Items

• 
  2023-12-14

  Aaron Danner Professor Clarke Comp II 13 Dec. 2023 COVID-19 Archive Entries

  During COVID, I unearthed some pre-existing online culture in certain spaces, like the larger Black online communities. With the pandemic especially disproportionately affecting communities of color, sometimes it could be fun to send photos back and forth, especially when there was nothing better to do. These entries into "A Journal of the Plague Year: The COVID-19 Archive" somewhat reflect my background (black, chronically online, good music enjoyer). Through careful consideration, the images above contribute to the COVID-19 Archive by centering on the Black online experience during the period. Entry 1: Photo - "I’ll take the seen bro" This photo, posted sometime in 2022, directly references group chat culture and highlights the isolation that such online social hubs sort of erased, to some degree, which provided an outlet from which experience further caused damaging effects. In the span of the 36-odd months between the start of covid 2020 and this time Fall of 2023, many things surrounding sociability changed. This entry envisions the underlying happy-sadness within the digital spaces at the time. We were thankful to have someone to share these posts with even if we couldn’t see them in real life. By the presumed “end” of COVID, many become “chronically online”, or at the least, the youth became even more enthralled with social media communities than before. Saying “I’ll take the seen” demonstrates a joking willingness to sacrifice one’s online profile (an exaggerated act) concerning group chat message viewing and response. Entry 2: Photo - Sosa in the Ukraine” Also from around 2022 (speculatively), entry #2 involves an enlarged edit of Chief Keef along over a cityscape with the caption “On the way to Ukraine 🚶💥🔫🏃‍♂️.” This edited image of Chief Keef (@chiefkeefsosa on Instagram) reflects on the early stages and meme culture of the COVID-19 period Ukraine conflict. The transcendent Chicago star posted this image as the conflict overseas began to heat up. During this time, the underlying danger of the war as well as the widespread long-term effects of the pandemic were still fresh on the internet. The post’s lighthearted attitude was quickly absorbed by the rest of the internet, where the image continued to circulate. Surely, future researchers will unearth photos like these in amazement at how simple memes assisted so many in pain during isolated periods. They helped maintain comedic and cultural connections despite physical distancing measures. Circulation and archival of images from the Black community, from the pandemic period, will provide a more complete record for the future.. The selected items offer a window into the complexities of the Black experience during the pandemic, shedding light on both the challenges faced and the enduring spirit of resilience and resistance that defines the Black community. Through these submissions, I invite a more comedic perspective of the socio-cultural impact of the pandemic, ensuring that this part of the COVID narrative won't be forgotten.
• 
  2021-03-12

  No Mask, No Garden

  The Desert Botanical Garden is a fixture of Phoenix area tourism. A botanical garden of arid lands, it's unique and draws thousands of visitors every year. Their social media emphasized the importance of masking during the pandemic, with the catchy phrase "Let's not get prickly about safety."
• 
  2020

  Zoom Meetings

  This was a meme my friends and I shared around after Zoom became the #1 way of communicating, both in work and personal lives. It's poking fun at how awkward and stiff people usually look on camera, as well as the learning curve around using different Zoom functions.
• 
  2020-04-04

  HIST30060: Daniel Andrews' Facebook Post

  This is a screenshot of a Facebook post made by Daniel Andrews’ public page on 4th April 2020. This post exemplifies the Victorian Premier’s ability to co-opt social media trends in promoting his own political agenda. Popular in early 2020, the meme followed the template of “Good morning to everyone except,” followed by exclusion of a relatively a niche social group. This screenshot illustrates the subtle use of social media as propaganda by the Andrews government. Andrews’ social media pages are seldom thought of as such, as the skill of his social media team has allowed him to maintain a popular and likeable social media persona. In an age of ubiquitous social media use, the Andrews government has used social media very effectively to protect its legitimacy and justify its methods. For example, the screenshot highlights the use of guilt by the Andrews government to legitimise health restrictions. The government consistently stressed that the pandemic restrictions were for the benefit of the public and necessitated complete compliance. Those who rejected health advice were endangering the entire community and “putting everyone at risk.” This post therein encapsulates sophisticated government propaganda and the co-opting of social media for political purposes. I selected this post as someone influenced by the sophisticated campaign of government messaging. It lead me to resent rule-breakers and see the prolonged restrictions as a legitimate use of government authority to protect the public. As someone who entered the pandemic as a supporter of the Labor Party and Daniel Andrews personally, I no longer think the severity and length of the lockdowns were necessary. Yet, his social media presence certainly made him likeable, funny, and relatable at the time.
• 
  2022-02-02

  COVID Forever (Unfortunately)

  The image describes the cyclical nature that came with the Coronavirus due to various variants developing. This repetition can lead to people living stagnant and restricted lives. Such occurrences may result in feelings of hopelessness and futility. Sadly, one person alone cannot stop the spread of the virus, yet individuals continue to suffer.
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  2000-05-16

  Is COVID-19 a "Great Equalizer?"

  I made two memes. The first meme is intended to answer the question, “Are pandemics the “great equalizers” in terms of social inequalities—do they level the playing field?” with the example of COVID-19. And the meme says the answer is “no,” and that the socially vulnerable are more exposed to the dangers of COVID. The second meme is intended to answer the question, “Have you observed any patterns of human behavior with the Covid-19 pandemic?” Former President Trump called COVID the “China Virus” and fueled people’s hatred of Asians. This meme tries to remind the audience of his negative remarks but in a humorous way without offending Asian populations. It also illustrates how words can magnify feelings of racism, fear, and uncertainty, which can result in scapegoating. This meme gives the audience an opportunity to learn more about the unfair treatment of Asians during the pandemic and why it happened.
• 
  2022-04-09

  Coping with humor

  Sometimes coping through humor is what gets us through.
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  2022-04-07

  *me in 10 years*

  This is a meme found on Instagram from biddamemes. This meme depicts how someone would feel 10 years from now and being reminded of 2020 in small ways. The items in the flashback are very relevant, as hand sanitizer had major shortages in 2020, with some places putting a cap on how much people could buy at one time. It also shows things like empty shelves, which did happen at the very beginning of 2020 with people panic buying. One of the most panic bought items was toilet paper, and companies that produced toilet paper could not keep up with the amount of panic buyers, so for a few months, nicer toilet paper was harder to come by.
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  2022-03-05

  War and pestilence

  I saw this on facebook. In most people’s minds, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is just a continuation of the rolling crises marked by the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-03

  My Brother's Keeper

  A comic strip about Covid-19
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  2020-03-30

  Roomate Issues

  A comic strip about Covid-19
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  2022-02-25

  Russian invasion of Ukraine Ruins Everything

  I (and many others) am feeling like disasters just keep compounding one another since March 2020. I know a lot of folks around my were anticipating a “return to normal” this summer but it feels really difficult to just celebrate “normal life” when innocent Ukrainians are suffering and the whole world is watching.
• 2020-04-01

  Productivity

  The meme I put describes my productivity during covid. A lot of people including myself lacked productivity and slept a lot during the pandemic and quarantine times. There wasn't much to do for people work and school wise so they were less productive.
• 
  2021-12-13

  meme

  This meme shows how physically distant we stayed away from people during the beginning of the pandemic, and now the effects are seen now. Us humans are meant to interact with others always, and when we were stuck in our houses for months, it affected us a lot. We see high amounts now of depression, anxiety, suicides, etc. This is important to me because I believe that mental illnesses are just as serious of a problem that we should focus on.
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  2021-12-13

  Coughing Meme

  This meme just describes how vigilant people have become over health and the spread of germs after the start of the covid-19 pandemic. Little things like a cough would rarely phase anyone before 2020; now, any method that could spread germs catches everyone's attention. This is important to me because it shows how I've become after the pandemic; I'm a lot more cautious of myself and hygiene and of others around me.
• 
  2021-10

  Covid Online Zoom Memes

  These memes show just how "zooming" was while doing school when we went online because of the Covid pandemic. Waking up and going to class was never easier. How it usually went is I would set my alarm for 5 minutes before class, make my coffee downstairs with my blankets wrapped around me and sit back down, just like it shows in the one meme I attached. Another way I would do things is set my alarm 2 minutes before class, login to zoom and go right back to sleep with my audio on only. I think many people can relate to these memes from the past year and it really sums up how online school or work went while on zoom. It is unforgettable.
• 
  2020

  New England Student in COVID

  It seems as though every winter all of the kids in schools get a cold. Classrooms have a chorus of sniffles and coughs until springtime and we all suffer sickness together. At least, that’s how it started. My college sent an email to all students, staff, and faculty, saying the school would be monitoring the COVID-19 situation in other countries on February 10th, 2020 and there was no threat to worry about. Everyone left for spring break on March 8th, 2020, expecting to be back in a week. Instead, we got an “extra week” of the break to make sure anyone who traveled could quarantine, just in case. That week turned into a handful more and started online classes ASAP. Students were given the opportunity to go back to the college in a 3-hour window to retrieve any materials necessary for a few weeks online until the surge dies down. Fortunately, I am studying computer science, so a majority of my professors had minimal difficulty making the change, but others were not as fortunate. Quickly, the handful of weeks became the remainder of the semester. All courses would be graded on the basis of pass/fail if the students elected for each individual course they were enrolled in, due to the nature of this huge and unprecedented turnaround. All exams were online, many professors canceled their midterms to alleviate stress from the students and fears of cheating. We would receive semi-weekly updates from the college, mostly fluff pieces about missing the student body with information that was important sprinkled in. Eventually, we were permitted to sign up for a window of time to go and move our belongings out of the dorms, once the state allowed outside travelers in. In the midst of all of the chaos, I transferred colleges and started the next academic year attending one that was much larger and had more resources at its disposal to deal with COVID-19. This school had planned to welcome students back to campus in fall 2020 with a few expectations in place. They had devised a “COVID-19 Compliance” system to keep the population safe and maintain records of who was following protocol. Students would have a “green badge” assigned to them in the morning if: they had completed a daily symptom check-in that was negative, they were up-to-date on their twice-weekly COVID tests and had not been marked as a close contact to someone who had tested positive. Had one of these not been completed, you would have a yellow badge to mark non-compliance, a red badge for isolation, or an orange badge if you were symptomatic. Students must show a green badge to enter ANY campus building. Some classes were online, others hybrid in-person/online at the discretion of the professors. Masks were to be worn at all times, students must get vaccinated once they were eligible, dining areas were to-go only, the campus was littered with signs to promote 6 feet of social distancing, and a student-run campaign called “F*ck It Won’t Cut It” was started to bring attention to the urgency of staying compliant to stay on campus. We would receive weekly updates about the status of the campus’s overall positivity rate. It felt like a shell of a college experience, as students could not visit other students’ residences, no clubs could have in-person meetings, attendance at sporting events was prohibited, and students reporting other students for non-compliance created an atmosphere of disdain. We are now in the second full academic year of the pandemic and there are a few deviations from what I described for fall 2020. Now, COVID tests are once weekly rather than twice, students can now visit other residences and attend sporting events, all of the dining spaces have opened up to sit-in dining, masks are still required at all times, all classes are in person, and the “F*ck It Won’t Cut It” campaign has been retired. It seems as though we are creeping towards the idea of a “typical” college experience, but it feels like this will have an everlasting impact on the next few incoming classes of students and change college as people know it.
• 
  2021-03-14

  Paradigm Shifts

  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many paradigm shifts; everyone I know has undergone a lot of change in themselves, their beliefs, and in how they view and interact with the world. There is a lot of grief these days but there are changes worth being happy about.
• 
  2021-08-24

  The proof is(n't) obvious.

  Memes denoting the deep irony of our current moment in time seem to have become very popular since the start of the pandemic. Early on, someone used this meme to draw a comparison between the developing movement of people who claimed that COVID-19 was/is a hoax, and that refuted data by mere denial.
• 
  2021-02-19

  Absurdist (pandemic) humor

  Sometimes I feel as though the people grifting off of the pandemic and people willingly sharing misleading information for political reasons just do not care about the harm being caused. It is also strange because many people seem to enjoy, like Squidward here, being a bearer of “fake news”.
• 
  2021-06-05

  Someone else on the internet told me different!

  This is what I imagine people doing when they turn off NPR’s latest COVID vaccines update before heading to the feed store to buy Ivermectin for COVID treatment.
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  2020-03-26

  Introverts During Covid Meme

  As an introvert, I never felt affected by a lot of the changes that took place when Covid struck. I stay at home most of the time if I am not at work, and I don't often go out in large social gatherings. I love my personal space, and I prefer the anonymity of wearing a mask. Sometimes, Covid felt like an excuse to stay home and do the things I love. This is not to underestimate the challenges that everyone faced; I just faced the challenges through my health and job, not social distancing or quarantining. These memes reflect a lighthearted view of what it was like to experience Covid as an introvert.
• 2020

  The Essential Worker

  Essential workers were publically praised but still got the short end of the stick.
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  2020-03-22

  Apocalyptic Wear during Pandemic-A Funny Meme

  In the early days of the pandemic, life was very scary. There was a lot of uncertainty as to how long things would last, who would get sick, and how to adjust to all of the rapid changes taking place. It often felt a lot like a looming apocalypse. This meme just struck a cord with me. In a moment of stress it caused laughter. I only wish we did end up wearing some form of apocalyptic wear. I am disappointed that didn't happen.
• 2020-06-07

  Much too early

  The country was clearly still in distress when governments decided to reopen
• 
  2020-03-24

  Symptoms on the Youth

  When the pandemic first broke out out, many people didn't know what to think. In millennial and gen z fashion, many young adults turned to the internet to crack jokes and voice their opinion about the upcoming crisis. This meme pokes fun at the uncertainty of the viruses' signs and symptoms many medical and governmental officials had at the beginning of the pandemic. The mem also pokes fun at the idea of teenage angst and anxiety a rapid number of young adults are starting experience more and more during this recent decade. The pandemic may cause your nose and mouth to not feel anything but the real question is if young adults are really "feeling" the impact of what is going on? A Forbes report in April of this year has indicated that young people between the ages of 18-24 are starting suffer from more mental health problems than any age group since the pandemic started. Think what you will but this study definitely proves that more young adults will suffer long lasting effects of pandemic during and after the global crisis comes to a end. I liked this meme because it a representations of some of my numbs feelings I have had during this pandemic.
• 2020-11-07

  You're Fired [PRIVATE -DUPLICATE]

  I worked the polls at Nevitt Forest Elementary during the 59th presidential election. The lines were crowded at 6:00 prior to the polls official opening at 7:00. The energy in the voting room was definitely mixed--some determined, some anxious, and some angry at the previous conditions of Trump administration of 2017-21. Although the energy of the election results are still mixed today still, this meme reflects one of the more amused and joyous reactions of the election turnout. Thus, using one of Trump's infamous lines of his famed tv show Celebrity Apprentice, this meme pokes fun at the importance of public ratings not only in pop culture but in politics as well.
• 
  2020-04-13

  Earth is closed for business

  A month into the pandemic, society seems to have disappeared due to social distancing and the stay-at-home mandate. In our local communities, if you wanted to dine out it had to be carryout. If you wanted to go shopping, you had to do it online.
• 
  2020-05-09

  2020 Daily News report

  Everyday when we woke up, it felt like the news was reporting on nothing but Covid-19 cases. This is how we all felt every morning
• 
  2020-04-06

  The Year 2020

  2020 was supposed to be everyone's year. The year when everything would be alright. Well, Covid-19 had other plans.
• 
  2020-03-13

  We don't talk about 2020

  We are all traumatized by 2020. So much so that we don't talk about it. If we had time machines, we would avoid visiting the year 2020.
• 
  2021-10-08

  Rules for you, suggestions for me

  A meme referencing either how members of the UCP of Alberta going on vacation during the worst months of the pandemic, or our Premier's vacation during the onslaught of the 4th wave. I guess it's even funnier based on the fact that this can represent multiple instances.
• 
  2020

  WIFI Meme

  I found this meme to be a funny representation of how important technology became during quarantine. People relied on it to stay connected, complete work, and go to school along with general entertainment to avoid boredom and burnout.
• 
  2020

  Hygiene Meme

  This meme leans into a lot of the anxiety at the beginning of the pandemic. There was a lot of information circulating regarding all of the little things you should be doing to protect yourself like washing your hands, sanitizing your groceries, and not touching your face.
• 
  2021

  Meme

  I found this to be an interesting example of how people have used humor to cope with quarantine and the pandemic, and actually ironically reflects how a lot of information has spread. While relying on social media for reliable news is not typically advised, it can be less overwhelming than professional media and reflects the day-to-day perspective more accurately.
• 
  2020-11-07

  You're Fired

  I worked the polls at Nevitt Forest Elementary during the 59th presidential election. The lines were crowded at 6:00 prior to the polls official opening at 7:00. The energy in the voting room was definitely mixed--some determined, some anxious, and some angry at the previous conditions of Trump administration of 2017-21. Although the energy of the election results are still mixed today still, this meme reflects one of the more amused and joyous reactions of the election turnout. Thus, using one of Trump's infamous lines of his famed tv show Celebrity Apprentice, this meme pokes fun at the importance of public ratings not only in pop culture but in politics as well.
• 
  2021-06-15

  Covid Travels

  How have you and your family handled vacations and outings since the pandemic began? With popular vacation destinations becoming a hotbed of Covid exposure and infections, travel has become challenging. Many have chosen to forego or pause vacations in the age of Covid. National parks are a good alternative to crowded beach locations, as these parks give us opportunity for socially-distanced camping and hiking without the dangers that indoor entertainment venues pose.
• 
  2021-05

  Reopening too Soon

  In many states, the government seemingly ended mask mandates and opened back up in one day. Washington State lifted mask mandates and reopened everything at 100% only to reinstate mask mandates and reduce compacity a few weeks later. This has lead to the meme of everything is on fire but let's just reopen anyways.
• 
  2021-10-08

  Comic relief

  We all need some comic relief from time to time when the stress of Covid becomes too much. Social distancing and quarantine measures, while necessary to slow down the spread of the virus, has nevertheless affected those who crave human closeness and interaction. Those who suffer from social anxiety must now balance health and emotional/mental health needs in new and creative ways.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Zoom Meeting Fashion

  What's been your pandemic work attire? It's gotten much comfier these days when you're only having to be seen from the chest up.
• 
  2021-10-06

  Introverts during social distancing

  I was scrolling through memes and this one adequately describes my reaction to social distancing at the beginning of the pandemic. I felt like my time had finally come when we had to begin social distancing and staying at home. I'm not a very social person so I was happy being in my little bubble.
• 
  2021-10-06

  Getting out feels like a Resident Evil game

  Getting out and gathering groceries or even running errands makes you feel like you're the protagonist in a Resident Evil game. I'm always vigilant when I go out and I make sure I comply with mask rules and social distancing. As a Resident Evil fan, this made me chuckle.
• 
  2021-10-07

  It's just allergies, I swear!

  As someone who has seasonal allergies, I got this look a lot at the beginning of the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-29

  These are the 43 best COVID-19 memes for the week of March 27

  We published our favorite 63 COVID-19 memes not too long ago and the response was overwhelming. Turns out during these serious, scary and uncertain times, one thing is for sure: We could all use a good laugh. And one more thing that’s for sure: the memes just keep on coming. We bring you this week’s best COVID-19 sayings and memes.
• 
  2021-05-04

  First World Problems Meme

  this meme makes light of how the vaccine shot would make some people feel slightly sick.
• 
  2021-08-07

  COVID Monument

  This meme seemed relevant as it ties into the argument being pushed that removing confederate statues erase history, but monuments are not history. Rather a reflection of that time and space according to who paid for the monument.
• 
  2021-10-05

  Wide Range of Acceptable Socializing during Covid-19

  This meme shows the four members of the "family" in the movie "We're the Millers" reacting to houseguests during Covid-19. The "Dad" says, "My houseguests won't come unless we wear masks!" The "Mom" says, "My houseguests won't come unless we text them our vax cards!" The "daughter" says, "Our houseguests won't come unless we've had a negative covid test in the last 48 hours!" And the son says, "You guys are having houseguests?" The meme represents the wide range of "rules" that people are setting for themselves during Covid-19. Where I live in Utah, there are no official rules right now except that mask mandates are banned in public schools. In public, most people are not wearing masks and very few students are wearing them in schools. This meme, although it describes having houseguests, represents the varying degrees that people are socializing in all venues: at home, restaurants, movie theaters, amusement parks, family reunions, etc. Some people are still very cautious while others are "back to normal."
• 
  2021-10-01

  Ironic meme

  A friend of mine who is a nurse and cared for people with Covid throughout the pandemic sent this to me after the vaccination was available for 7 months and she was still caring for patients who didn’t believe in the vaccine or who weren’t yet convinced to get it. It speaks to the burnout and frustration on from line workers.
• 
  2021-10-04

  Thank you but... Get Out!

  While perusing facebook, I came across this meme about healthcare workers being threatened with termination if they refuse to get vaccinated.
• 
  2021-10-04

  Kidding... Just Kidding...

  Hunting around the internet for pandemic memes and came across this one. For some, this is the first time they have had to spend an extended amount of time at home all day every day with family and the struggle is real... so very real!