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2020-10-10

Scott Adams Oral History, October 10, 2020

Scott Adams, a graduate student at Arizona State University, lives in Camarillo, California. In this interview, he reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected his life. He highlights the effects the pandemic and quarantine has had on mental health and employment. He also touches on the division caused by COVID-19, politics, and the politicization of the pandemic by both the right-wing and left-wing. Scott also describes the precautions taken by he and his friends to avoid catching the virus, and how the quarantine and the current political divide has affected their relationships.

2020-10-04

Lucas Hynes Oral History, 2020/10/04

In this Oral history, I interviewed my brother Lucas about his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a freshman at the University of Cincinnati, and the interview focuses on that part of his identity. It begins with us talking about campus life in general. We also discussed his perceptions of COVID-19 both at the beginning of the pandemic and now. His perceptions have not changed much, although he believes that it’s important to listen to scientists as new information is released. We then talked about government response to COVID-19, as well as the response at the University of Cincinnati. Finally, he discussed things he felt he has missed out on because of the pandemic, and what he thinks school will look like going forward.

2020-03-16T12:00:00

Finding Myself During Covid

My story discusses how throughout Covid , I found a way to make it positive. A global pandemic turned millions of lives upside down. But, I won't allow this disease to kill off my dreams with tennis.

2020-10-12T09:40

Our Six-Week, COVID-19 Baking Crisis

My wife and I were both home from our jobs by mid-March because the COVID-19 pandemic had, for all effective purposes, practically shut down our home state of Alabama. During our long sequestration from the world, we often baked together to pass the time. Tamsie has a sourdough bread starter that was handed down from her grandmother, so to keep the starter “alive”, she has to bake bread every month or so, which of course requires yeast. I believe that millions of Americans were at home baking during that time because we were out of dry yeast for her bread and, though we searched every grocery within a 20-mile radius of our home, we looked to no avail; additionally, yeast was back-ordered on Amazon, Walmart online, and every other online store. We were beyond desperate for that yeast, and the starter had to be near death when, at long last, I discovered an in-stock yeast on Amazon and ordered six pounds of it. Needless to say, I ordered entirely too much and thus unintentionally became that obligatory hoarder with which we’ve all had to deal during the last seven months. Thus, we had to bake dozens of loaves of sourdough bread to use that yeast! My wife is a dentist, so we baked bread for all her employees and left it on both their front porches and garages. We also baked for our neighbors and our families. The sweet smells of sourdough bread and sticky buns filled our home for nearly six weeks, as baking became an inane, daily ritual in the Rogers household! Today, whenever I smell fresh bread or cinnamon rolls, I think of our time spent together with our puppies in the kitchen, laboriously prepping, waiting for the yeast to rise, baking, and cleaning on a daily basis. I am thankful for this time, and though we now laugh about and much fun is had at my expense over my overzealous yeast spending-spree, whenever I smell fresh bread, I will forever be transported to our happy kitchen along with its aromatic sights and smells during the early weeks of the pandemic. It is truly amazing to ponder what we take for granted in our daily walks, and though I am obviously glad we are standing on firmer ground than in spring in relation to COVID-19, I miss our time together in the kitchen, which seems lonely and destitute without the sweet aroma of fresh sourdough bread. My association with this simple, yet happy memory during the pandemic is reflective of the joys we should be seeking in small things. Our daily lives are measured by our relationships, our serenity and contentment, and the joy we both provide and glean from others. The extended time at home with Tamsie allowed us a “factory reset” of sorts in our lives, one that brought our already-happy marriage much closer together; consequently, we no longer take life’s simple, quiet moments for granted. In some ways, the lasting human effects of the pandemic on relationships have been positive, in that each of us has had ample time to again focus on those whom we love.

2020-03-16

Nightmare

Covid 19 has been nothing but the worst ever since it started. The only tiny silver line i found is i was able to rest and heal my body from constantly working out and going to work. But then the situation for work changed as the schedule began to put in more hours for me and although i enjoyed learning new tasks for the job, having nothing but to do those new tasks for months was dreadful. Covid made a big impact on my relationship because it made me dependent and I constantly was on facetime with my girlfriend and now i have separation anxiety where i normal dont. I feel socially awkward as well since i barely was already going out to pretty much nothing at all. I hope i can get my own life back on track and hopefully everything returns to normal.

2020-06-27

Couple Case with COVID

This story is a personal one from this past summer, June/July 2020 to be exact. The images that I uploaded are my boyfriend and I's COVID test results. Now it should be noted that although we do not live together, we spend all-day everyday together, besides when we are at work. This story starts on a Tuesday when we went to the beach on our day off with a few friends, one who happened to be sick, but we did not think that she had corona virus. After that day we had been going on with our lives and Friday comes along and my boyfriend is feeling very tired and just not on his A-game at work, while I am also at work the same day feeling fine. After work that night we start talking about dinner plans and he just does not seem as interested in eating as he normally is and is still complaining about not feeling well, feverish, tired and body aches. As the night progressed and his symptoms got worse, we decided that first thing in the morning the both of us were going to get tested for the corona virus, even though I still was not feeling ill whatsoever. After a sleepless night, we made it to the testing site bright and early where the both of us, in the same vehicle, got the cotton swabs stuck up our nose. We then decided to quarantine together just to be safe as we would not know our results for another 5-7 days. His symptoms eventually stopped after about 2 days and I, myself, still never had any or ever felt sick but was taking care of him. As we were patiently awaiting our results, the 4th of July was approaching, and we had plans to get out of town for that weekend but were unsure of what to do since we still did not know our results. But on the 2nd of July we got his results back in, positive. I had already accepted my fate as I believed there was no way that I did not also have COVID since we spent all of our time together. However, the next day I received my results, and they were negative. We both were in shock because we did not know how that could be possible, him being positive and me being negative. There was no doubt in my mind that if I did not have it when I got tested, that of course I had it now; especially since we had been quarantined together for over a week now. With our 4th plans being a bust, the next day I went out and got retested. Now impatiently waiting for my results, they finally came back negative again, leaving the both of us very confused as to how this could be the case. The point of this story is to emphasize that no matter who you are around, sick or healthy, it is unsure if you will be affected by the corona virus.

2020-09-27

Introvert to Extrovert

As an introvert, I was not initially too burdened by the pandemic. I usually preferred to be alone anyways and being stuck at home sounded like a dream come true. However, throughout the pandemic I found that I relied more heavily on interpersonal interactions than I thought I would. I was living with roommates, but most of them went home to their parents for the initial stages of the pandemic. To cope with this, I started to practice mindfulness. I determined it would be helpful to connect, and create a tight bond, with my “inner self”. This practice was extremely helpful, and I felt a spiritual connection with myself that I have not in a long time. It also helped me manage other forms of anxiety that I have felt in the past. I now feel a deeper connection with myself, and after this experience, I feel a deeper connection with others as well. It used to feel like work to be around people, but now I relish in the ability. I think this is because, over the course of the pandemic, I have been able to connect with myself at a deeper level. Now that I feel more comfortable in my own skin, I can interact with others in a more mature and less paranoid way. Overall, this pandemic has really changed how I feel about the other people in my life. I have always enjoyed my friends and their company, but it was something I needed an occasional break from. After this experience, I have realized that I need my friends. They are not just a group of people I spend time with to have fun. They are a group of people that I have a real emotional bond with, and we need each other to help strengthen that bond. Especially during difficult times like these.

2020-09-20T11

Covid-19 Interview with Julia Norton

This interview gives insight into a high school senior's experience with dealing with Covid-19. *This interview is about Julia's experience and perspective on the Covid-19 outbreak.

2020-07-27

Being Known

As a Grandma in rural Wisconsin, I spend hours each week in my garden. After a particularly grueling day, these thoughts came... about weeds, Covid, politics and their relationships. I don’t know how to upload, so am just going to put my poem into the next box.

2020-03-22

Family Photo

This photo is important to me because it shows how having to be at home forced me to communicate with my loved ones in different ways. I think the photo also represents a strengthened relationship between my boyfriend and I and my sister and I, and how the three of us became friends.

2020-03-17

The Blessings of Covid-19

I submitted how the Corona Pandemic has helped change my life for the better.

2020-06-29

Love and the Pandemic

Trying to keep a relationship together-- let alone happy or healthy-- during this pandemic has been tough. I had to move out of my home and back in with my parents in March, and that meant my partner and I didn't get to see each other for almost six weeks, the longest we had ever been apart. We decided to move in together in May, even though we'd only been seriously dating for less than six months, and three of those months we had been separated due to COVID. Spending 24/7 with another human being, no matter how much you love that other human being, can also be an adventure, as toes are unavoidably stepped on. Still, most days I think we're doing pretty okay. One of the things my partner and I are doing to maintain a sense of normalcy is modifying our old hobby of playing Pokemon GO. Before the pandemic, we used pick a restaurant on Mill for dinner and then catch Pokemon in the surrounding area after. You would think that Pokemon GO would be safe to play right now-- because you can play outdoors and also it's easy to play while maintaining social distancing-- but we've actually really struggled to find places to play where people are wearing masks and respecting social distancing protocols. Mill Avenue, for example, is a literal cesspool with packed bars and no face masks in sight. At Kiwanis Park a few weeks ago, I heard a woman loudly complaining about having to wear a mask. Everything feels dangerous because it seems like people don't care if others get sick. Luckily, with some patience and persistence, we've found places to play that are both safe and allow us small moments of joy. Yesterday, we headed to ASU's campus, which has been mostly empty and requires face masks. We kept our masks on the whole time and saw less than five people. Normally, even picking up groceries from Fry's feels like a terrifying experience to me, and last night was probably the first time I've been out in this entire pandemic and not been paralyzed with fear the whole time. It was nice. Probably about as nice as things can be in a pandemic? I included this video from the end of our Pokemon adventure as we went back to the car. I like the video because it bears the obvious signs of Summer (sweat, traces of sunscreen smudges on my glasses, tank tops), the obvious signs of the pandemic (face masks, empty campus), and the obvious signs of two people dating (smiles, jokes, joy).

2020-06-25

COVID-19 and SF Pride

Street photographer, Alex Stemplewski, captured a special moment between a gay couple during June, pride month, in San Francisco. The video begins as Alex approaches the couple. The viewer is reminded of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic of a mask in the opening of the video. In addition to taking stunning photographs for the couple, Alex listened to what the couple had to say about challenges facing the gay community today.

2020-03-05

Comic shows how important masks are during COVID-19

People seeking for one night relationship would abandon his partner for bra used as facial masks.

2020-05-22

Bea Dougherty Family College, HIST 115

[Curator's note] Journal entries submitted as part of a class for Dougherty Family College.

2020-05-08

Social Distancing Date

Social distancing date during Covid-19

2020-04-29

My Personal Entry

It has been three weeks now since I've been home from school. Three weeks since my friends, girlfriend, dorm room, and the rest of my sophomore year was stripped from me. Before it happened we prayed that it wouldn’t. That we’d be able to finish our school year out. That after we left for spring break we’d be able to see each other again. Now instead of wishing my senior friends, and girlfriend, goodbye with hugs and a wave as they cross the stage at commencement, the best I could do was a “good luck” post on social media. We are all doing our best to stay strong during this hard time. However, it’s okay to be sad. Just because collectively bad things are happening to everyone, doesn’t make you or I selfish for being sad about our own personal troubles. I’ve had too many friends so far start to slip and breakdown because they ignore their feelings of loss and sadness. Here is the last photo I took with my girlfriend before the quarantine. We’ve been together for six months. I don’t know when I’ll see her again.

2020-04-14

Domestic Violence Works From Home

As the stay at home order across Illinois continues to extend as we reach the second month in quarantine, many have been trapped in unsafe situations with those they share a residence with. Domestic violence works from home, people have lost their small escape for the day. Neighborhoods in Chicago and across the city have been helping others get out of stressful situations by providing discreet messaging templates that often provide the survivor to offer their address so police could be called or for the survivor to be picked up. Recently, Chicago mayor, Lorilightfoot has also launched her plan to help by training local domestic violence hotline phone operators to give out promo codes so survivors can be driven to a safe location by a rideshare driver for free. #DePaulHST391

2020-04-27

Michael "Cam" White

A personal account.

2020-04-08

Friendships in the times of COVID-19

During the times of COVID-19, the relationship dynamics between roommates evolve as they shift from being mere roommates to teammates in the battle of staying alive and healthy. COVID-19 demands negotiating new rules, new ways of communicating, new responsibilities, and importantly: new lasting friendships. It is interesting to see how the pandemic both tests and strengthens the bonds between roommates as we navigate responding to each other’s needs. COVID-19 has presented a series of challenges with one of the negative impacts of social distancing, including coping with loneliness. The privilege of living with friends helps boost morale and mental health as we are constantly reminded that we are going through this not alone, but together. Pictured is my roommate celebrating her twenty-second birthday on our back porch on a sunny day in April. Although it is not how she imagined she would spend her birthday, friendship and company offer a silver lining during the coronavirus pandemic. #DePaulHST391

2020-04-20

Gay couple hand out rainbow masks on the streets of Poland

Pride-themed protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020-04-19

My First TikTok Dance

It had been exactly 39 days since the last time I saw my partner. At the beginning of March, I made the decision to move in with my Mother in Tucson, where I had resolved to stay with her until the crisis was over. I needed to move out of my Tempe home by April 30th, so I made the trek from my parents’ house in Tucson back up to Tempe and enlisted my partner’s help in moving the last of my possessions. It felt dangerous, and even though it was essential travel and we’ve both been strict with social distancing since March, I must have asked at least ten times if she was sure it was safe. She assured me it was. I told her I was not sure if I could hug her. She told me it was okay. Before this whole crisis began, we had just started a conversation about moving in together. The 39 days apart provided some clarity: We wanted to take that leap as soon as it was safe to do so. As we looked at the stacks of boxes on my kitchen floor, we decided that some could be stored in her apartment. It was strange, because when 2020 began I had this vision of us packing up my stuff and moving in together. Here it was happening, but it wasn’t this joyous event, it just felt solemn. She cleared out space in her guestroom and we hauled boxes up three flights of stairs before we sat, winded, in her living room. It was so bittersweet—the hope of imagining this future together and the reality of our current separation. My favorite thing about our relationship is that it’s been defined by laughter. We’re always on some type of adventure, working on some new inside joke, and always pranking the other. But in isolation, it’s been hard for us to keep up the playful parts of our relationship. We can’t go on adventures, we can’t prank one another, and sometimes everything feels too serious to joke at all. Somedays, we’re too tired and sad to even talk much. As we moved things from my apartment to hers, she tried her best to cheer me up. She checked in with frequent are-you-okays and trotted out her best comedic material to elicit laughs. She’s become quite the TikTok aficionado in quarantine, and many of our jokes right now are shaped by the absurdist videos on the internet. Sure enough, each time we placed a new box in the car, she loudly yelled “CAROLE BASKIN”, a reference to the TikTok Tiger King inspired dance. Soon, throughout the afternoon, we’d both break out in the TikTok Song. CAROLE BASKIN! Killed her husband, WHACKED HIM. Can’t convince me that it didn’t HAPPEN Fed him to tigers THEY SNACKIN CAROLE BASKIN! As we sat in her apartment on Sunday evening, I got an idea. I walked to the front of the couch like I was presenting at a conference. “Play the music!” “What music?” “Play the Carole Basking song!” It took me a few times before I began to freestyle some moves. “You have to use your hips more!” she directed. “What? No, I don’t!” She pulled up another video for reference. “All the good TikTok dancers use their hips!” I tried again, this time bouncing my hips in ridiculous fashion. CAROLE BASKIN! (I shook my hands above my head) Killed her (I drew my thumb across my throat) husband (I pointed to my ring finger) WHACKED HIM (I mimicked an axe movement) Can’t convince me that it didn’t (I wagged my fingers and made an X across my chest with my arms) HAPPEN (I tapped my arms by my side) Fed him to tigers (I gestured from my chest out) THEY SNACKIN (My outward arms made the alligator chomp twice on beat, before I drew my arms up to claws) CAROLE BASKIN! (I bounced on my hip and flared my tiger claws outward with a rawr expression) By the time the dance was over, my partner was howling with laughter and I was too. It was the hardest we had laughed together in weeks. Before this pandemic started, I thought TikTok was silly. I still have no plans to join TikTok and I sincerely hope my TikTok dances never end up on the internet. I’ve also never seen Tiger King and I have no plans to and I keep hearing about Joe Exotic with no idea who that is. But honestly it doesn’t matter what I think about TikTok or Tiger King, because I know they make my partner laugh. They bring her joy during this terrible time. I know that a lot of other people feel that way right now too. So here I am, documenting my first TikTok dance; Or, as I like to think of it, a strange act of love in the midst of this pandemic.

2020-04-06

Notes from an Essential Worker

#FordhamUniversity #VART3030 The COVID-19 virus disrupts life, particularly our relationships with those we love. But, relationships are flexible and adapt to circumstance. My mom is the Executive Director of a non-profit organization in Nutley, New Jersey. Her organization provides affordable food and psychological services to the greater community, making her an essential worker. Her role requires her to sacrifice a lot of her time at home. So, she can no longer see my brothers and I in the morning to keep us on track. Instead, she leaves notes for us, using notebooks and paper towels. This note is a "to-do" list for the day with some encouragement written in parentheses.

2020-04-03

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