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2021-04-24
Quarantine expiriences
For the last three or so years I have been deeply interested in photography. I enjoy photographing people and cars, though during the pandemic I have had less of a chance to go out and photograph people, that’s why I thought this would be a good chance for me to get back into the hobby and share some shots I had already captured during the pandemic. These photos have meaning behind them that remind me of all the parts of my life over the last year. A primary source is any document about a subject that was created by someone who was at the event or took part in whatever the subject is. The portfolio that I created is a primary source as it documents the first hand experiences I had while in the pandemic. It has the highs and the lows, and shows an account of one person's life in the United States of America during Covid-19. My experiences in the Pandemic were very mixed. Some parts stayed the same, some better, and some worse. Before Covid I had a small group of friends that I hung out with and when all the stay at home orders began I was able to still see them sometimes, and I never went out much so I had a very similar routine. Though one thing that I lost was car meets and races. Not only did mask ordinances make meets harder to plan but Eau Claire also began cracking down on car meets more and more. It was really tough missing out on the fun cameroudery of car meets. I work at a car audio shop and one great positive of the pandemic is that because of relief checks the shop has been constantly booked for the last 6-8 months. Another positive has been going on late night adventures with my friends. We are constantly repairing something or upgrading our cars and so when we get done it is usually late and in the last year we have begun to do fun things late at night when we get done with the daily project. The first photographs I chose was a representation of the many small businesses in the area that have been closed due to rough times during the pandemic. Many great local businesses have struggled to stay open or failed even failed to do so. The photo was taken at a storage facility for signs of businesses that have closed down in the last year or two. The photographs of cars are meant to represent the many new late night adventures that me and my friends have had during the pandemic. These trips were one of the main things that helped me cope with the pandemic and hold on to normal life just a little bit. The photo of the room is of my childhood room at my parents house. During this fall at UWEC I got a call from the school informing me I had possibly come into contact with someone and I had to quarantine for two weeks. At this same time my father contracted COVID and this meant that I was confined to this one room for my two weeks of waiting. The room became my very own jail cell, after just a few days and it was very difficult for me to pay attention in school during my quarantine. It was one of the roughest my mental health has been in my life -
2021-04-22
The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
I am submitting this for my Rel 101: Religion, Culture, and Public Life course. -
2021-02-22
#JOTPYLesson from Marissa Rhodes
I learned how to enjoy my kids' company. Before COVID and the resultant lockdown, I used to have anxiety about spending long periods of time at home with my kids. I felt like I needed to entertain them the entire time and like I was never doing a good enough job. COVID meant I had to face the fear really quickly. I learned what I loved about spending quality time with them and most importantly, that it's OK to encourage my kids to entertain themselves. #JOTPYLesson Joan Winnie Peggy Christman Mary Biggie-Beyer Jac Que Kelly Tee -
2021-03-16
#JOTPYPhoto from Katy Kole de Peralta
Working from home w/ Dora the Bulldog Explorer -
2021-02-24
#JOTPYLesson from
I learned how to really enjoy being at home and not have to be on the run all the time #jotpylesson @devuku @ravdrav257 @randomquips @kumarshivani285 @bhushan_bhalla7 -
2021-04-15
Victory Garden
A photo of the garden I have started - the pandemic has given me more time at home to tend to something like a garden. -
2020-03-14
Drinking and Staying Healthy
The photo is a simple picture but I think it gives in insight into what many people were doing during the pandemic. It's a picture of a tequila bottle and a pack of Emergen-C. I know personally along with many of my friends we were drinking a lot during the time of being in lockdown. There was not much to do and we could only do so much staying indoors. We would watch tv, eat, sleep and do it all over again. The picture shows that while we were trying to staying healthy we were also drinking our days away. -
2020-06-04
Selling during COVID
This is an article about selling a house during COVID. I wanted to include this source because one of my interviewees discussed some of the anxiety and stress that they experienced while trying to sell their home in March of 2020. This article provides context for what it is like to sell a home during COVID and how that market has changed. This article is by a realtor and provides advice and comparisons to what it may be like to sell a home during COVID and how that compares to selling during another crisis such as a recession. -
2021-03-23
#JOTPYLesson from Jordan Bizal
I've learned that I wasn't spending enough time with my kids and spouse. I have missed so many things this year, but I realized just how much I've missed by prioritizing life outside of my home. My kids are funny, kind, and so smart. It's been a great opportunity to pay attention to the things that they do while they're still little. I've learned that my extended family care deeply for me. The way people have called to check in and set up regular zoom meetings reminds me that in the same way I was missing small regular moments with my kids and spouse, I was also missing mundane conversations with people farther out in my circle. -
2021-03-24
#JOTPYLesson from Clinton Roberts
I’ve worked from home for the past year. In the past I’ve always worked in the public, but never expected to have to make this transition. I’ve learned to accept what life throws at you. -
2021-01-16
Texas family without sense of smell escapes house fire
WACO, Texas -- A Texas family suffering the effects of COVID-19 is safe after their home caught fire, and they weren't able to smell the smoke. Fortunately, a fourth family member, a 17-year-old girl, was able to alert her three relatives and get them to safety. The one-story home caught fire in Waco Friday morning with four people inside. Three people at the home where Bianca Rivera lives lost their sense of smell due to the virus and were oblivious to the danger that was consuming the structure. The teen told KWTX-TV she smelled something burning around 2 a.m. "I started smelling burnt plastic, and that's when I got more alert and ran outside of my room," Rivera told the station. "I couldn't even pass the hallway because it was filled with so much smoke." "I would just do whatever anyone else would do for their own family," Rivera told KWTX. "I just wanted to get everyone else safe and alive that's all I wanted that's all I wanted was to keep everyone alive. I don't really count myself a hero." The family members escaped with their lives, but weren't able to save much else. The Red Cross and other relatives are helping the family as they recover from COVID-19 and a destroyed home. -
2020-03-30
quarantine puppy
My family ended up adopting a puppy right at the start of quarantine in March. This led to two things, first a source of joy and distraction while stuck at home, and two, a puppy with a LOT of separation anxiety. I am a person who struggles greatly with mental health and I can say with much confidence that quarantine would have been extremely difficult had it not been for my dog. My dog is actually now in the process of being trained to be a therapy dog for schools and I am happy to have been the first person she could help. I think there is something to be aid however about getting a dog during a pandemic. They get really confused now when their humans are no longer home very moment of the day, and I suppose I feel thee same way to some extent. -
2021-03-10
A Lot More Time at Home
An interesting consequence from being locked inside day in and day out for almost a year. My collection of books has grown considerably, to the point of needing yet another bookshelf. -
2021-02-22
#JOTPYLesson from Kiki
I learned that despite numerous journalists and politicians bemoaning the deep damage quarantine is doing to elementary aged kids, my two kids are thriving. They love having time to roller blade, bike, play legos, build forts, run around the yard, have both parents home to join in the fun, and end the night by watching an after dinner movie or tv show together (currently, the og Muppet Show) - all things our crammed with activities pre-pandemic life didn’t regularly allow for. I guess I learned a slower pace of life isn’t necessarily a bad thing!@elle_cool_j @alburritvo @tranuwu @bjueinoars @callie.coe -
2020-12-25
a COVID Christmas
This Christmas my father unfortunately contracted COVID-19. He was unable to leave his house for two weeks, and it was obvious it hit him hard. My father lives alone and is 71 so my brother and I took it upon ourselves to help him as much as possible and isolate ourselves. We would bring him food and medicine and leave it at his bedroom door to keep a safe distance. During Christmas it was just the three of us eating dinner, but my brother. and I ate in a separate room as our father. It was very lonely but he is all better now with the vaccine so next holiday will be better. -
2019-04-16
The one where we were quarantined
quarantine has truly been an experience like no other although there has been plenty bad there has also been some good I enjoyed being able to be home with my family more and get to bond on another level much like how we did when we are younger we got to do things like bake, tie dye and watch movies I do wish it was under different circumstances but none the less I am happy I was able to be with my family. -
2021-02-17
#JOTPYPhoto from Gina Heart exclamation
Staying home cuddling with my dog = work @mollyc @mollycho @Gee_La_Dou @edgartoo12 @Lightskill1 -
2021-02-23
How Covid-19 effected me
Around March 2019 I was a freshman in college. At this time I was attending an HBCU in North Carolina 10 hours from where I live. Around this time Covid was relatively new and we didn't know much about it. About mid March the whole school received an email that we all had to pack up and leave campus by the following week and for some people that was easy because they lived either in North Carolina or in a close distance. After finding put this information I had to contact my parents and let them know of the situation. My family isn’t poor but we are not rich either so the finical stress that was put on them to call off of work and try and get some type of rental car big enough for all of my things without paying a bunch of money because we didn't have that to spend and rental companies already knew that this time was coming so of course they used it as a way to get more money my raising all the rental prices. So fast forward I come home and now were doing virtual school which was okay I really missed campus and my friends and class was so much more boring staring at a computer screen all day all the stores were closed it honestly felt like the world around me just completely stopped grocery stores closed no tissue or paper towels it was just everything happened so fast but I’m so grateful for my parents for coming to get me because they could of easily made me stay with a relative but they sacrificed a lot to get me home and I really appreciate it so much -
02/21/2021
Paul Keagle Oral History, 2021/02/21
This is a mini oral history with my husband, Paul Keagle, regarding silver linings during the pandemic. -
02/21/2021
June Massengill Oral History, 2021/02/21
This is a recording I did my great aunt, June. It asks the question regarding whether or not there are any silver linings in the pandemic. -
02/16/2021
Kathy Brooks Oral History, 2021/02/16
Kathy Brooks is a 60 year old woman who resides in Tempe, Arizona with her husband, son, and dachshund. This pandemic has hit all of us hard but it has hit some of us harder than others. Kathy has been retired for years now and usually would spend her days at home painting or gardening even before the pandemic. It seems now with the pandemic though she now feels the need to go out and do things that were possible before but are no longer possible. She loves shopping so this pandemic has helped her by stopping her from shopping as much as before, although online shopping is still an option for her. In this short oral history interview Kathy goes into detail on this subject. -
2020-05-11
Covid Threat
My dad was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2019 and it came as a shock to all off us. He started chemotherapy in February of 2020, and a as a result of his treatment his immune system was becoming weak. My dad continued to get better but the issue became about his immune system and covid. Covid-19 became a big issue for the United States in March so my family was very worried about getting sick for my dad since his immune system was getting weaker. As a result of this, my family and I did not go out and see other people CDC guidelines would be violated. This meant none of my siblings and I could ever truly hangout with our friends over the entire summer and Christmas break. Some people were violating Covid restrictions and stay at home orders, however, we could not because my family and I could not take the risk of getting my dad sick. While our friends were all hanging out we could not go because the risk wasn't worth the potential outcome of getting our dad sick. Even after some of the covid restrictions got lifted towards the end of 2020 I could still not go out because my dad could not get sick. This picture represents what me and my family would do since we could not hang out with our friends or extended family. We would play board games and would do trivia with our extended family. This was not ideal for me and my siblings because we wanted to hang out with our friends, but we knew we could not. Many families endured this over the course of this pandemic. Even just seeing your grandparents was hard to do because they are old and cannot get sick with covid. Many families including mine sacrificed seeing their other family because it was too big of a risk to see them and potentially get covid. This picture is an important representation of my covid experience because it brought me and my family closer together during a hard time. We spent a lot more time playing games and just hanging out with each other over the several months we were home from school. -
2021-01-31
Having fun Online
Due to Coronavirus I was not able to see my friends so long so we had to come up with ways to have fun online like these self timer photo competitions. They were really fun and it is how we spent a lot of our time at home alone. -
2021-01
A COVID-19 Puppy
After months of deliberation, my wife and I decided to welcome another dog into our household. We were hesitant about getting a big dog, since we have only had experience with dachshunds together. But I have wanted a German shepherd my entire life and we figured that now is perhaps the only time in our lives that we will have enough time to invest in a big dog to make sure he is well trained (plus to keep him from eating the furniture!). Working from home due to the pandemic enabled us to get another dog, which probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise. While I am looking forward to some normalcy hopefully returning later this year, in the meantime I will be hanging out with my new pup, Oliver. -
2021-01-22
Anxiety of the Bed
I guess anyone in pre- or post-Covid-19 pandemic would find me crazy when I say I would like to try and sleep in the street given the chance. One thing I take out from this pandemic is that even though I can’t leave it, I absolutely despise my bed. Oh yes, I am talking about my bed, the object that shoulders my tiredness; and the sheets that keep me warm and cozy at night. But also because of that warmth and coziness, that I had been late to my 0 period class three times in just one semester. For the record, in my entire life in America, I had never once skipped or arrived late to any class, even when I had to wake up an extra hour and bike along the freezing cold mornings to get to school. Now I understand what my family means about the danger that lurks behind idleness. It is not common for me to be at ease in the mind, especially when time is not on my side. But when my mind tells the alarm clock to snooze for another 15 minutes or so because I can quickly get up five minutes before class instead of 2 hours back in the old regular pre-pandemic school day, now that is trouble. Flashback to being in my Medical Core class and studying the histories of pandemic at the time, I somewhat already know we were going into quarantine very well soon because well, let just say, humanity never learns from history mistakes and also because the United States’s healthcare is already a dead end. I’m not going to further criticize the horrible leadership of our soon-to-be-impeached-twice president. But remembering back to the life before the pandemic, I proudly shake hands with my past-self for knowing how to enjoy every moment in life. That day when our school principal sent an urgent quarantine message, I was on my way home carrying a bag of snacks that probably lasted me for a week after hanging out with my friends on our usual Friday afternoon, before being cooped up in the room for more than a year, possibly more. It’s laughable now that I remember the exciting and joyful reactions of spam messages from my friends in all different group chats and compare them to how desperate we all want to escape to hellish quarantine and return to school. My friend was joking around on how I was different and I was because I was never fond of the idea of being stuck at home and knowing that a fluid borne, respiratory disease was sticking around for some time caused me to have anxiety. I hate being at home, not because I’m an extrovert but because that place frightens me, but I am not going any further into that. I am so used to my bed and huge four walls surrounding my rooms, along with family members that I’m so sick of everything. Being on my bed in exchange for those motivational times that I spend walking or biking home or playing sports in my school means that I gain weight despite skipping meals, being non proactive, being tired out by every small thing and being distracted from school. Being on my bed also means that all my free time is spent contemplating life, which is good but mostly bad. In a way, in these uneasy times, it always brings out the worst in people’s mentality, unfortunately, not excluding me. I guess all those extracurricular activities, school works and all the sporting things I do are ways that keep me distracted from my innermost thoughts. But when I lay on my bed to think, those thoughts surface and they give me anxiety and depression in ways that others feel ridiculous but to me, they take me into deep sleep with tears. I quarreled more often with my family and with the limitations of my room and no human interaction with my friends on online conversations, it did make me feel really lonely and melancholic. I did try to find new hobbies but I’m limited to my room only. Both me and my foster family members never see each other as family so there was never any reason to join the dinner table. There was no way of getting out and being alone aside from the going to school for certain businesses. I’m honestly emotionally and physically drained, even when I’m not using much energy to move around the house. Now, how I wish for everything to return to normal. I hope that people who read this will remember to learn how to appreciate their life in every moment and way possible and that they never give up given any situation that follows their way. -
2020
Remote learning in 2020
Remote learning has been actually easy for me. I've found it interesting, and sometimes fun. I like learning from home, but I miss going to school and seeing all of my friends. -
2021-01-14
Virtual Learning
I personally enjoyed virtual learning because I got to be at home. Virtual learning has lots of pros and cons. The pros being that you get to be at home and be more comfortable. But the cons being its more difficult to focus and you don't get to see your friends -
2020-12-25
Covid Christmas
Christmas was different because we did not go to Texas to our cousins. Normally, we go to Texas and all of the cousins go to one house to celebrate Christmas. They still went to the same house, but we didnt. We stayed in California because we did not want to fly out of state with COVID. Also, we were going to go skiing but we didnt because COVID. We spent Christmas at home while not as fun as with cousins it was still great Christmas. -
2020-09-29
My Personal Covid Experience
9/29: This journal entry was written as a part of the American Studies class at California High School in San Ramon, California. During the pandemic, many people have faced lots of different struggles. These struggles can range from very slight problems to large ones, and thankfully, for my family and I, we are doing pretty well. Personally, I had a few struggles when adapting to the new ways of learning and getting used to not seeing my friends as much. At first, it was fine because I thought of it as an extra-long spring break, but when I realized that we weren’t going back to school in Contra Costa County I was pretty sad. Throughout COVID, I definitely missed my friends and I felt pretty alone. Luckily, my dad was able to keep his job and work from home, so we did not have any financial problems. Covid definitely allowed me to grow closer to my dad and brother because I ended up spending a lot of time with them where I usually wouldn’t see them as much. Socially, I think our county has started to adjust to the new reality and lots of families are starting to get used to it. I think this whole situation has made people realize that they should be grateful for the valuables and people that are in their life. Lots of things (like social gatherings, school, and friends) can be taken away in a second, but family and other really important things will always stay. -
2020-12-18
What I learned about not going to school
I learned about myself that every day I get up the laziness stops my body move an inch away from my bed even through the weekend. Since I got class still for learning like a normal school day but in our own home. This let me remember the good old times when we learn in school struggling. -
2020-11-08
The pandemic shouldn't be an excuse for not exercising, but a chance to get your kids moving
This article explains how COVID-19 has impacted Canadians, and particularly, children in the past year. While some kids spent less time outside during lockdown, others have spent more time in nature and exercised more. This article will examine how the coronavirus has played a role in exercise during and after lockdown. -
2020-12-10
Thanksgiving During COVID
For Thanksgiving this year in 2020, my family stayed home and my mom made us Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. Restaurants had closed, preventing us from eating out on Thanksgiving like we’ve done every year previously as a tradition. For my mom’s first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner, we ate turkey, stuffing, biscuits and gravy, and miscellaneous vegetables which all tasted great. It was a new experience for us and it didn’t feel the same as going out to a restaurant with outside family or occasionally family friends. The day of Thanksgiving was a normal day except for not having school and my parents being home instead of at work which made nice family time. Thanksgiving at home was different, but still plenty enjoyable and delicious. -
2020-12-09
Last Night of the Semester Together
This is a photo of my roommates and I on our last night all together before we go home for the Holidays. We were tested for covid before going home, and we are planning to wait a couple of days and get tested again once we get home before we see anybody. I would feel absolutely terrible if I spread it to someone that I love at home, so I am taking the necessary precautions. My roommates and I will be reunited again in late January. -
2020-12-01
Interview with a Cat
During the pandemic, I have been home much more than I ever thought I would. It has given me a lot of free time, that I don't know what to do with, but my cats could not be happier to have their people around more. It has allowed us to gain a better understanding of each other and the things that they help me with emotionally during this time. My cats, Waffles and Hugh, are very special to me. I adopted Waffles from a humane society three years ago, and Hugh from the side of the road 2 years ago. They have been very helpful to me as emotional support animals through a lot of my college career, and they are both very sweet boys. During the pandemic, they have each gotten a little closer to my heart because their personalities have really started to shine through because I am able to be home and watch and interact with them more. Waffles is a 14lb grey and white longhair, and Hugh is a 10lb black and white short hair. Hugh is rambunctious. Waffles is not. It has been heartwarming to watch how they each take care of each other, and piss each other off a bit (as brothers and all family do) and it has made me realize how important my cats are to me. When I have bad days, they are so much more responsive to me. They come cuddle and bug me so that I get out of bed and start doing things, rather than lay there and wallow as we so often want to do. It really makes me wonder what is going on in their heads. My cats have been my saviors through this whole thing, they have been a constant that doesn't change. They have been sources of comfort and entertainment, and I could not imagine getting through this without them. -
2020-07-31
Australian Health Worker quote on difficulties of Mask
COVID is significantly affecting us in our personal lives as well. So it's not just something that we're managing at work. Quote from Female aged 43, Other Health Services. Image created by the Health Worker Voices project: https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/healthworkervoices -
2020-07-31
Australian Health Worker quote on balancing
It's the work and the home situation that is having to be balanced for everyone. And everyone has a unique set of challenges. Quote from Female aged 43, Other Health Services. Image created by the Health Worker Voices project: https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/healthworkervoices -
2020-05-04
Diamond Dog - HIST 393
Covid really began changing my life when the news broke that I would not be returning to my college campus. I remained home from my spring break with my family in New England and lots changed, both positive and negative. The most positive change in my life since the pandemic began has been my new family member, a mini Australian shepherd named Penny Lane. Penny is my family’s first dog and has been a big part of how we stayed sane throughout the initial craziness of Covid. Having a puppy to unite my family was a huge help because we were all feeling divided and found ourselves crashing more than usual due to the extended time at home. We were all able to bond over the teamwork required to take care of a pet and the happiness that a happy puppy brings to a household. Penny has helped all of us deal with our specific anxieties as well. In my case, I found myself becoming more reclusive, and finding motivation to do school work was more and more difficult. Experiencing a dog being happy to see me when I walked back home helped my motivation tons and made me want to retreat less into my negative thoughts. Penny had been a silver lining because we would not have gotten her if we weren’t spending so much time at home, and she made adjusting to the new way of Covid life much easier. As time has gone on, I find myself reflecting on the positive aspects of my quarantine experience more than the negative ones, and Pennny has been the most positive change in my life during he plague year. -
2020-11-11
Covid-19 - Higher Education
It is now almost time to wrap up my fourth semester of college at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. I've always been told ‘as you get old time goes by faster’ and wow if that isn’t one of the truest things i've ever heard. We are in the middle of week thirteen of sixteen. My university, I'm sure many others, have suggested students miss out on Thanksgiving break this year because of the risk we bring Covid-19 home to our families and the community and potentially infect others. Luckily, I do not have any final exams and my in person class after Thanksgiving is giving us the option to go home and complete our work from there. I have decided I will be going home and I plan on getting a Covid-19 test before then to ensure I am not bringing any germs from my university home to my family. Despite the addition of masks this semester nothing seems like it has changed. Students are still deciding upon partying and having large get togethers. It is obvious that many students must think Covid-19 is ‘fake’ or they are ‘immune’ because they continue to put themselves at risk every weekend. Many universities and school systems across the United States have had to transition to complete remote learning once again because of outbreaks in classrooms, residence halls, and Greek life organizations. Covid-19 is not a ‘hoax’, it is very real and should be taken seriously as people's lives and jobs are depending on it. -
2020-11-09
Elderly COVID-19 survivors with no home find warmth at Hyderabad hospital
There are many older people who don't really have family connections in the world. It's interesting to see cases of people who were living in adult care facilities and contracted Covid. They end up in the hospital to be treated but then there is nowhere to send them after. It's interesting to see stories like this and I wonder how it will end for Ms. Nagendramma. -
2020-11-10
産業医の診療もリモートで 生活習慣病など対応(2020年11月10日) - Remote medical care by occupational physicians for lifestyle-related diseases (November 10, 2020)
テレワークの定着で産業医による診療も遠隔になりました。 大和証券医務室・多田愼一郎センター長:「体調は悪くないですか?」 本社勤務・50代男性:「特に問題ないですね」 大和証券医務室・多田愼一郎センター長:「テレワークしていて運動もできているからいいですね」 新型コロナウイルスをきっかけにすべての社員を対象に在宅勤務を導入した大和証券では、今月から産業医による診療をリモートで行っています。本社以外で勤務する社員も利用できるようになり、在宅勤務などの新しい働き方についても相談できるのが特長です。ただ、風邪などの症状には対応できないため、生活習慣病やアレルギーなどを中心に診察するということです。 With the normality of remote work, medical treatment by occupational physicians has become remote. Daiwa Securities Medical Office, Director Shinichiro Tada: "Are you feeling okay?" Working at the head office, male in his 50s: "No particular problem." Daiwa Securities Medical Office, Director Shinichiro Tada: "It’s good that you can do remote work and exercises at the same time.” Daiwa Securities, which introduced tele-commuting for all employees due to the new coronavirus provides medical care by occupational physicians remotely from this month. Employees who work outside the head office can also use it, and it is a feature that they can consult about new work styles such as working from home. However, the doctors do cannot take care of symptoms of colds but rather mainly examine lifestyle-related diseases and allergies. Video is translated by Youngbin Noh -
2020-11-03
Life for a toddler during a pandemic
A mother shares how coronavirus has impacted the life of her toddler. Her daughter's routine has drastically changed, and there is a lot of confusion when trying to explain what is actually going on in the world right now. -
2020-10-30
Deciding Not to Fear or Hate Every New Day
It can be hard to fall asleep when you fear or hate tomorrow. Looking back on these past days, weeks, and months, there have been times when it was hard to fall asleep. Still, I’m amazed that most of my “tomorrows” have been exciting, filled with (a few) people I love, and promising something new. to have this. In light of news-worthy narratives, I feel amazingly blessed. That’s not to say I didn’t have to adapt. “You can’t come into work, and I don’t know when you will be able to, and I don’t know when you can be safe, and I…” But it wasn’t me I was worried about as my (former) boss rambled on. I was young. I didn’t have a family to support. In that moment, it didn’t matter that I lost my longed-for position at the archives of my alma mater; my life hadn’t been going as planned for a while. The truth of the matter was that in that moment, I was loved by my house-mates, I had enough food, I had enough in savings. Payments could wait just long enough. And, somehow, it was just enough. I was immediately able to work in part and serve in whole as a nanny and tutor for an essential-worker’s family. With more open time and open space, calls with my Nonni and Zoom calls with other family members let my heart open up the folded, selfish areas that I had lustfully kept to myself. I had to - no, got to - make the rest of my time proactive. Practice French. Take on contracted research. Learn dance choreography, teach salsa lessons virtually, and take a few risky health situations seriously. Every day of this worldwide crisis promises more ways - or perhaps dares me? - to live more richly. Life becomes more about each day and each human, and less about my time and my goals and my inadequacies. UNPOPULAR SENTIMENT: I don’t care about the pandemic, I really don’t. Not personally, at least. In love, I will absolutely wear masks and socially distance and refrain from travelling, but for me, life is meant to be lived in each precious, terminal breath, and I am not promised to be given security, health, love, passion, joy, and peace. It is in this loud silence that has descended on the globe, I’ve been able to love the unloved, serve the neglected, and deepen my empathy for those with whose background is different than mine. My keenest struggle is “home.” In the lessening of physical relationships, a yearning for a home even truer than my space and my people continues to grow in me. A “home” that embraces my soul, where I can work, thrive, and rest. The less I care one-dimensionally about success or failure, and the more I care for people, the keener this desire becomes. I don’t know when that will be fulfilled, but I have hope. Hope enough that I won’t always fear or hate tomorrow that I can’t fall asleep. Although of late, the origins of falling asleep typically lie in chocolate… It’s hard refusing those red-wrapped cocoa velvet symphonies! -
2020-08
Record setting heat in California
This year during the covid-19 pandemic there was a record-breaking Heat Wave across California the hottest place getting to 130 degrees Fahrenheit disaffected Millions across California and even caused disasters like wildfires that burned houses and many acres of land. I lived relatively far away from the fires so there was a slight risk but a small risk that my how would be burned by the fires this was still a cause for concern or my family and many of my relatives families who lived near the wildfires. The heat wave burn down people I knows homes a Cause millions in property damage and lots of emotional damage As people's personal belongings were burned. for me the heat wave cause discomfort nothing compared to people across California but still enough to make me lose sleep to cause me stress that my house may be burned down The fires as well as the covid-19 pandemic were not A good combination of disasters for one year have caused strive to many as there already at home 24/7 and that whole may have their homes and livelihoods torn down and burnt by wildfire. -
10/09/2020
Anonymous Oral History, 2020/10/09
This interview was conducted as a part of a COVID-19 archive project. In it she discusses her day to day life, how her life has changed since COVID hit the US, and how her home is coping with those changes. She discusses the effects that COVID has had on her family and community and how it has affected her son who has OCD. Lastly, she discusses her hopes for the future. -
2020-03
The Rippling Effects of COVID-19
COVID-19 came as a shock to everyone. No one could have predicted the rippling effects it has had in everyone's lives. This pandemic impacts all kinds of people- young, old, single, married, rich, and poor. It is the common thread among all of us. It is what binds us together during this difficult time. This time will never be forgotten. It will be written in textbooks and taught to future generations. Many families are going through a hard time. Who knew a virus could infiltrate people’s lives like this and flip them upside down? No one saw this coming. Many families are struggling financially including mine. We weren’t prepared for this. We thought it will all blow over soon enough. Unfortunately, we were wrong. First, my school closed. Then, my job place closed. Then, my gym closed. It seemed as if the whole world was shutting down right before my eyes, slowly stripping the things I love the most. The thought of being trapped in the house, all day, every day, for who knows how long, gave me anxiety. Slowly, life began to become very boring. Waking up knowing that you’re trapped in the house. Curfews were put up in my city. It’s like we were little kids and the Government was our parents trying to protect us from the monster- COVID 19. I suddenly had so much free time on my hands and didn’t know what to do with it. I decided to pick up some new hobbies. I tried everything. From painting to reading. It was a crazy time for all of us. When we were finally allowed out, I was so happy. Happy that everything will go back to normal, happy that I could get my old life back, happy that I could leave my house again. However, it wasn’t what I expected it to be. We had to wear masks, gloves, and maintain six feet apart between people. I remember the first time I went out in months. Everyone had covered faces and only eyes of sadness and fear were able to be seen. We all looked the same, yet on the inside we were different, each of us experiencing the impacts of the pandemic in a different way. I was shocked. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that a virus, something that is not visible to the naked eye, has turned our lives upside down and forced us to deal with the consequences. As of now, September 2020, life is somewhat what it used to be, but it will never return back to the way we’ve known. The fact that this has become our new reality, is kind of scary. But we are not out of the clear yet, there’s still so much work to do. We have to cooperate with all the guidelines and stick together. Especially during these difficult times, together we are stronger. This is all my own interpretation of the times we live in now and how it has impacted me and changed our lives forever. -
09/18/2020
Pearl Rincon Oral History, 2020/09/18
I sat down for an interview with first-year Northeastern University student Pearl Rincon. We spoke about her her experience with the pandemic, her transition to online learning, and how her life changed during the quarantine. -
2008-07-06
The time was stopping
the time was stopping. the schools, restaurant and government offices or department was closed. Only a few of people were walking on the deserted street. the bustling New York was deserted. Everyone were stay in home, students taking the class from home, the worker doing their job from home. Everyone were keep the distance between each others. The city become tense atmosphere. the covid-19 changed me a lot of from the normal life. i had to wear a face mask to anywhere. Even though, most of the time i just stay at home. The most memorable experience during the covid 19 is my summer time. i was plan many to finish at the summer period, but i suck at home, and doing nothing. Only thing that i did, taking a summer class. I was happy that i can earn class credits. One of important things that i learned from the pandemic. This is put your healthy on the first and cherish every moment. you never know that you will catching or missing. -
2020-08-24
San Francisco Stays Home
The eerie and empty streets of downtown San Francisco shows social fears and ultimately the decisions to stay home amid the pandemic. -
2020-08-18
Staying openminded and self-improving during COVID-19
During COVID-19 for me, as a teenager, staying in my room for almost 2 months was extremely hard and seemed unachievable. I had to manage with a ton of stress and anxiety as isolation was not a part of my natural habitat. However, after some period of time, it came to my mind that I have to find a substitution for hanging out with friends and doing outdoor activities. One of my hobbies and new addictions was going to my mom’s bookshelf and picking out books that have caught my eye. On the image above are three books that made me fall in love with literature and made me open my individual thoughts to myself. Through the words of other authors, I was able to not feel alone and get closer with my emotions and inner beliefs. This kind of activity made me devour myself into the stories and lives of the characters that substituted my isolated life and created a safe place for my imagination and conceptions. I am extremely grateful that I was able to explore this new part of my personality and extend my inner world during such a hard time as the pandemic. -
2020-03-30
Life In Quarantine
This is a video about life in quarantine and how it has affected our lives.