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pandemic prompt
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2022-03-20Work, Food, Viki, and Home
If there were anything that COVID changed in my everyday schedule, it would be helping me get closer to family. Ever since the pandemic, we have hardly gone outside the house unless it was for work or shopping for groceries. A typical day in my life would be waking up to check my emails and messages. After moving from Utah to Washington after graduating, I managed to find a job at a small business called Sozo Gifts while pursuing my master's program. I wouldn't say I am not a breakfast person, so I go straight to work after getting ready. After work, I go straight home to help my sister cook dinner. When I was living by myself, I ordered food a lot through Uber Eats and Door Dash. Being with my family during the pandemic helped me change my eating habits. We cook traditional Samoan food such as baked taro, pisupo, palusami, fai'ai pilikaki, or traditional chicken soup. After dinner, we all tend to gather around the living room and watch the latest episodes of our favorite Korean Drama. My sisters were never fans of KDrama before the pandemic, but I managed to introduce them to my favorite app, Viki Rakuten. Now, we binged watched a lot of KDramas through the Viki app, and it became our favorite thing to do as a family after dinner. I was supposed to go back home to American Samoa after graduating with my bachelor's. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and strict lockdown and regulations back home, I wasn't able to return. But almost every evening, we would video chat with my parents and close friends back home. Now and then, my friend would send me pictures of the island. I never planned to stay in the states this long, but the pandemic has caused some setbacks and changes in my life. However, I learned to adapt to new changes, and it became a routine for me while also being grateful for letting me spend time with my family here in Washington. -
2022-03-01Military Mask Guidance Update
The attached is a memorandum for record from the Under Secretary of Defense. This memo was published 1 March 2022 and was a big deal for us in the military and really everyone who works on military installations or in other Department of Defense facilities. Prior to this memo, we were all required to wear face coverings at all times when in doors, regardless of local state or county guidance. This memo was a great policy move as it changed the requirement from an overarching blanket policy to instead replicate local community guidance. I can tell you, we were very relieved to not be required to wear a face covering at all times. unlike many other sectors across the US, many military members did not have the opportunity to work from home during the pandemic. This is just due to the nature of our jobs, therefore we were masked up for a long time, even in places such as Texas and Florida where masks were no longer required according to local state and county guidance. -
2022-03-08Pandemic Prompt: A Day in the Life
Assignment prompt given to the spring 2022 ASU graduate student interns. The prompt asks them to document one day in March 2022 and reflect on 6-8 daily routine moments and how they are influenced/not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2021-02-17My At-Home Gym
During this drawn-out pandemic, I have had the misfortune of living alone in my apartment, essentially stranded. This was not helped by the fact that I have recently been left without a car. I have no family that lives close by and I have relied a lot on my friends' willingness to carpool with me if I need to get anywhere. I generally must walk to and from the grocery store and have many things shipped to me. Additionally, my commute to work is always on foot. These minor inconveniences are not as unbearable, however, as my inability to travel to the gym. The gym had become a daily routine for me pre-pandemic. On occasion, I would drive to the gym twice in one day to stay occupied. My lack of transportation was, thus, a major hit to my daily routine. About a week had gone by without exercise before I hatched an idea. I purchased a simple, $20, 25 lb weight to be shipped to my apartment. This weight would become the nucleus of my workout routine for the next year. With This 25 lb weight, I can mimic virtually any exercise that exists at the gym. Instead of 20 lb shoulder raises, I do 25 lb shoulder raises for a shorter set. Instead of 35 lb dumbell curls, I do 25 lb curls for a longer set. If an exercise would usually be done on a bench or mat, I could simply set down a few pillows and achieve the same effect. The transition was a bit awkward but easier than I expected. My pandemic-grade, simple, at-home weight room may appear underwhelming. It is, indeed, cheaper and of lower quality than gym equipment. However, my make-shift gym has kept me busy throughout the entirety of this pandemic. I am now back to my daily "gym" routine, sweating just as much in my apartment as I would be at a gym. -
2020-12-25
Christmas 2020
This years Christmas was very different. Because of the pandemic, my family and I could not travel we stayed at home and had a small family Christmas. We went to the beach because we live somewhere were it is always warm. I got to go surfing. We then had a family zoom with our family who lives in New York who we would regularly have been with. Overall I like change and had a great 2020 Christmas! -
2020-12-25
Holidays in COVID
Holidays have never been particularly important in my family. Most holidays would end in a fight between me and my mother so the lack of family interaction wasn't really a big deal for me. My mom ended up driving down from California to spend time with my grandmother and me. These holidays ended up being good as my mom and I got along better. It seems as though without the pressure for the holidays to be fully good my mom and I were able to let go and just enjoy being around each other. -
2021-01-11Pandemic Prompts
Over the winter break, ASU launched an Innovation Quarter. For that quarter I created a series of pandemic prompts for students to respond to. Erin Craft also created half the prompts. The idea was to create specific, personal contributions for the archive. I used some of the prompts in the first week of the internship in HST 580 Archives and HST 494 the Undergraduate Research Experience -
2021-01-17Potato Chips, Prana, and Perambulation: My Favorite Things to Weather the COVID-19 Storm
This submission is a description of the five favorite things I have used to help me get through the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as I have had to transition to working from home. -
2021-01-17
What are Some of My Pandemic Hacks?
If I had to recommend some pandemic hacks for people 100 years in the future, I would say: -Stock up on sweatpants, hoodies, and fuzzy socks! Since you will more than likely be working from home, comfort is a must. -Set your Zoom video setting Touch Up Your Appearance to 100%. It will compensate for not wearing makeup on Zoom calls. -Stop watching the news. It will only stress you out. Your friends and family will definitely be updating you anyway on the latest stories. -Edit your social media to avoid the negative nellies, conspiracy theorists, and political debates. -Create a weekly dinner menu and schedule grocery deliveries once a week. So much better than going to the grocery store. -Go on regular walks to get out of the house and get some fresh air. -Read books with a cup of steaming hot tea next to you while bundling up in a soft blanket. -Forgive yourself for gaining quarantine weight! -Naps. Take a lot of naps! -
2021-01-17
Think Big, Dream Big
As of January 12, 2021, I began my final semester as an undergraduate at Arizona State University. Four wonderful years consisting of academic rigor, late-nights, and wrestling with the not so smooth transition to online courses. Admittedly, I still have reservations about online instruction; though, I am warming up to the idea and have had success so far in staying engaged and enthusiastic about learning. With that being said, my immediate goal for the year 2021 is to continue my education and pursue a Master's in History here at ASU. At this crucial juncture in my academic career, I have spoken about it over the past year to my close friends, family, and personal mentors, that the idea of not applying would be a step in the wrong direction. I believe I am ready for all the challenges and opportunities that come with an advanced degree. And so, over the coming months, I will continue to establish vital connections, build upon my existing support groups, and plan on starting Fall 2021 at ASU as a graduate student. Thinking of a future after 2021 has also frequently crossed my mind. I have two prospective PhD programs in mind, but I hope to add more to the list. -Solidarity -
2020-01-17
My Five Favorite Things That Have Helped Me Cope During the Pandemic
Although the pandemic has been rough, there are several activities that help keep me sane during our time at home. We all have to make the best of it, right? The following are five things we did to make the best of this crazy time: 1. We Facetime'd with our children and grandchildren two to three times weekly. Nana and Papa quickly got into a fun routine to help virtually put the granddaughters to bed. 2. We established Friday afternoon Zoom happy hours with friends. It turned out to be way more fun than we anticipated. 3. My husband I found some great Netflix shows that we binge watched together. 4. We took advantage of our extra free time to cook and eat together as family almost every night rather than a couple of nights a week due to busy schedules. 5. We love how restaurants and other establishments who previously did not deliver started using DoorDash. My family has definitely taken advantage of Baskin Robbins ice cream deliveries! This past year has definitely been an interesting and probably much needed social experiment for our family! -
2021-01-175 Positive Things That Help Me Deal with the Culture of COVID-19
This documents are important to me because they show what I do to help me deal with the pandemic. They are also important to me because reveal a unique perspective and way of interpreting events that I believe will be valuable for the archive. Description of Images: An abandoned glove and mask in a parking lot. Such sights became as common as other forms of litter. A shield hat to protect against Corona. I never dreamed these existed. This tag shows store associates that this item (which was returned to the store) is officially sanitized and can be put back on the sales floor. This is not a tag shoppers were supposed to see, but it must have been missed. -
2021-01-17Old and New: Holidays in Round Rock Texas
These documents tell the story of my COVID-19 Holidays. It is important to me because it shows what changes I experienced in my holiday plans and offers a unique perspective. Description of images: 4th of July Concert at the Dell Diamond Baseball Park in Round Rock TX. Note the 4-person "Pods" on the grass indicated by the blankets. The blankets were brought by people who had purchased a Pod. Google Santa Tracker Dec. 24th, 2020. -
2021-01-17
Looking Forward to 2021
2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all of us and caused so many different changes that everyone has had to adapt to and overcome. However, 2021 is a new year and the potential for great things is huge! In my New Year, I am aiming to: 1. Finish my senior year strong: I have only 2 semesters left until I graduate from ASU and I would love to do this in person! I miss being on campus and I am looking forward to finishing! 2. Having family gatherings again: I really miss being able to be with my family (there are so many of us and I miss seeing them in person)! Seeing the people you love over a call is fine, but it is not the same as being able to hug and kiss them 3. Starting law courses: I am looking to go to law school after graduation and am so excited to start the courses! I would like to take them in person and in the valley (I am trapped at home) and having the ability to study with people and go for food! -
2021-01-01
New year, new goals
For this new year I have many goals and aspirations. One of them being that COVID goes away (I know that is not how it works). I want to go back to regular life and be able to see everyone’s smiles. I do not want to be shamed for going out to get food instead of staying home 24/7. I do not want to have to take my temperature three times before going to work. Something else I want to change, is that I want to stop living through historical events. I am a history major and I prefer to read history books, not live through them. It seems that in 2020, if it wasn't something that was going wrong, it was another. I will be graduating in May and one of my biggest goals, although I do not have control over it, is to have a ceremony. I am a first generation graduate and I know my family and friends have been waiting for this day. I also want to get into graduate school and continue my education journey and continue to grow. This year I seem to have a lot more goals and resolutions than I have in the years past. -
2020-03-01Skating through Quarantine
One of my favorite things that has kept my sane during the pandemic is my roller skates. They are hot pink with light up wheels and the best investment I have made in quite some time. For awhile I would go on long walks with my dog, but after so many days of trying to find new places to walk I was tired of that being my only activity outside the house. After I got my roller skates everything changed. I fell a lot learning how to ride them, but after some time and practice I got the hang of it. I would go to different parks, try different paths and see different views. Plus it was good exercise too. -
2021-01-17Some of my Favorite Things
These are 5 of my favorite things to do and use during this pandemic to facilitate some self-care and stimulate my brain while being stuck at home. -
2020-12-25A Pandemic Christmas
Christmas was different for me this year. I grew up with a big catholic family so we have many traditions around the holidays. Christmas eve we all dress up, have a nice dinner, and go to mass. Then on christmas day we dress more casual, open gifts, and have a buffet style dinner. With COVID being a factor, I didn't get to see much of my family for the holidays. I spent the actual day with just my siblings and dad. Christmas Eve I didn’t get to see anyone or do anything, I just stayed home and took pictures with my dog in our matching Christmas pajamas (target has everything). I had to trade gifts with all my cousins and other relatives individually in an outdoor setting. Some of the gifts I dropped off and rang the doorbell. Other family members I would meet with in their front yard from a distance. This year was a bit lonely and we all agreed that when COVID is over (hopefully by next year) we will have a huge celebration. -
2021-01-17
Favorite Things
While being in the pandemic I've had to rely on a few activities to keep myself centered as I've been surviving through COVID. The first thing that's been a lifesaver for me is video games. I've always enjoyed playing video games but during COVID old games that I've played in the past became familiar comforts during this crisis. Plus I was able to use online servers to play video games with friends. The second thing that's been my favorite thing throughout the pandemic is actually Zoom. While I initially hated the program it's been a godsend for me to be able to spend time with friends and safely connect with people. The third thing I've used has been painting. I've found that an artistic activity has been helpful for me to be able to express myself and be creative while staying safe. The fourth thing for me has been my car. Whenever I need a chance to clear my head I always go on a drive and my car has begun to feel like a safe place and sometimes I'll just sit in my car when things become too overwhelming. -
2021-01-17
New Year Same Year
Starting off this year I was dogsitting for a friend. 2020 was hard on me as it was for everyone else in the world but there was something peaceful about ending a year with comforting a bed hog of a dog that was scared of fireworks. Waking up the next day to feed her and go about my first day of 2021 I felt at peace, almost like perhaps this year would be drastically different for me. I'm about to graduate college, we have a new governmental administration that I hope will be more favorable to me, and COVID vaccines are on their way. Then we had an insurrection and I refused to open canvas for the first week of school because every time I tried I was gripped with terror at the thought that this would be my last semester in college meaning that I had to be a real adult soon. There is no functional difference that the exchange from 2020 to 2021 brought to my physical or emotional state. Like everyone else, I'm excited for COVID to be over but I know that the changes I need have to come from myself and won't be ushered in by a new year new me mentality. Throughout 2020 I spent time trying to reach out for help with my mental health and other things I had been struggling with. I think the thing I'm most excited about in 2021 is continuing the work I've started in a world that isn't so hard to be in. I want 2021 to be a year that I am able to spend working on myself and building into a fully functioning member of society. -
2021-01-16Enjoying home life
This is a brief entry describing some of my favorite personal things to come about from the pandemic. There were many difficulties faced, but still, experiences to enjoy and appreciate. -
2021-01-15Changes To My Annual Holidays
My annual holidays consist of Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, and New Years. This is what happened in 2020. I think it's important to be able to document experiences from different walks of life. I don't know how many people would celebrate the first two in the same family, but they've been a big part of my life since I was born. -
2021-01-13
Finding the Joy in the Little Things
At the start of the pandemic, I was in an anxiety spiral. I was worried about everything from the health of family and friends to the possibility of nuclear warfare, and it resulted in some fairly agoraphobic, unhealthy coping mechanisms. I had recently moved to a new state, so I didn't even know the way around my neighborhood. I would stay in my room for days at a time, only socializing with the villagers on my Animal Crossing island. I was afraid to leave my house, afraid to grocery shop, afraid to pass someone too closely on the sidewalk. After several months of this behavior, and countless episodes of reality television, I recognized that I needed help. I began the process with a simple google search. "Online therapy options." After some trial and error, I found a therapist that helped me break out of my depressive, anxious cycle, in a way that was both gradual and socially distant. Through my work with her and some self-reflection, I found several things that help me cope with the current reality, allowing me to enjoy small joys throughout the day, and here they are: 1) Trails! I was a hiker in college, but fell out of the habit after graduating due to moving around a bit. Since I had moved during the winter, I hadn't had a chance to explore any trails near my new home. With some recommendations from both my therapist and the internet, I slowly began to venture into the outdoors. I started with a trail that was a 10-minute walk from my house, and eventually worked my way up to a state park about an hour away. It allowed me to feel comfortable leaving the house again in a way that was still Covid-friendly, and I gained a better awareness and appreciation of my surroundings. As an added bonus, I was able to experience Ohio autumn in all it's red-yellow-orange beauty. After a hot, humid, sad summer, some beautiful fall colors along some incredible trails were a perfect way to reset. 2) Books. I read more during the first few months of the pandemic than I had in the past several years combined. I was able to tackle books that had seemed too long and daunting in the past, as there was little to keep me from them, and it provided a sense of much-needed escapism. I rekindled my love of reading, worked through some of my "to-be-read" list, and incorporated reading into my daily routine, giving me something to look forward to and work towards during a time that felt stagnant. 3) Podcasts. I've been a regular listener of podcasts for years. I have the weekly release schedule of my favorite podcasts memorized, and at this point I turn to those for car rides before music. But, similar to books, I had put off some of the podcasts that require more attentive, prolonged listening; these were often podcasts that told a story over many episodes, both fictional and non-fictional. With stay-at-home orders in place, it seemed that all I had was time, and one can only spend so much time listening to the news, so I turned to podcasts. I listened to them when cleaning, when walking on the trails, when cooking, and even when I was just laying around. According to my Spotify Wrapped from 2020, I spent much more time listening to podcasts than music, and I enjoyed every minute of it. 4) Succulents. I have my mom to thank for this one! I had collected a large variety of succulents over the past few years, but had to leave them behind with my sister when moving at the beginning of 2020. With plant-shopping being extremely non-essential, I hadn't had the chance to start a new collection prior to isolation, and I had just accepted that I was no longer the plant-parent I once was. My mother, being the incredible woman that she is, decided that was unacceptable, and signed me up for a monthly succulent subscription for my birthday, in which I receive two baby succulents a month. So far I have eight little succulents, and they are thriving! 5) Cold brew. As an extreme coffee lover and addict, and as a barista, I couldn't make a list of my favorite things without including some form of caffeine. My favorite place in the world is a comfy coffee shop, but that obviously is not the safest setting to relax at the moment. I used this time at home to perfect my cold brew recipe, as well as play with all the different ways to enjoy coffee at home. While I still miss the atmosphere of a cafe, and will be back as soon as it's safe and smart to do so, I have had fun crafting new drinks at home. While I have had a variety of small enjoyments here and there throughout the last nine or ten months, these are truly the things bringing me joy and peace in this lonely, frightening time. Even when this pandemic is officially over, I plan to continue these practices, as they have become essential to my daily routines. -
2021-01-13My Pandemic Pastimes
It is important to understand how our society has dealt with this pandemic, and my entry covers what I enjoyed during the pandemic. Things that got me through and kept me sane! -
2020-05-01Journal Assignment - Lone Star Middle School
Journal Assignment You are now a historian. Starting on Monday, April 13, you will be keeping a written journal. Once a week (or more if you would like), you will detail what you are seeing in the news. How the world, how the United States, how your friends, neighbors, and family are responding to this pandemic. You are creating a primary source that can be used by people in the future to learn about our lives during this crisis from your unique perspective. You can also use one of your other talents as you see fit. Drawing, poetry, etc. Be authentic, be honest, be reflective. Guiding Questions: You can write anything you like about your experience. The following is a list of potential things you can respond to. 1. What did the government announce/declare/implement today? I. Does it make sense? II. Does it impact your life? Why or why not? III. How did your family respond? 2. What is open in your neighborhood? What is closed? How does this affect you? 3. What does your neighborhood look like? Are people walking around? 4. How is today different from yesterday for you, your family, our nation, the world? 5. Did you see anything today that gave you hope? Anxiety? Fear? I. In person, in the news, or on social media? 6. What does your family need today that you might not have, have enough of, or have no access to acquire? 7. What has been your experience with distance learning? Do you think this experience will impact you when you’re back in an actual classroom?