we were there everything got shut down in Florida and in Ohio, nervous about if we were still going to be able to make it back to Ohio. In case of a travel band. We were confused and was kinda upsetting while we did have a pool in our back yard everything was getting shut down, the beaches, parks restaurants and basically the whole state of Ohio back home. The thing that was good to come out of this was my younger brother then a senior in high school was able to last minute come with us because his school went remotely. While we spent that whole weekend in the pool and ate the only restaurant that seemed to be running while everything was closing down. -
2020-08-10
Going in Blind
Throughout this pandemic, one of the hardest hit groups of people in terms of how much the community wide lock down halted life for the time being, were high school seniors. This picture was taken as a replacement for what prom photos would have been in May. While this might come off as a shallow thing to place importance on, these prom photos we took mean more than just trying to reclaim the high school experience. Of the girls in this photo, four of us are now college freshmen. In our last few weeks together we took every opportunity to get together for lunches, dinner, or drive in movies, things that we took for granted pre-covid. As a result, the pandemic has ingrained in me a very important principle to have: live as presently as you can. I can honestly say that my best friends and I are closer than we ever could have been had our high school experiences not been put on pause for six months. I appreciate their company more, and I believe wholeheartedly that our experiences apart, and subsequently together, have strengthened our bond for good. -
2020-07-22
Making the Best of Covid-19
A group of friends buy kiddie pools to enjoy summer with after their community pool did not open die to coronavirus. I think this picture and article show how people made the best of the pandemic. It shows how even though the pandemic affected everyone in a negative way, there are still ways to make the best out of the situation. -
2020-08-22
The Shift Due to COVID
Before news of the coronavirus broke, there was no idea of social distancing. Everyone would lay on top of each other and connect. But, with COVID, there was a dramatic shift and people quickly became scared of each other. I think this video is important because it can offer hope for people that one day we might be able to sit next to each other and talk without any fear. -
2020-06-20
Making the Most of It
This is my best friend and I taking graduation pictures. COVID-19 closed schools and cancelled senior events, and my best friend moved away. We made the most of it and she spent so much time with me. We filled each day with different celebrations or activities before college. I had to move away first, so we made the most of the time we had. That is what the COVID-19 pandemic has taught me. We need to live right now while following safety measures. It may not feel normal, but you will still have fun. Make the most out of it because there is no use in waiting for normalcy. -
2020
The Paradox that is COVID-19
It was early morning on the 7th of July, 2020 and a cough from down under woke me out of my sleep. It is 2020, the Plague Year. Somewhere in the depths of my mind I heard a voice that said ‘CORONA VIRUS!’, a social media phrase made all the more famous when said best by rap icon, Cardi B. This time the voice was not hers but mine. I fell back asleep and woke again at 7 am preparing to catch a flight to Ft. Lauderdale in just an hour. I had a fever. I never have fevers. I felt off in a way where I could not focus on the present because a dark cloud of fear was hanging over me. I shook it off as CoronaVirus induced anxiety is a common thing these days. I hung back in order to board last and ensure myself an empty row on the plane all to myself. It was mid flight that I knew without a doubt that I had COVID-19. COVID-19 in nutshell is near impossible to explain and is a paradox not unlike the paradoxes it created in the moral structure of mankind. Covid-19 began introducing its pervasive nature into a plethora of my systems. You are freezing cold to the touch but burning inside. One moment your blood pressure is so low you begin to think out loud to yourself…’excuse me everyone while I just lay down right here and die’ followed by hours of pounding heart rates that require medical intervention. Of course there's diarrhea and I lost bowel movement in the hotel walking back to my room. CoronaVirus also almost had me convinced that I was going to throw up in my mouth for the rest of my life. Every few days the virus manifested itself in a new profound way but not before convincing me that it was ending. At one point my brain was shaking so intensely that the left side of my face drooped and my arms went numb landing me back into the ER for a round of anticonvulsants and fluids. The fatigue and muscle pain and swollen diaphragm were the last to leave or were they? Yesterday I woke up with pink eye and stomach cramps just a few days over 4 weeks since my symptoms started, 3 weeks after diagnosis and 10 days after testing negative. COVID-19 has affected the moral structure of mankind in a pervasive nature in a plethora of misinformation, egotism and political affiliation. And just like its symptoms, CoronaVirus has no middle ground of sensibilities in the human psyche. Some of the most prevalent concepts of the Plague Year range from government conspiracy, global terroism, the wrath of God, a hoax, a completely fraudulent non-existent virus, or a huge covert operation to inoculate the world and take the spotlight off the rampant sex trafficking and police brutality wreaking havic on the worlds children. 2020 is The Plague Year in every way. Who can blame us for our ignorance but ourselves. As a society we have turned our backs on books, professors, scientists and even our friends’ own experience for the misinformation machine known as social media. Many of us have let politicians determine the depth of our hearts. COVID-19 has made me question the paradox of the heart as an emotional or love centered force that exists in all mankind. I am writing as a Biological Science Major, PreMed student at Arizona State University and as a part of Religion, Culture, and Public Life course where I have been given the opportunity to share my story to ‘A Journal to the Plague Year’. In this course we study what is rational thought as it pertains to religion, spiritualism and the conditions of the heart in retrospect to whether or not man can do good for mankind without the need to also do bad to mankind. I lost several friends through this year and diagnosis. Some of them have never returned a text or call and others called me a liar and some laugh at my symptoms when I tell them. Then there are those that laugh at posts of people in hospital beds and turn their noses up to simple fever checks at local businesses. CoronaVirus would not be complete however had it not also brought out a global connection of assistance. Mortgages and rents are suspended, utilities are not being disconnected, the government is sending cash assistance and our food and medical welfare services have expanded to all in need. The Small Business Associations in combined efforts are bailing out businesses left and right with grants to the tune in the billions. For once in history the little man, the big man, the poor man, the rich man, the athlete, the teacher...all of us were in need and all of us were susceptible to the same affliction; COVID-19. My final thoughts on COVID-19 are one of simplicity in the midst of madness. Regardless of the plethora of theories or origination ideas and outside of the political or religious realm; CoronaVirus is still a real biological virus. CoronaVirus does not need to be highly fatal to wreak havoc on an individuals life but for far too many it is. As a future practitioner of medicine it is my oath to believe that one life is too many. It would do humanity some good to stop and weigh out the inconveniences of a silly mask or a temperature check or an imperfect trip at the grocery store for the sake of just maybe the scientists are correct. Just maybe we can stop this before The Plague Year of 2020 becomes the plague decade. -
2020-01-15
True Friends
The picture I posted is important to me, as even though that my friends and I were not able to meet. Beacuse of the pandemic we all truly appreciated the presence of eachothe rin the group and felt like family to each other. -
2020-03-15
Peace in a Pandemic
I chose my work uniform because I chose to work during the peak of the virus. I got to experience everyone's viewpoint and opinion concerning the virus, and show kindness to everyone who wished to engage with the world during an unprecedented time in modern history. The experience working during the pandemic was completely different from the business and rudeness I experienced serving customers at the height of the holiday season of 2019. People were generally pleasant and seemed to care for the employees working and the other customers in or around the store. This experience made me reevaluate a lot of my priorities in life, such as family and friends, because life is short and while i'm on this earth I should do my very best to love and serve everyone who I come in contact with. -
2020-05-10
Making Friends From Behind Closed Doors
The pandemic has been hard for all of us. Not all of us experience it the same exact way, but we all deal with similar themes such as: loneliness. I'm not the only person who had this experience, but maybe those who haven't tried this yet may take to the idea and have good results themselves. This story is important to me as it represents how humans adapt quickly and readily to the world around them in most cases. It also shows how being a social creature really allows us to ground ourselves to the world, to empathize and understand that which surrounds us: whether it be person or animal. This story really puts in perspective the idea that we may all be home, social distancing, but we are never truly cut off from the world, and people, around us. -
2020-08-10
Being a single parent in a time of covid
Being a Single Parent in a Time of COVID-19 My daily family life has changed since the global rise of the coronavirus disease pandemic since parenting is coupled with more responsibilities. Being a single parent to two children has arguably increased exposure to caregiving stress, especially with two teenagers, 16 and 17 years. My younger child has dyslexia learning disorder and has an IEP since kinder garden comprehend without additional help from a special ed teacher the struggle in school became much harder. I focused more of my attention on my younger son being that he was a freshmen level while the older child is attending to his senior year of school. I have been helping them adopt and utilize online schooling programs effectively while attending to my full-time job. Markedly, finding a balance between caregiving, offering them help in school work, and attending to my career has proved challenging during this COVID-19 period. The most robust experience I have so far is to offer them guidance to enable them to comprehend the content accessed from online sources. I dedicate more time to my younger son since he has a learning disorder, limiting his ability to follow directions given on the online platforms. Besides teaching, teenagers' lives have been affected since they are in the development stage characterized by socializing, finding new friends, and distancing from parents. In the earlier stages of the spread of COVID 19, the teenagers perceived the quarantine measures by the government as weapons to suppress their freedom and had to sneak out sometimes. I have experienced a parenting burden in training them to exercise self-care during these tough times, and they still seem distressed since they can no longer meet their friends. Moreover, online learning and their daily upkeep have incurred additional expenses, which may hamper my ability to meet the schools' future mandates. Markedly, it may become difficult for me to purchase learning resources in the future since there has been a reduction in my earnings and hours. -
March 30, 2020
COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #20, Biomedical Engineering Major's Point of view
Well not having graduation, not being able to finish out college with the clubs and friends from the past 5 years. I've adjusted by getting closer to my best friends I made here. The good things have been I've gotten a lot of time to reflect on what I want out of my life. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Be happy. Do things that make you happy. Take time and cherish the friends around you as much as you can. -
March 26, 2020
COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #14, Physics Major's Point of view
Once we were directed to leave RIT, I was overwhelmed. Things felt so uncertain and hopeless, I was seriously considering dropping out. But after the outpouring of support from all corners of RIT, and especially the academic provost's decision to offer pass/fail options, I truly felt that things would be okay. The situation is manageable and RIT is here for us. There is so much love within our community, and I'm trying to help spread it wherever and whenever possible. Even though we're physically distant, I feel closer than ever to my family and friends. Everyone is checking in on one another and actively trying to make the day brighter. For instance, I've reconnected with many friends from high school in the form of meme-sharing and messages of support. I've even become closer to my younger sister by recording music together. We have seen examples of the world as a beautiful, interconnected community. Let's keep it going. Spread the love <3 If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Keep your room clean, keep your chin up, keep your friends close, it's all going to be okay. -
March 26, 2020
COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #10, Mechanical Engineering Technology Major's Point of view
Well outside of the obvious classes going to online, I have had to give extra attention to my classes regarding assignments and due dates, it isn't the teacher's job anymore to hand out stuff. I have had to learn on my own, I can't go to the lectures to learn, I have to read the textbook, or attend Zoom meetings which only some of my teachers have. I sort of have this feeling of "you're on your own now" and it's completely up to me to succeed. It does feel quite lonely even though I am with my family because all of my friends are away back home and the only interaction with them is through social media and such. What really upsets me is that I had a job on campus and I liked going to work and making money. Now, I don't have any income and when I am not doing schoolwork I am doing generally unproductive stuff like watching TV or playing video games. The adjustment is a weird one, I feel like I am getting used to it but I am still wary that this new system will come up and screw me out of nowhere. I guess some good things to come out of this was that I am finally getting proper use out of my laptop, I finally cleaned my room and I have interacted with my family more. I do enjoy the home cooked meals. I also am really excited for when this is all over and I can have fun with my friends again. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Enjoy your time while you have it. Spend as much time with friends as you can, and make more friends. No one saw this coming and the lack of social interaction has really taken a toll on me. -
March 26, 2020
COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #9, Mechanical Engineering Major's Point of view
Most significantly, I was torn from a place where I finally fit in with my blacksmithing and welding and general maker mindset, and went back to a place where everyone plays basketball and farms, and can’t talk about anything else. I finally fit in somewhere, and it got cut short. I learned to find myself, and now I know that my not fitting in was by no means my fault. I know to stay connected with those who care about me, not necessarily those physically nearby. I know to balance my time better next year. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Take time away from club work, no matter how much they need you, and spend time with your friends. Balance your time. -
March 25, 2020
COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #4, Mechanical Engineer Major's Point of view
Due to COVID-19 it has been a crazy few weeks. I was in Florida on the women's crew training trip. When we first got the news the year would not be continuing as planned. At first I was heart broken I had made some of the most amazing friends and the thought of being away from them for longer than just the summer was heart breaking. I was scared that we would loose contact. However the exact opposite has happened, we now video chat on the weekly and call each other we need help or just a pick me up. Al though it is not the same as eating dinner every night together or spending each weekend hanging out we have still found ways to connect. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? I would tell myself to pack lighter. I didn't use a lot of stuff I packed and it was a pain when trying to move back home. -
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. -
2020-05-07
JBL
One day I was sitting in Central Park. I was saying goodbye to my friends who were leaving for college. We were also there to celebrate my friends birthday. I remember the bittersweet vibe like it was yesterday. My friend gave me her phone and told me to queue song I thought fit the situation. There were so many to choose from. With the power of music, it was able to lift people up and remember the times we all had together. -
2020-04
My Past 4-5 Months
My xbox has actually been very helpful for me during this pandemic. Normally I am able to see all my friends in person, but because of coronavirus I wasn't able to do that. With my xbox I was able to talk to all of my friends during the pandemic. It was a great was to keep in touch while also having fun. Without my xbox I would've been very bored and I wouldn't have been able to talk to my friends nearly as much. -
2020-08-04
The thing I can't live with out
My object is my pink pixelbook go. Its a computer it has keys and a screen. it is important to me because I have used it to entertain myself during the pandemic. Its also how I communicate with my friends and family. -
2020-04-17
Life In Isolation: The Coronavirus... Joseph Ole Mpoe 3
A virtual exhibition by the Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science -
2020-04-12
Jewish Melbourne - The Year Without A Garden
I love to garden. And especially our community garden. We started small and watched it grow year by year. The friendships grew too. It was also a place where neighbor's walking their dogs or just out for a stroll could pause, admire the colors and aromas - a bit of peace in an increasingly stressful world. This year, restrictions governing social distancing and community gatherings prohibited us from working on our garden. The pandemic had taken yet another joy from our lives. -
2020-07-10
AG Oral History, 2020/07/10
This is an oral history interview by AG, a 39 year old mother of three young children living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She discusses the stresses and worries about the Coronavirus time. -
05/27/2020
Kinza Hagerup Oral History, 2020/05/27
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05/05/2020
James Ziehr Oral History, 2020/05/05
This is part of a undergrad/ grad project at UW - Eau Claire for a public history course, taught by Dr. Cheryl Frei. -
2020-06-06
I Broke up with My Boyfriend because, Quarantine, and Got a New Family
I broke up with my boyfriend because quarantine forced us to spend much more time together and the problems we'd been able to sweep under the rug became too apparent to us. It was time to make the break which would have been devastating normally but since I was able to move in with old friends and turn a negative into a positive. This wouldn't have happened without the Coronavirus. -
2020-04-20
Humans of Covid-19 AU: Zev
“I’m excited to do everything that I can’t do now because of corona. I hate coronavirus, it’s annoying. School on the computer is boring. I can’t see my friends. Now that I think of it, I do miss school. People need to stop doing what the police tell them not to do. I saw two teenagers get told off by police for kissing in the park, and also people sunbaking. I'm going to appreciate seeing my friends more once this is over.” Instagram post on Zev, a student, and their experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives. -
2020-04-19
Humans of Covid-19 AU: Meg
“In some ways, my day-to-day life hasn’t really changed too much. I drive to work, 45 minutes each day, and go about my role in the distillery. The cellar door where I work has shut completely. A large stream of our revenue usually comes from hospitality venues and duty free, but obviously that can no longer happen, so now all revenue must come from retail. People really are drinking a lot of alcohol at this time - It's insane!. Our sales have gone from $2000-$3000 a day, to sometimes $30,000 a day - just from online. It’s worrying because I don't think this is sustainable. So many industries are not surviving at the moment, so it will all come crashing down at some point, it’s just unclear when. Not being able to go out is not the end of the world. Social media is amazing in this sense. I’m managing to stay connected with my friends and family. Tuesday night is quiz night that my mum organises, then Wednesday night is family sit-down dinner. Last year I was in a car accident and it taught me that I needed to slow down and enjoy my life. And this is another reminder that I need to be grateful for everything happening around me. I have picked up hobbies that I had put aside for a while, because I didn’t have time. A lot more creativity is coming back into my life that I love and had really missed. People are being a lot more compassionate and supportive of each other. It has restored a little bit of my faith in humanity.” Instagram post on Meg, distiller & cellar hand, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives. -
2020-04-17
Humans of Covid-19 AU: Molly
“Online schooling is definitely not ideal. I’d rather be at school with my friends. But considering it’s the only option, it’s going ok so far. The biggest challenge for me is trying to keep on top of the work, because there’s so much being thrown at us and no teacher there to guide us. I miss school a lot, especially my friends, sport and socialising with people. I find that social media is not the same as actually seeing your friends. I prefer being one-on-one with someone so we can actually talk properly. I’m a lot calmer than I was at the end of last term. Everything around me is organised and clean, so I feel a lot less stressed and chaotic. But now I'm ready for my life to go back to normal.” Instagram post on Molly, a high school student, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives. -
2020-04-16
Humans of Covid-19 AU: Ani Jordens
“I’ve been feeling fully immobilized by this pandemic. I’ve noticed many people jumping into new interests and hobbies, and I'm just struggling to work out: who am I outside of work? What hobbies do I have? What are my interests? I just don't know! I’ve been observing my friends and family who have lost the jobs and livelihoods that gave them a sense of purpose. An important part of self-esteem is drawing it from multiple sources. If all of your eggs are in one basket and it gets taken away, then you will have a massive drop in self-esteem. But right now, people have lost multiple sources of self-esteem, which puts intense strain on mental health. Perhaps we need new structures and more supportive systems. The working-at-home thing has revolutionized able-bodied peoples’ lives, and could be used in a really productive way post-pandemic to make careers more accessible to people with a disability. Hopefully we learn something from this.” Instagram post on Ani Jordens, a university student, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives. -
2020-05-12
Liminal
When trying to remember the year, I think of the last few weeks before we left. There was something in the air that made this semester — this particular semester — feel like the end. And so, maybe we laughed harder and louder than we did before. And we cried so much more and we tried to do what we could to enjoy ourselves — to hold onto what we had left. And we had dance parties and dinner parties that made us feel alive and supported — no one was alone. Although we’ll be back at some point, it will feel like starting over again. And maybe that’s good, maybe that’s necessary. And maybe we’ll come back and say, “Hey, it’s nice to meet ya! My name is ...” because things have changed. We all will have changed. But maybe, just maybe, it will be better than before. -
2020-06-12
A Vegas-ish 40th Quarantine Style Birthday
At the start of 2020, my group of college friends planned a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate a dear friend's 40th birthday. As we all live in different areas of the country, it was clear by the start of April that the trip would not be happening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After 20 years of friendship, we couldn't let a milestone like this pass us by. We decided to throw her an over the top Zoom birthday party. I put together party packs, complete with colorful wigs, dessert plates, confetti and cocktail stirrers, and sent to each party guest. The birthday girl's package had strict instructions directing her to wait to open right before the start of the party. Together, the guests made a photo slideshow that included the top 40 things that we love about our friend and read it to the guest of honor during the party. We also decided to make a cocktail together and brought our own desserts and candles so that we could sing to her. The group coordinated with her husband to make sure that she had the cocktail supplies and a dessert to join in the fun. It certainly wasn't what she had imagined for her 40th birthday. But it was unique, thoughtful, a lot of fun, and definitely a memory to last a life time. -
2020-04-07
Viva Las Vegas! CANCELLED
Contra Costa County COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders were announced on March 13, 2020. As is typical for me, my calendar was full of various activities in the summer months. I love summer! And, as a teacher, I have more freedom during the summer months to travel and to spend times with loved ones. One of the upcoming events I was most looking forward to was a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate one of my best friend from college's 40th birthday. Somewhere between college and now, life began to move at warp speed and we don't get as much time together as we would like. So, for many reasons, this was a major trip for us all. In early April, it was clear that the trip would no longer happen. We all received a text from the birthday girl letting us know the trip was officially cancelled. While I am sad, it is definitely the right decision. I am hopeful that 2021 will give us the opportunity to reschedule! It is hard to imagine that it could possibly be an entire year before we can all comfortably travel and be together once again. -
2020-03-21
Socially Distanced Birthday
My birthday fell just before the height of the pandemic. While staying at home was not yet mandatory, social distancing was starting to be brought in. Luckily, some of my amazing friends dropped off this birthday present and left it outside my door. -
2020-03-18
ZOOM is My University
Now that learning has shifted to Zoom, it is important to stay in communication with our friends. Human interaction and being a part of a community is essential for every learner’s needs. -
2020-05-31
Graduation during Quarantine
My friend graduated college during the Corona Virus quarantine. My other friends and I threw a surprise graduation celebration in her backyard, wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart as precautions. -
2020-05-04
"You're messing with my summer" High School Musical Meme
A meme quoting the movie High School Musical 2 -
2020-06-01
Pandemic
Staying at home locked up is very odd. It takes a toll on your mental health because you are not able to see your friends or anyone outside your immediate family. It is hard to connect with others and you will see the other side of most people's personalities. Letting yourself be who you are is very important. Taking time to do what you love (if possible) is a great way to let out steam. Workouts and staying fit as well as movies and video games are good ways to spend time. The pandemic of 2020 will always be remembered, likely not fondly. -
2020-05-20
Shower is Still On
This particular screen shot comes from a post made in my facebook event for my bridal shower being held this weekend. A bridesmaid has been consistently updating all of those invited with safety precautions and our plans to continue for over a month now! This is important to me because it highlights how a milestone event has been altered from a simple show up event to a monitored event. -
2020-05-31
Missing You
With the COVID-19 pandemic that has lasted for a few months now, keeping in touch with my friends and family has been hard. We are all stuck inside and I can’t reach out to my friends and it’s hard to not feel connected in my social life. My friends and I stay connected by calling each other on Facetime at times. This picture was captured during one of our calls when we watched my friend Emely cut her hair. Even though we stay connected by calling each other on Facetime, it doesn’t feel the same and I miss in-person interaction. My daily-life isn’t as productive with school now being online based. I miss seeing my teachers who I love even though I was complain about not wanting to go to school. I miss being able to go outside without feeling suffocated in a mask. I miss going out to places with my friends. Being in quarantine has made me notice how not being at school for this long has affected me. Being by myself has made me feel discourage and I’ve realized that I rely on my friends to make my days happy. I’ve noticed that some friendships I made rely solely on common classes and in-person interaction and now that I can’t do that those friendships have started to fade. It’s sad that had happen, but at least I have some strong friendships that will last even when we hardly interact with one another. Even though it’s tough see my friends and my family, we should know that it’s important to keep social distancing. Going to eat with friend and going to beaches surrounded by a lot of people’s would just increase the number of cases. It doesn’t just out your own health at risk, but the people that you’ve come into contact with would be at risk as well. At this moment, it’s important to keep in mind that we need to take care of those you love by staying away. I know it may be hard, but it’s for the best ! -
2020-05-31
Coronary Diaries
My story is a simple one. Day after day is an assignment from my online classes and I am extremely grateful, because my day is safe and secure. On the other hand, there are people on the front lines constantly exposed to the dangers that are keeping us all in. -
2020-05-31T08:58
What covid 19 has made me feel and lost...
So in the begging of the covid 19 we didn’t take it serious well I didn’t i felt this was going to blow over in a couple of weeks and we would be able to go back to school like if nothing happened. I never expected for the virus to explode the way it did. It has prevented me on finishing my first track season it has prevented me from going to see friends and family it has prevented me to go and learn and celebrate in school, and all this has me really conflicted i mean i know I’m not the only one but I’m frustrated that i can’t go out and live my best life, i can cant go and do hands on learning, i cant see my future as i did before i have been having some trouble learning everything is just crazy in the world right now. -
2020-05-29
Book Club for 6 year olds
The loss of social interaction has been one of the hardest parts of the pandemic. It's really hard for my 6yo who wants more than anything to see her friends again. Recently, her friend started a book club where 3-4 kids can get together on Zoom and discuss and share their favorite books. They explain what book they like and why. Today, Maya shared the book Potato Pants which is one that we always laugh at. She still misses her friends, and I have to keep promising that we'll see them soon. Fortunately she hasn't pushed for a concrete date, but she's constantly asking and frustrated that she spends everyday at home. -
2020-05-26
Voices of 2020 - Brooke Degerness
Brooke Degerness is a 2020 graduate of Northern Cass High School in North Dakota. She was interviewed by a local radio station and shared a positive message to other graduating seniors in the area. -
2020-04-09
Stay Connected with Friends
During this quarantine, my friends and I felt sadden that we were not able to see each other day to day anymore. We missed the company and speaking to each other face to face again. In order to stay connected to made several Tik Tok's together to pass the time. It was so fun to see the final product and have fun together again. During this pandemic it is really hard to go without company. Even with my family there seems to be something missing and that is my friends. Friends are everything and you must stay in contact no matter what or friendships are going to be difficult to keep up with. -
2020-05-19
Alberta's 'Wine Ninjas' Are Grown Women Playing Boozy Ding Dong Ditch
A news article about a group of women in Western Canada who started a group, which then became a trend, where they dress up in costume and deliver wine and other treats to unsuspecting residents who may need a pick-me-up. The game 'Ding Dong Ditch' as referenced in the title is one where people, usually children or teenagers, ring a doorbell and then run away and hide as a joke. In this case they are brightening up people's days while avoiding physical interaction which could spread the virus.