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2020-06-05
I’ve submitted two pictures from my high school graduation. Many 2020 seniors didn’t get to have graduation, I was fortunate enough that my school had one.
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2021-04-01
For me, the start of covid began in the middle of my freshman year of college. Just like everyone else, I took my precautions and even got the vaccine. Around April of 2021, being isolated and forced to accompany myself. I had felt like I was in a transitioning stage of life, I felt the need to grow and do more things for myself. I have completely changed my life around, a full 360. I broke up with my ex-boyfriend because I could see our differences in emotional intelligence and maturity. That was my final straw that made me break out of my cocoon. I had deleted some social media that I felt was a major distraction and a road block for me to grow more confidently. I began focusing more on my school work and connecting with new people. I even got a new serving job and was making good money for being a college kid. I learned to enjoy the things I had forgotten about, such as painting and singing. I learned to connect to myself. This pandemic has opened me up to new opportunities and has provided me with a few life lessons. Life is more than simply succeeding to be at the top. Don’t forget to take a breather and surrender to what the moment is teaching you or blessing you with.
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2020-03
When COVID-19 first surfaced it didn’t seem like a big deal at all. I remember packing for spring break and crossing my fingers that we would have an extended break due to this virus. I never imagined that fast forward two years into the future we would still be in the midst of this pandemic. Zoom was the one thing that sticks out in my head through COVID-19. Without Zoom, I don’t know how we would have been able to continue on with school. The transition from regular schooling to virtual learning was a rough experience but with patience and learning on both the students and the professors ends, we were able to continue learning without having to worry about spreading or contracting COVID-19. To this day, Zoom is still being used by professors. It’s crazy that I will be looking back on my undergraduate experience and one of the most prevalent memories I will hold is learning through my computer screen for the majority of the time.
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2021-08-05
COVID took a huge tole on my family. We were unable to have getting togethers for almost a year since my grandparents are older. This was hard for us because we have multiple get togethers in a year. Last August, both of my great grandparents tested positive with COVID. They both have many underlying health conditions that made their fight hard. My great grandma pulled through but my great grandpa did not. This was a very hard loss for my family because his passing was the first in our close family. The worst part about all of it was that they would not let any of us in the hospital to say goodbye. We had his funeral outside so all of my older relatives could attend and stay safe. COVID years were hard for my family and I am very glad we are finally on the other side of it.
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2020
My parents are very scared of covid, they are in their fifties with a six year old at home. Due to this, I wasn’t allowed to even be home from the time I was a freshman to this day two years later as a junior. I just miss my family. Pictures and FaceTime isn’t enough for me.
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2022-04-12
Mask I found while pumping gas. It's crazy how many masks are just dropped on the ground after using them
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2022-04-04
Screenshot I found from @lovedoveclarke on Twitter. A little dark humor surrounding the many traumatic events we keep experiencing
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2022-03-31
Suicide statistics against queer youth released by the CDC in the first half of 2021. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 queer children attempted suicide.
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2022-04-05
This is a text story from WITN by Justin Lundy. This is a news story on the increase in obesity rates since COVID started. In a study published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the average BMI in US adults increased by 0.6% between March 2020 and March 2021. This increase happened even as exercise participation rates increased by 4.4%.
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2022-01-18
This is a news story from New York Daily News by Cathy Young. This is an opinion piece questioning what body positive activists have been claiming about obesity and COVID, with many claiming weight has little to no effect on recovering from COVID. Quoting the CDC, Young says that obesity puts people at greater risk of dying from COVID than those of normal weight.
Other parts of this opinion piece deal with the language surrounding the body positive movement, and how there is no distinction made between listening to medical advice and getting harassed. The author says that this is a major issue because it makes it so people reject sound medical advice at the expense of their own health. She says that while outright harassment is cruel, genuine concern and wanting people to improve their well-being is not.
There is also criticism towards feminist writers in this article, such as Kate Manne, a philosophy professor from Cornell University, that claims all dieting is "morally bad." Young acknowledges that dieting can be unhealthy, but it is not unhealthy in and of itself. She thinks that if you have realistic goals, maintaining a healthy weight is not impossible.
At the end, Young explains that this body positivity movement is destructive towards people, and that those struggling with weight issues should be met with compassion, but not "acceptance."
This essay shows some of the social impacts of COVID. With some people reporting weight gain during lockdowns, it is easy to see why body positivity would be encouraged as a result. Though, since obesity puts one at higher risk for more complications with COVID, or any other disease for that matter, it should not be encouraged, in my own opinion. It is one thing to be shaped differently, it is quite another to accept being obese when it poses many health risks.
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2022-04-08
This is a news story from WBUR by Amory Sivertson, Ben Brock Johnson, and Quincy Walters. This is an interview that has been transcribed about the subreddit r/TheHermanCainAward. This subreddit has over 500,000 members. It is named after Herman Cain, a former businessman and Republican presidential candidate, who died in 2020 after getting the Coronavirus. One of the moderators, "Hammy", says that specific anti-mask and anti-vaccine people are featured on the subreddit in an attempt to influence, and in turn, take what is posted publicly, and throw it back in their faces. In order to get an "award" on the subreddit, one has to die. Nominations are for those that go to the hospital. The subreddit makes sure that all information is verified so people cannot call it "fake." They also go to lengths to black-out names, faces, and places in order to protect privacy. Though, even with attempts to make things anonymous, people are still found out. The moderator "Hammy" also does not wish to include their real name in this interview for fear of harassment. Glenn, someone that got featured in the subreddit, was also in this interview to explain his reasoning. Many of his doubts stem from the way the government has been handling it, in addition to the producers of the vaccine themselves asking for more boosters after the initial vaccine, which to him, doesn't seem normal for a vaccine. Glenn also recounts getting lots of harassment on his own Facebook page after getting featured in the subreddit, saying it isn't treatment their own kids should have to see, like people cheering on his death. Despite being vaccinated, "Hammy" contracted "long COVID." Glenn ended up with COVID pneumonia.
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2022-04-15
This is a news story from Vox by Keren Landman. The author interviews an epidemiologist on new solutions to tackling the virus that do not require shutting things down or forcing masks. The epidemiologist, Jennifer Nuzzo, says that instead of forcing masks, make things more equitable with having rapid testing more readily available, in addition to vaccines, so that people can continue on with their lives without as much interruption. She believes that masks and lockdowns are okay short-term when not much is known about the virus, but since we know more now, and have more testing, vaccines, and treatments, that we do not need these things. Luzzo thinks we should focus on low-access places so that more people have a chance of protecting themselves.
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2022-04-13
This is a news story from WBEZ Chicago by Patrick Smith. This story is about 700 police officers in Chicago refusing to comply with the vaccine mandates. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot promised that officers refusing to abide by the mandate will face consequences by being placed on a no-pay status. Figures from the Chicago Police Department show that almost no officers have faced consequences for refusing vaccination. In total, the number of unvaccinated cops in Chicago is 2,110.
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2022-04-15
This is a text story from Channel 3 News by Jaiyda Tyler. This is about Michigan State University and the mandates for that university. The university has decided to drop the mask mandate, but enforce the vaccine mandate. This new policy will require all participating in the 2022-2023 academic school year to be fully vaccinated and to have received a booster shot. This mandate will affect people participating in the summer 2022 session. All students that do not submit their vaccine information will be prevented from enrolling in the summer 2022 and fall 2022 sessions at MSU.
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2022-01-09
This is a text story by YourTango, written by Joanna Schroeder. This is a story written from the point-of-view by someone that wants others to be vaccinated. At the beginning, she brings up the feelings of distrust some have towards the government, which has been a big reason why some are refusing to get vaccinated. The author then mentions that she has been seeing an increase in patients with heart problems in the pediatric section of hospitals, with some of those cases being due to COVID. Continuing on with this point, the author mentions a peds cardiologist she has been in contact with, and the cardiologist says that there has been an increase in myocarditis cases due to COVID. Later, she says that her left-leaning friends are receptive to data like this, but her right-leaning friends are not. She then pleads that she does not want her unvaccinated friends to die, and that they have a greater chance of getting hospitalized compared to those that are vaccinated. Finally, she ends by saying to not let policies get in the way of good judgement, saying that she is tired of misinformation coming from both sides.
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2022-04-16
This is a news story from Deadline, written by Greg Evans. This story is about Broadway taking away the vaccine mandate, but keeping the mask mandate through May in their venues. It says that The Broadway League has required all 41 venues to mask up through May 31, but vaccination status will not be checked after April 30. Since the beginning of COVID, Broadway has hired extra staff to check vaccination status at the doors of their venues.
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2022-04-15
This is a news story by health.com written by Alyssa Hui. This story is about Moderna expanding its biotechnology into creating new vaccines using similar techniques the COVID vaccines have used. One of these vaccines will be used to help combat RSV, which is a virus that hospitalizes an average of 177,000 adults per year, according to the CDC.
Another illness that Moderna is looking to use vaccines against are four other endemic human coronaviruses. Moderna does not claim they offer 100% guaranteed protection, but that they can benefit people greatly for reducing chances of contracting certain illnesses.
Moderna wants to ensure that the vaccines are safe and will go through testing procedures to do so. They are hoping that there will be more uses for mRNA style vaccines in the future, and not just for the coronavirus.
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2022-04-15
How covid affected my transition from high school to college
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2022-04-15
The pandemic was a very lonely time for us all, some may have felt as though they were pending doom.
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2020-03-15
COVID-19 took so much from me. It took people, friendships, experiences, and so much more. I have pictured a high school diploma. This represents the years I lost in high school but still pushed through and finished. I’ve lacked education from being online. I lost opportunities and experiences. I lost friends. And had scares of losing my father. Covid took so much from me and many others.
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2022-04-14
This is an Instagram post by asianyouthcenterorg. This post is giving information on vaccinations and pregnancy. It says that Pfizer and Moderna are the most recommended vaccines for expecting mothers.
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2022-04-12
This is an Instagram story by endtimeheadline. This is about Philadelphia bringing back the mask mandate, which will have masks be required again at restaurants, shops, offices, and other indoor public spaces.
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2022-03-03
This is an Instagram post by taracomics. This post is a PSA reminding people to be respectful of small businesses that want masks. The reasoning is due to small businesses having less workers, and if too many people get sick, it can't stay open as long, thus giving money issues.
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2022-03-03
This is an Instagram post by roryzacher. This is a meme showing what they think about the virus. This is a popular meme of a guy looking back at a girl in red, with his angry girlfriend in blue to the side of him. This meme became popular in the mid-2010s and has retained its popularity. In this context, it means now that there is a war, the COVID narrative is gone. This is commonly used by pandemic skeptics since they believe many of the COVID restrictions were more political rather than for health reasons. The war this is referencing is the Russian invasion on Ukraine.
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2022-03-03
This is an Instagram post by heretic_designs_shop. This is a cross stitch of an opinion on the vaccines. Since the vaccines have become available, people have been making and selling merchandise with how they feel about the vaccines. The person that owns this shop says that this design is available for purchase.
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2022-03-08
This is an Instagram post by mrjeff2000. This post shows a picture with words on the mask for reasons to keep wearing one. Some of the reasons include: too many still being hospitalized; and the protection of the immunocompromised and disabled.
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2022-03-11
This is an Instagram post by zerowastesrilanka. This is a post advising people to cut the straps off of the mask before disposing of them because it can hurt ocean life. This is one major issue with mask mandates, since disposable masks are the most commonly worn. Having a buildup of too many masks places can hurt the environment, so this group is looking to let people know of how to properly dispose of a mask.
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2022-03-14
This is an Instagram post by gailwaldby. This is a comic of showing you how you can deal with wearing a mask while other people aren't wearing one. Some of the advice includes: ignoring people, focusing on the task at hand, and remembering why you are wearing a mask still. For some, they might have reasons for wanting to continue wearing a mask if they are high risk, or are in contact regularly with people that are high risk. Others might not feel confident in cases not going down as much as the news claims, so that could be another reason to continue wearing a mask. Whatever the case, some might have anxiety standing out if they are one of the only people wearing a mask in a public setting.
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2020-04-13
At the start of the pandemic, the only thing kind of entertainment people relied on was the television or their phone. Like most other high school students who are addicted to their phone, I was one of them. I was always laying in my bed scrolling through TikTok or looking on Snapchat. I mean, that was the number one thing to do. We weren't allowed to be out of the houses, going to sports events because the sad reality was that all of them got canceled. A couple months after the pandemic began, I started to lose interest being on my phone, it was no longer a source of entertainment, more rather repetitive. I've always loved art, drawing, crafting, making things at home. I grew up with an artistic, crafty mother. I decided that I wanted to create panting to hang up in my room, that is how it all began. I wanted to add more decorations to my room, and I admired the fact that it was my own art. Every day, I would sketch, draw and paint a different piece. I honestly fell in love with it, and I realized it was kind of like an escape from reality. I wasn't ever focused on anything else when I was painting, even though I am a perfectionist. I started showing my family members and friends my artwork and shortly after, people were asking me to paint them a custom piece. Of course, I couldn't say no so, I got the opportunity to paint my, soon to be, little sisters name board for her baby room. My family absolutely loved it and so did I. I wanted to expand the type of art I was creating so I decided to decorate my high school cap for my graduation that had been postponed, due to the pandemic. I sketched the outline of a paw print and filled the inside with different types of orange flowers, since I was going to Oklahoma State University and studying in animal sciences, I thought it was fitting. Through the rest of the pandemic up until school started back up and I was off to college, I was creating art. I used to look back at the pandemic and remember all negative moments that had happened, like the second half of my senior year getting canceled and summer not feeling like summer. Now, I feel like I've matured enough mentally to realize that I got to explore more about myself and learn about what kind of things make me happy, something not a lot of people get to do or even realize they can do.
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2022-03-15
This is an Instagram post by shamaamoo. This is a PSA for vaccine requirements for those going on a pilgrimage. It shows a variety of vaccines that are accepted for this, as it includes many people from around the world. Pilgrimages have been affected by the virus since they include lots of travel and spaces with lots of people in one area.
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2022-03-23
This is an Instagram post by vivekcherianmd. This post is by someone advising others to continue wearing masks despite a lot of the restrictions being lifted because young kids are not eligible to be vaccinated yet. This person recommends people use KN95 and N95 masks to best protect themselves. In the picture, we see an illustration of a kid in a mask saying "masks save lives."
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2020-03-12
It's March 2020, a young freshmen college student is packed and ready to head to the airport for her one and only shot at study abroad for the next 4 years. As she lugs her suitcase down the stairs of her dorm she gets an email that she will never forget, the study abroad trip has been cancelled do to an outbreak of new viral disease in Berlin Germany. Disappointed she headed back upstairs to call her parents and let them know. She unpacks, and repacks from her home in Texas instead. Once home she receives another email from her school, classes will be online for 2 weeks after spring break due to this new viral disease going around. She's upset but settles in to doing class at home. Then comes another email. School will be online for the rest of her semester, move out from the dorms will be staggered over the next couple of weeks and return date to campus is unknown. She is upset and sad over the loss over the end of her freshmen year, but hopeful that this new disease will settle down and that life will be able to return to normal in the fall. Alas this was not true and the series of unfortunate emails just keep coming, email after email. She kept being disappointed and heart-broken over all the loss of memories and chances do to a virus. 2 year later, she now wonders will the emails ever stop?
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2021-11-05
Analyzing Democratic election
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2022-03-31
Putin's invasion of Ukraine analogous to "The Walrus and the Carpenter"
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2022-04-13
When I was a sophomore in college, I had just gotten my dream job of being a community mentor when the campus heard the rumors that we might be getting an extra long spring break because of the virus. Originally, I thought everyone was blowing it out of proportion but then I quickly learned I was wrong. The extended break quickly turned into two years later. Most of my friends had graduated and I was now a senior becoming a supervisor over the community mentors. The pandemic was a major period of growth for me, but I learned something important in the process: you never know when the last time you see someone or experience something will be. So many people I know lost someone to this virus, including me. I wish I could go back and cherish more time with those individuals before the pandemic.
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2022-03-28
This is an Instagram post by whitneyfordekalb. This is an advertisement for people to attend a voter registration and vaccine clinic. It is calling on a few Black organizations in addition to unions to join the rally. Below are a few sponsors of the event. This event is in Georgia.
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2022-04-01
This is an Instagram post by deb.disaster. This user is criticizing the disaster that Doug Ford has created in Ontario regarding COVID restrictions. They believe that by lifting restrictions to cater to 10% of people in Canada that he is putting people in danger. The comic posted above shows a sandcastle (Ontario) built by Doug Ford and a giant wave (COVID) coming down to destroy it.
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2022-04-04
This is an Instagram post by ucr_chc. This is of a celebration where kids are encouraged to go and get vaccinated. The celebration flyer says that there will be food and kids toys available. The event is also giving away free testing kits, and will do booster shots as well. This event was held in Jurupa Valley, California.
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2022-01-29
This is an Instagram post by jakewienhold. The picture posted by this user shows an NPC accepting all the COVID restrictions. The NPC is the grey character. The NPC itself is a meme that got popular in the late 2010s and has continued to have popularity into the 2020s. NPC stands for "Non Playable Character." The term has its origins in gaming where characters that have a pre-written script and can't go beyond that are an "NPC." This term has gone beyond gaming and has been used to refer to people of any political stripe as an NPC as an insult. It insinuates that people who would follow herd mentality for any cause have no thoughts of their own, like an NPC in a video game.
The context of this picture shows an NPC having multiple vaccines injected in, while wearing a mask and a ball gag. The vaccines are referring to the COVID vaccines that some places have asked for people to go beyond two and get boosters. To critics of this, they see this as a ploy by big government and pharmacy to gain more money at the expense of the health of the people, as it is a common belief among the critics to claim that the vaccines are not safe. The mask has been a common trend during the pandemic, and is commonly used by critics to show that people following the rules imposed are being submissive towards the government. The ball gag is an extra thing that was added to show submissiveness and has some sexual connotations. The barcode on the forehead is a mark of being branded by the government and being tracked by said government. As with the things explained of this image, majority of the criticisms of the pandemic are based on the government response to it. For how much it limited some people's ability to make money or get things done that they needed to do, a lot of that anger is toward those governments limiting those freedoms.
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2022-03-02
This is an Instagram post by waking.the.dead. This is an NPC meme of people claiming they have a healthy distrust of authority, while supporting things imposed by authority. The NPC meme is a meme that gained popularity in the late 2010s and has had continued popularity in the 2020s. NPC stands for "Non Playable Character", which is a term used in gaming for pre-programed characters that have a set script for when the players interact with them. This has expanded to apply to people, with it being used as a slight towards any and all political sides, and portraying the side they don't agree with as having no original thoughts of their own.
The context of the NPC meme with the "I have AIDS" thing at the bottom is a reference to the claim that some of the COVID vaccines actually weaken immune systems and sometimes give people AIDS. The mask with the Ukraine flag refers to the current war between Russia and Ukraine, and support of Ukraine in some circles has been seeing as "following the herd because the media/government said to." The top part of "I have healthy distrust of authority" is meant to be ironic, as the NPC has fallen for all the current narratives without question.
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2021-03-19
This is an Instagram post by clarellou. The post is of a comic showing a man with unhealthy habits calling the coronavirus dangerous. This is supposed to be criticism of people not taking care of their own health, while being fearful of something less deadly than being obese or a drug abuser.
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2022-04-12
This is an Instagram post by eldiariodetlaxcala. This is written in Spanish and is about information for people to get the AstraZeneca vaccine. This event will be held for two days. In the picture, we see volunteers working to help administer the vaccine. Only people 18 and above are eligible for this vaccine, and it is being held in Ocotlán, Tlaxcala.
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2021-08-03
This is an Instagram post by courtneyahndesign. This user is warning people about a new variant and how it is affecting others. She brings up the CDC and what they say about this issue. She says that if you are not, you should be wearing a mask and get vaccinated.
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2022-01-18
This is an Instagram post by courtneyahndesign. This is an Instagram post critiquing people's lack of care for others during the pandemic. She thinks it is ridiculous that people are already going places maskless and being careless with how much they expose themselves. At the end, she recommends for people to go and get tested.
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2022-04-08
This is an Instagram post by sciquipuk. This is a store that sells NHS approved PPE for people to buy. Throughout the pandemic, I have seen people use a variety of these items. I have mostly seen masks. Every once in a while, I have seen people use face shields. This is a good post that demonstrates some of the things people have regularly worn during the course of the pandemic.
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2022-04-08
This is an Instagram post by smcpublichealth. This post is about vaccination status and the risks that they pose. Those unvaccinated are said to be highest risk. The immunocompromised are recommended to see a doctor about a fourth dose. If you are up to date on all vaccines and everyone else in the household is vaccinated, life can continue on as normal. In the hashtags below this post, it says to wear a mask, stay home when sick, and get tested.
Obviously, despite it saying that those that are up to dates on vaccines and live with those also fully vaccinated are able to return to normal, culturally, I have seen some people out in public abiding by COVID restrictions. I think this is a hard habit to break, and for some, the feeling of security is worth continuing to wear a mask even if some places have already lifted mandates. My overall feeling from observing those at my own local church is that people are more lenient with mask use based on what the CDC says. A few did not wear masks despite the CDC recommendation, but once the CDC announced masks were not necessary, people at my church took them off.
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0022-04-12
I was not directly affected by the Coronavirus, but I knew several who were, some got over it like a cold, others did not survive. There was a devastating number of deaths resulting from the virus, yet so many people adamantly believed it was fake, it was something created by the American government to control citizens. Talking to people from other countries, it was actually embarrassing because the events that transpired in 2020, well, not so much the events, but the reactions to these events, became quite a joke to other countries. 2020 was a year of total divide in many ways: mask wearers vs. mask refusers, pro-vaccination vs anti-vaccination, democrats vs. republicans, races and racism, hoarders vs. "just buy what you need" shoppers, partiers and clubbers vs. stay-at-homers, the list goes on. The thing that affected my life the most in 2020 was not COVID, but the society I live in being in a constant state of chaos and aggression and judgement. This was not the first time a virus spread to other countries from one origin country, it was not the first time that origin country was China, and it was not created by the American government to control the people....I guess 2020 was also a year of conspiracy theories. It's disgusting to think of all those who perished in the pandemic from the virus who are forgotten about or disregarded due to the conspiracy theories against the virus. It was just a horrible year all around, huge step back from mankind in its morals and ethics.
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2020-09-01
The pandemic for me started my senior year of highschool. I was in a relationship and had many friends in my graduating class. When it first started my household took it very seriously and I wasn’t able to see the people in my class and my ex girlfriend because of it. I wasn’t able to get closure with the friends I’d never see again because of different life goals. To this day it ache’s that I didn’t have a senior blow out like prom with my graduating class. I just wanted one more time with everyone before we went on with our separate lives. Ultimately, covid ended a lot of my relationships with people including my now ex girlfriend. I just couldn’t handle long distance and covid. Being in different colleges sucked, but having covid in the mix of it made it harder to see each other. One of us would always be exposed and could never see each other. Eventually it became too much for my mental health and decided to pull the plug on that relationship. Covid took so many things away from me. The relationships I had before covid, almost everyone of them has been severed.
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2022-04-08
This is an Instagram post by thehesbrooklyn. This is a PSA advising you when you should wear a mask. Some of the things it say to wear a mask for include: feeling sick, indoor public settings, unvaccinated, immunocompromised, high risk group, around unvaccinated, etc. The first point I find the most interesting because it marks a change in culture due to the virus. Prior to the virus, people I know wouldn't really wear a mask if they felt sick. Now, if some are feeling under the weather, they will wear masks. Considering this is a PSA for New York City, it is a place with some that has had some restrictions much longer than other parts of the United States. According to a relevant article linked with this post, New York City did not drop most COVID restrictions until March 7, 2022. Comparatively, my own state of Arizona had most restrictions lifted on March 25, 2021. Though, much like New York City, some businesses still require masks out of their own choice. As we see here, this PSA for Brooklyn is encouraging people to still wear masks even if some restrictions have been lifted.
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2022-04-10
This is an Instagram post by xo.beads. Since the start of the pandemic, some companies have taken advantage of people needing to wear masks and designed accessories to go with them. One accessory that has been sold in some stores are mask necklaces, which are similar to glasses chains that some already wear. They are made to look good with an outfit, while making sure you can keep track of your mask better. These accessories can range from very expensive, with some well-known designers making masks and mask accessories, to the very cheap. It is one of the new trends that have come about since the pandemic.
