Items

• 
  2020-07-11

  Covid Basketball

  From Tennison Q.: "Usually this court is alive with locals and tourists alike, but during Covid, you had to bring your own ball and sneak into the park. Nobody would ever come to chase you out, but you'd also be shooting by your lonesome. Still, I think the solidarity added to the photo factor of this beautiful court."
• 
  2020-05-17

  Sneaky Golf

  From Dave D.: "The thing I hated most about lockdown was that it separated me from the golf course. I just retired! What else was I supposed to do? So one day I decided 'to hell with it' and snuck out to my local course to play the par 3. Lo and behold, I ended up a foot short of a hole in one... and it was my birthday. Certainly one of the most memorable shots in my life!"
• 2020-10-14

  Covid Cooking

  From Savion H., "Over COVID Lockdown, playing Call of Duty and grinding 2K got boring, so I decided to learn how to cook. I went into lockdown without knowing anything, and came out a pretty good cook."
• 
  2020-05-19

  Rolling Through It

  During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when playgrounds were closed and everything felt uncertain, my kids and I found unexpected joy in an unlikely place: an empty church parking lot and a couple of skateboards. What started as a desperate attempt to get outside and shake off the cabin fever quickly turned into a daily ritual. We wobbled, we fell, we laughed. We brought snacks, lawn chairs, and invited friends—staying six feet apart but feeling closer than ever. That parking lot became our DIY skatepark, our recess, our mental health break. Learning to skateboard in my 40s wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, but it gave us something else the pandemic had taken: momentum. We didn’t need to be good—just brave enough to push off and try again. Turns out, a parking lot and a skateboard can be the start of something beautiful.
• 
  2025-03-04

  History Unearthed - The Joys of Metal Detecting

  Ever since I was young I always wanted to metal detect, but never endeavoured to pursue this interest. When the pandemic arose, I was fortunate to have my employer gift us a small bonus of thanks. It was this moment I knew I wanted to use the funds to dive into a new hobby. Five year later, I am still actively enjoying it. Not only did it help with my mental health to get outside and explore nature, I found it to be peaceful too. I have met wonderful people along my journey; including my partner whose property backs onto a farm field I was exploring. I have thoroughly enjoyed helping people locate lost items, and learning more about the historical significance of a location and the items being unearthed. I truly feel I am helping to clean the environment with each artifact found. I have also been fortunate to present a mini-lecture to high school students on metal-detecting, which included the laws, do's and don't and discussing the objects. Overall, the challenges of the pandemic created an outcome that will continue to have a positive impact on my life for years.
• 
  2020-05-10

  Mother’s Day Weekend in Carmel, CA – A Temporary Return to Normal

  In May 2020, during Mother’s Day weekend, my wife, Jennifer, our son, Evan, and I took a much-needed trip to Carmel on the coast of Northern California from our home in Sacramento—a roughly three-hour drive. Evan, a junior at an all-boys Catholic high school, had been doing virtual learning since March, and the isolation weighed heavily on him and our entire family. Carmel, with its clean and fresh ocean air and mountain views, was an excellent place to decompress and have a peaceful and relaxing respite from the turmoil of COVID-19. We stayed at a small boutique hotel we had visited before, where the staff was relieved to have guests again, though housekeeping and room service were unavailable. We spent much of our time outdoors, playing golf at Pebble Beach, relaxing at the beach, and avoiding the non-stop news coverage of COVID- 19. A major highlight was having our first restaurant meal in months at a famous seafood restaurant in Monterey, dining outdoors in a large tent, socially distanced, with masked servers and sanitization stations. Despite the refreshing break, reality set in when we returned home to Sacramento. The school year ended, and when the new one started remotely in August, it became clear normalcy was still far away. The high school canceled fall sports, masks remained required in public, and the weight of restrictions continued. Over the summer, we spent time by the pool, with my son gradually having friends over more often. The memories of Carmel faded as the pandemic’s grip continued. The short return to normal was only temporary, and life remained in limbo for months to come.
• 
  2020-06

  The Lighthouse at Frankfort, Michigan

  The lighthouse is something that represents safety and security. Walking on the beach and being along the water is something that I find healing and peaceful. I used to live in this area and I am familiar with the sites and was motivated to spend time outdoors.
• 0025-01-27

  Athens for a Month

  During the COVID-19 pandemic I determined to go back to college. At that time, in 2020, I was 38 years old. Most of my life I worked in construction and related industries. From 2009 to 2011, as a result of the recession, I completed two associate degrees; following which I promptly went back to work in construction. The pandemic posed an opportunity for me to continue my education. In the Fall of 2020, I began attending UCR. In the Spring of 2022, I graduated with a BA in Philosophy. Being a single father, I have not had many opportunities to travel due to financial constraints and time constraints. If I could travel anywhere on Earth, I would like to travel to Greece. I would not desire to travel a constrained and guided tour. I would not wish to have each step and location planned. Rather, I would like a couple months to saunter through the ruins in Athens, Particularly the Lyceum where I might find some hidden spot with a view, an alcove where I might imagine Plato and his musings, a place to sit and think deeply of the minds and thoughts of those people which lived there over two thousand years ago. During this time, I am likely to journal my thoughts as random ideas and questions enter my mind, a hobby I practice throughout everyday life. I would prefer to soak up a single place for weeks than to rush to see “everything”—in such a rush much is likely to be missed and much would remain unseen. I am 42 years old now. My daughter is 16 years old. Mayhap my dream of traveling to Athens will happen after I complete my MA History degree. Only the view of the Lyceum would include the sight of my daughter and my imaginings of her musings, as well.
• 2021-03-07

  Story of Sickness, Vices and Travel

  I remember when then Covid-19 pandemic first started, I was working at my current suit store, and we did not know what was going to happen at first. I did not travel anywhere, as at this point the global travel market was almost completely shutdown. There was discussion between the managers as to whether we would close the store and wait this out until government officials set the release date, or stay closed indefinitely. Eventually as more earlier information was released, we closed the store. As the pandemic spread, most of Florida as well as the rest of the country was shutdown. I spent most of my time at home. I tend to enjoy a cigar with a whiskey and/or another drink while enjoying the cigar. Eventually the whole state was shutdown and completely incapacitated. I spent the time eventually trying to remain entertained within the "Tiger King" series on Netflix, but once that was over with, I went through other modes of Coping. Eventually I went through my late Fathers Cuban cigar collection to try and have some type of enjoyment. I smoked close to all of his Cuban cigar collection, which in case of misinformation, Cuban cigars in the USA are impossible to obtain by retail standards, otherwise my grandfathering them in pre-personal consumption ban. I smoked close to 90% of my late fathers Cuban cigar collection, something which I didn't want to do other than celebratory or personal reasons. Covid-19 was most definitely not a reason. Therefore with the smoking also came the drinking and drank almost every bottle of anything, within the 5 month period in the state of Florida for the outright shutdown. I think eventually after a long lookback into the vices that were involved in being so isolated, the vices reign supreme when human beings do not have each other. Which speaks to the point that throughout history we, as humans, are extremely social beings. Isolation does not work well for long term, and state sponsored isolations. I think that if i were to travel, given the chance, I would not have traveled anywhere being so close to the genesis of the disease. Not in terms of China, but being so close and available to the disease without further info, would have been disastrous for my family. If I would have gone to any country would have been either to Israel or Rome, Italy, more specifically the Vatican. I believe my faith is primary to life, and either the homeland of the Christ or the home of the church during those times would have helped me spiritually, and physically, in tremendous ways. I probably would have documented my trip via my own phone camera or Instagram in whoever was viewing at the time. I would have definitely been sure to have gone to see St. Peters Square, The Sistine Chapel, and other sites in the Vatican City. Other than that the Israeli areas would be the supposed areas where Christ walked and spoke. Such as Golgotha, Garden of Gethsemane, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. These places during the pandemic, assuming they were open, were locations at the top of my list. Date: These thoughts and events happened on March 19-20 of 2021. Location: These memories and forethoughts would have taken place at the same time.
• 
  2021-07-16

  Since we can go anywhere... Why not Texas? Go big or stay home!

  We didn't know anyone in Texas, but we knew a few people from there, and they were nice. We didn't know anything about San Antonio except that the Alamo was there (we remembered that), and the internet said it had a Six Flags. We had no reason to go anywhere, except that it was July of 2021 and I had just finished what I could only hope would be the most difficult year of my teaching career (turns out it was). We had a tax return in the bank and a fire in our eyes. It was go time. We didn't have to fly there. It cost a lot more, and neither my wife nor I had ever flown in an airplane as children. But then again, we hadn't endured a Pandemic as children either; so we flew. How did this random trip turn out? Magical. The hotel was expensive, but my daughters loved the pool. The Alamo was full of historical paradoxes, which I completely geeked out on, and we all loved Six Flags. But the best moment of all happened as we walked the cobblestone streets of old San Antonio, sharing a box of chicken. We saw a man camping on the front steps of a church, and my daughters together decided to give him the rest of the chicken, since he was probably hungrier than we were. He thanked us with his words, but even more with his eyes, and my daughters learned that even 1000 miles from home, with nothing but a half-eaten box of chicken, you can make a fellow human smile. And that made the trip worth every penny. I could never ask for a better return from a tax return.
• 2022-06

  Travel to Disney Orlando

  Went to Disney in Orlando, specifically Hollywood Studios to experience Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and Star Tours since I really enjoy Star Wars, specifically Star Wars Legends, not exactly a big fan of the Sequel Trilogy, but I do enjoy Disney's Andor, Rogue One, and Mandalorian. I had been to Star Tours a long time ago, and it was interesting to see how the ride had been updated with more enhanced graphics. However, Galaxy's Edge was a little bit of a letdown since it had extremely high prices and not that much merchandise. Also, there were no Star Wars action figures, which were present in vast quantities when I had previously gone. There were no COVID restrictions in place.
• 2020-03-01

  Ghost Town Adventures

  During Covid, when everything was on lockdown, my wife and I found ourselves with quite a bit of free time. She was running a non-profit an I had recently started to go back to school. So, in order to get out of the house we decided to explore ghost towns. At the time, we lived in Montana and there are sometinh like sixty, give or take a few, within a days drive. So we would pile into our little chevy Aveo and drive out to a ghost town somewhere. What supriseed me the most was that even though Montana lists ghost towns on their state map not all of them are abandoned. More than once we would drive down a long dirt road into an old mining town that was supposed to be abandoned only to see people living in a trailer or in one of the refurbished buildings. Honestly, exploring old and forgotten parts of the state was alot of fun. Without covids restrictions we wouldn't have done it either. The only time we needed to interact with others was at the gas station for provisions and that was fairly standard. Just mask up keep your distance and go. One thing that suprised me about visiting ghost towns (aside from people living in them) was how long many of them managed to stay alive. For those of you who aren't familiar with the settlement of the American West, mining was fairly important in the mid to late nineteenth century. Regardless of whether it was silver, gold, copper, tin or any other metal, towns would form around successful mines. One these places ran dry though the townspeople would move on. But for quite a few, the mine would continue to be explored and excavated for years after it had quit producing. Seeing records of people living in an area in the 1920's and the mine not having produced anything significant in twenty years was fascinating. My wife and I spent quite a bit of time talking about these peoples lives, hopes, and dreams. Then of course if there were vampires hiding in the mines. I don't want the events of covid to ever repeat themselves but I miss the time toghether that it gave my wife and I. We have a child now so any adventure like this would be different but I might try to have us go get lost somewhere together one of these days.
• 2024-07-23

  Ashley's Pandemic Adventures

  During the pandemic I learned that I am not the type of person to sit still especially after being laid off from work. I did things from kayaking for the first time in my life (not pictured), to renovating my house, building a garden and buying ducks and taking care of them. I also was still in school (online), so I did my homework when I wasn't doing anything else. Despite the pandemic stopping the world, I didn't let it stop me from doing things that were important. During the kayak trip, I came face-to-face with a water moccasin that I never saw (not even after I got out of the brush), then later down found out I paddled over a gator that I never noticed was in the water. I did see the one snake that I paddled under though and was terrified it was going to fall into my kayak *shudder*. Renovating my house was both cathartic and rejuvenating because it felt like I gave the house a new lease on life. We bought ducks out of fear that groceries would be harder to come by (we were going to eat the eggs don't worry). Unfortunately, a pack of coyotes got to them a few months later which was a bit traumatizing. This was about a week before I blew my tire on my way to work. These were signs that I should have quit the job I managed to get, but I never listened. My dog and cats helped me with my homework during all of this because study time is important to keep the brain active. I painted actual paintings, fixed one of them that needed to be updated. I planted a garden, and somehow grew a pumpkin patch that sadly never grew pumpkins. Later, towards the end of the year I saw a full rainbow, and the end of one landed in my backyard. I felt that this was a sign that things would be alright even if it seemed like it wouldn't be. No, I never went to the end of the rainbow because you should never trust leprechauns. I will say...the one thing I never got used to was wearing masks. I get claustrophobic if I can't feel like I have air...and the masks were quite suffocating. I still wore them, but definitely never like them.
• 2024-01-09

  The Pandemic with my cousin.

  During the pandemic and quarantine, spending time with my cousin and friends became a lifeline amid the uncertainty that enveloped our lives. The isolation brought us closer, forging bonds that were resilient in the face of unprecedented challenges. During the lockdown me and my cousin still got to hangout a lot in person. We would do fun things like swimming and going to Taco Bell at 12 AM. I also had some online friends so I would video chat with them very frequently to pass time. We navigated the challenges of the pandemic together, sharing our fears and hopes, creating a support system that felt indispensable. As restrictions eased, cautious gatherings with friends became cherished moments. Our small circle provided a sense of normalcy in abnormal times. We'd organize outdoor activities, maintaining a safe distance yet reveling in the joy of each other's company. Laughter echoed louder than ever as we found solace in shared experiences. Navigating the challenges of online learning, my cousin and I became each other's sounding boards, helping one another adapt to the new normal. Late-night study sessions turned into opportunities to connect on a deeper level, fostering a bond that transcended familial ties. Our friendship withstood the test of time, proving that even a pandemic couldn't extinguish the flames of camaraderie. We explored new hobbies together – from baking cakes and cookies to attempting DIY projects. Each shared endeavor became a testament to our resilience and adaptability. Whenever we couldn't go outside we would watch movies, make tiktoks, and play games. Even during the pandemic one of our favorite places to go was still open. It is called Shadybowl Speedway. We would go there with my dad and her mom and watch cars race for hours and eat amazing food from the concession stand and run around with our friends there while also cheering on our uncle and her brother. Whether it was trivia, board games, or multiplayer video games, our competitive spirits thrived, and the time spent together brought us together in ways we hadn't anticipated. As the world gradually reopened, in-person gatherings became more frequent, yet the lessons learned during quarantine remained etched in our minds. The value of human connection became more apparent than ever, and the simplicity of spending time with loved ones was cherished like never before. Reflecting on those challenging times, I realize that amidst the chaos, a silver lining emerged. The pandemic taught us the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the irreplaceable value of relationships. My cousin and friends became anchors in a storm, and the memories we created together stand as a testament to the strength of our bonds during those trying times.
• 2020-03-03

  Pandemic Honeymoon

  Our wedding was on Leap Day, February 29th, 2020. The honeymoon followed shortly after with still whispers of a pandemic possibly looming. It was the newlywed phase of ignorance, but the pandemic was still viewed as something that wouldn't happen. We first went to Napa Valley without seeing one person wearing a mask in public. Traipsing around vineyards and imbibing on wine also helped stave off reality's harshness. When we arrived in San Francisco for the week, we realized maybe this was bigger than we realized. Walking the busy and heavily inclined streets, you would see about 50% of the people wearing masks and whipping out their hand sanitizer every so often. However, once we started walking through Chinatown, that number nearly doubled. Still, we somehow were not phased. Why would we be? We were on our honeymoon with an endless supply of matcha ice cream, dim sum, walking, sights to see, and more walking! The city was still bustling and alive; you could barely notice the Grand Princess cruise ship loitering in the bay for days, waiting for permission to dock that never came. The cancellation of a Warriors game? Oh well, our boat to Alcatraz was still ready to set sail! On the last day of our trip, we noticed a couple of restaurants closing early, with one owner asking, "Don't you know what's happening?!" On the last day of our trip, we decided to take the long drive home and go down the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping at Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. In walking the streets and making our way to Monterey Bay Aquarium, we were shocked by the sight of people in hazmat suits spraying the exterior doors of the building. This image would later replay on the news once we made it home. They implemented strict lockdowns and travel restrictions within the hour of crossing back into Arizona's borders. We were so lucky we made it back home just in time and didn't realize until we made it home just how oblivious and ignorant we were. Looking back, I cringe at our naivety. Those concerned people wearing masks in Chinatown? Some of them would later become victims of racism due to COVID fearmongering. That ice cream shop we frequented? Vandalized and destroyed. That curious cruise ship at the time claimed seven lives and infected over 100 people. Once we were home safe and realized this pandemic's seriousness, we stayed home. Within a couple of weeks after returning home, we found out we were expecting, bringing even more intensity and fear. The carefree attitude and carelessness, as exhibited on our honeymoon, were now met with complete awareness of the pandemic and the strictest adherence to lockdown guidelines. We didn't travel again until our pandemic baby was two and a half years old—all of the innocence of life before COVID was forever gone.
• 2022-03-11

  Post Covid, Yay Hawaii!

  When the COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted, our family immediately headed for Aulani, A Hawaii Disney Resort – this was already planned as a Christmas gift (‘21) for Spring Break (‘22). In fact, upon arriving, we found out that the lockdown for the island was going to be lifted the very next day. So masks and other PPE were not necessary when moving about the exterior hotel. In fact, events around Oahu (Polynesian Cultural Center) were also relaxing C-19 measures for tourists and all guests. Small precautions were still in place, like one family in the elevators at a time, no character meet and greets (with full contact), and masking indoors. Due to Hawaii being landlocked, the importance of C-19 measures meant we all had to do our part to stay covid free. We were happy to do whatever it took. Our memories of this trip were refreshing. It was nice to get out of the house and to the islands (not the desert where we are from), experience and learn the culture of Hawaii, take in a little dose of Disney, and be mask-free, even with precautions being taken in some areas (which we were okay with).
• 
  2020-07-28

  Beartooth Pass

  In late July 2020, my wife (then girlfriend), my family, and I took a trip to Sturgis, South Dakota for the annual Black Hills motorcycle rally. During the trip, we traveled to Red Lodge, Montana, where we spent two days riding our motorcycles into Yellowstone National Park. Of all the memories we made on that trip, driving on Beartooth Pass, one of the most dangerous roads in the United States, was my favorite. The views were stunning and the ride was exciting, with near-vertical dropoffs and few guardrails. In South Dakota, the only COVID-19 restriction in effect was mask mandates inside restaurants and stores; in Montana, there were no restrictions.
• 
  2020-05-08

  Scaling Mountains - Overcoming Obstacles (and New Englands peaks) During the Covid-19 Pandemic

  During the pandemic, I was lucky that I didn't lose anyone close to me. I know many people around me and in the world who watched their loved ones die from COVID-19. It has also had long-lasting health effects on many people as well. It is an ongoing conversation because people are still contracting the virus daily. Lockdown was a surreal moment for many in our ordinarily fast-paced world. The entire world stopped, and for once, we couldn't rely on our usual entertainment and schedules for distraction. This led to the development of new habits, which, unfortunately for me, were not just board games and binge-watching Netflix. Alcoholism had been at my doorstep since my senior year of high school, with my dependence on the substance worsening as the years passed. This is a genetic condition, and I have had countless family members struggle and die because of substance abuse, mainly alcohol. When the pandemic hit, I drank nearly every day, and this continued during lockdown with my roommate and a few friends. Not only was this dangerous because of the spreading pandemic, but it also worsened my mental health. Soon, my college shut down, and I had to move back home, where my substance abuse continued. My relationship had fallen apart when my ex moved back to India as he was on a student visa. The drinking and emotional isolation/strife led to a breakdown wherein intrusive suicidal thoughts plagued me. Something had to change; one night, I quit all substances and contacted my PCP about a mental health evaluation. I know my diagnosis was wrong, but it got me on the medication I needed to forget the intrusive thoughts and piece my life back together. My saving grace was my father and, eventually, my friends, who decided to pick me up and give me a distraction. This distraction became hiking mountains, a shared hobby of previous substance abusers. The chemicals released in the brain during these hikes and the physical exercise filled the void alcohol used to. It served it and began to heal the void left by years of mental health struggles and abuse. Like in this picture, the world's problems and my own seemed small when I was on top of a mountain. Not only that but also hiking is a very social-distance-friendly activity. The love for hiking fostered in my childhood was rekindled during the pandemic and remains one of my favorite things to do. My father and I are attempting to walk up all New England's notable peaks.
• 
  2021-05-15

  A Measure of Peace During a Global Pandemic

  During the COVID-19 pandemic I was working in health care for an agency. This meant that I traveled from facility to facility where there were staffing shortages and predominantly worked in the covid units. It was a strange experience to travel across Pennsylvania during this time and have little to no traffic that would typically have existed were there not any restrictions enacted. Therefore, when the restrictions were lifted, I did not feel an urge to travel to any great extent as I never stopped working during the lockdowns and if anything, my hours were significantly increased to the point of constant exhaustion. However, when the restrictions were lifted, I found myself in need of outdoor therapy. I am an avid hiker and enjoy the silence that trails offer. I have found that my favorite trail to visit is the Golden Eagle Trail, or as my children refer to it “Rattlesnake Ridge.” While the restrictions were lifting in most places at the time, I hardly noticed because in health care they remained for a much longer period. On many occasions in 2021, my family accompanied me to the Golden Eagle Trail to step away from society and unwind as a family without feeling the pressure of all the changes that were brought about by the pandemic. These trips provided me with lasting memories of my son reaching for my hand for security when walking along a thin train with a steep drop alongside it, my husband helping steady me across slippery rocks, and more. The photos from these trips are everlasting reminders of the happiness that hiking, especially with my family, bring me. Moments like these are to me the important moments in life.
• 
  2022-03-07

  Regaining Adventure in Disneyland

  My family and I were very cautious during the pandemic and waited a long time before we chose to travel both as individual families and as an extended family unit. We finally decided to travel with a family trip to Disneyland. We have a wide range of ages in our family from over sixty-five to under ten years of age and we wanted to find a place that would have something for everyone. We appreciated the fact that at Disneyland the vast majority of the vacation would be spent outside and we all live relatively close to the location helping with travel anxieties. The fact that the place is excellently maintained helped lessen many of my family members' fears of going out for the first time. The time was very enjoyable and everyone had a wonderful time. There was still the lingering fear of not wearing a mask at all times and walking around the park without a mask did take some getting used to however it was a wonderful way to reenter the world of traveling. In reference to the photograph that I placed in the archive - The photograph does not show the park or us on the trip due to keeping our privacy. However, it helps to represent what this trip meant to my family and myself. The Disneyland Starbucks mug and pins represents the fact that we often bring back souvenirs from our trip in order to remember our time together. The Peter Pan funko is to illustrate the adventurous spirit, joy, and freedom that we had been unable to experience during the time of Covid restrictions. Finally, Disneyland holds fond memories of family, joy, and adventure as a child so it was wonderful to re-enter that world on my first experience back traveling after the exile imposed by Covid.
• 2020-08-22

  Yellowstone Park in 2020

  It was in the late summer of 2020, and we thought that we would have the whole park to ourselves by going during the pandemic. We were wrong! It was as busy as it usually was, however people were keeping their distance from each other, and everyone was even more courteous than usual. The park required masks inside the buildings, but didn't enforce it outside. Many of the usual amenities inside the buildings were closed, and they were working with a skeleton crew. When we were waiting for Old Faithful to do its thing, many people were keeping to their own groups rather than packing in to see the geyser as they typically did before social distancing was a thing.
• 
  2020-08

  Memories are Like Waterfalls; a Post-COVID-19 Recovery Vacation

  As a survivor of COVID-19 with long-lasting damage, this memory still brings feelings of anger and fear to the surface. It takes place at a family cabin that was the epicenter of many happy memories all the way from childhood through becoming a parent myself. That first trip back forced me to see all that COVID-19 had stolen from me and would continue to steal from me for the rest of my life.
• 2020

  Continuous Travels Throughout The Pandemic

  As an Active Duty Soldier during the COVID-19 pandemic I was able to travel; albeit my movements were extremely controlled and job-related and not for leisure. On 13 March 2020, when the entire Country literally reacted to and shut down due to COVID-19, I was out of town and hours away from traveling back to my duty station. The sudden reality we were all faced with felt like The Twilight Zone, especially since it was also a Friday. In May of 2020, I drove to my hometown of San Antonio, TX. My mother was a COVID patient in the ICU, and I needed to get home to help take care of my father. Thankfully, my mother recovered, and I returned to Tennessee, where I was stationed at the time. The COVID restrictions from Tennessee and Texas could not have been more different; whereas Clarksville, Tennessee treated public separation and mask-wearing with a laissez-faire attitude, San Antonio was very strict with its public safety ordinances. A few months later, I deployed to Iraq; transiting to and from the Combat Zone was extremely restrictive. Prior to the Pandemic, we could enjoy local sightseeing if we had a layover in Spain or Germany; naturally, during COVID we were confined to our lodging. However, in January of 2021, as travel restrictions began to lift ever-so slightly, I participated in a unit training exercise in California. To my surprise, we had to fly commercially to Las Vegas, NV. To ensure 6-foot separation, we were each allowed our own rental vehicles, and our own hotel rooms while we trained in the California desert. In all my years in the military, that was the only time I wasn’t required to share a rental or hotel room with anyone. After we had concluded our training, we commuted back to Las Vegas. The original plan was to use military lodging on Nellis Air Force Base, however our Commander allowed us to find our own hotels in Las Vegas, as our flights would not depart for Nashville for another 36 hours or so. At that time of course, no one was traveling or booking rooms; I was able to find a room at the 4 Queens Casino on Fremont Street for forty dollars a night. This turned out to be far more cost-effective to the US Government, as we would have paid around ninety dollars a night had we stayed on Nellis AFB. Restaurants in Las Vegas during the Pandemic opened no earlier than noon, so we had a lot of time to kill in the morning. We walked up and down Fremont Street, the Strip, and it felt as though we were the only group of people in the city. Casinos were empty throughout the day and remained empty well into the night. Being thirsty Soldiers, we visited a Speakeasy and a couple of restaurants; again, with the eerie feeling like we were the only “tourists” there. We even visited the Mob Museum and enjoyed all the history and Prohibition artifacts at our leisure! Between multiple quarantines, working remotely, COVID tests, memorandums clearing us to leave the country, and the eventual vaccination, we continued military travel. It was impossible for my unit to cease all operations due to the Pandemic; we adjusted on the spot and continued to learn throughout the entire experience. It was impossible for me to narrow my travels during COVID to just one single memory; rather it felt like one continuous surreal dream. Today if anyone asks where or how I spent Lockdown, I have to ask, “When during the Pandemic are you referring to?”
• 2020-09

  Yosemite COVID Camping

  Living in San Diego at the time, once travel restrictions were lifted, I went to Yosemite National Park as I thought being in an outdoor open-air environment would mean less COVID-19 restrictions. As an avid backpacker and nature enthusiast, I could not wait for the national parks to reopen so once Yosemite opened its proverbial doors I jumped on the opportunity, as I had never been there before. My memories of the trip are very fond ones. I remember the emptiness throughout the park. One of the COVID restrictions implemented by the park was the limitation of people who could enter on a daily basis. Due to this finite number of visitors, and me being one of them, this made the park feel fairly empty, which was amazing. Not having congested trails and camps made my trip seem like I was in some remote forest, vice one of the most famous national parks. So, besides the stunning views and crisp air, one of my primary memories is the feeling of seclusion throughout my time due to COVID-19 entrance restrictions. Also, I remember a lack of masks and overall COVID-19 consciousness throughout the park. Even though the park had a mandatory mask policy, I remember not seeing many masked people. I honestly thought the mask restriction was overkill due to the already implemented restrictions and being outside, but I did notice we all would use masks if coming near other people on trails. Yosemite still had several COVID-19 restrictions implemented throughout the part. Aside from the aforementioned entrance cap and masks, all their restaurants, hotels and general facilities remained closed. Also, they spaced out the campsites, so each camp had at least one camp space between them, limiting the sharing of space. They even closed specific trails due to the lack of workers at any given time. The park employees were few and far in-between due to a COVID-19 restriction, which meant less accessible trails since they would not supervise them all with such limited manpower. Besides that, the COVID-19 restrictions were not abundant, which was likely a product of the open-air environment.
• 2023-10-11

  Return to the Big Island

  I was stationed in Hawaii with the Army for 3 years. Due to regulations, I was not able to participate in the many hunting and fishing opportunities that can be found there. I was discharged in 2020 just before the pandemic really started. I spent most of 2020 fighting my state for unemployment benefits and looking for a job. I did not travel during the pandemic and only afterwards for work. I want to some day get back to Hawaii and enjoy those missed opportunities. Unfortunately, I think it will be a long time before I am financially stable enough to travel.
• 
  2021-07

  Trip to San Francisco July 2021

  During the summer of 2021, my girlfriend and I traveled to San Francisco for a week-long vacation. Travel and business restrictions were greatly lessened but still in place. As seen in the photo masks were still very common, especially in a big city like San Francisco where there was less anti-mask sentiment (my mask was off just for the photo). We wore masks for the majority of the trip, including while on planes and trains or in any public space. One of the bigger impacts of the pandemic that we experienced during our trip was how many restaurants and other businesses closed at earlier times than before. Additionally, while our trip was happening the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were finally occurring after all of the delays to its start. We were able to watch many events from our hotel room that would have otherwise occurred a year prior.
• 
  2021-05-05

  2021 National Park Road Trip

  In May 2021, my friends and I took a 17 day road trip out west visiting 7 national parks, and several national forests and state parks. It truly was the trip of a lifetime. We had been planning the trip in February of 2020 but then COVID happened and we delayed it to the next year. To document our trip, I submitted pictures from the trip that I made in 2021. Some of the highlights are Death Valley National Park, Yosemite, and Zion. This was my first time traveling west of the Mississippi so I loved experiencing the culture, food, and meeting the people who lived in many different regions of the US. When I went, there were surprisingly very few restrictions other than having to wear masks at the occasional business. I do remember in Zion the staff told us to stand "1 condors wingspan apart" even though its wingspan was about 10 feet. I took hundreds of photos and I unfortunately could not upload all of them so I picked these ones. This trip was very important to me because it represents the places I've been, and the memories I have made with my best friends as we experienced this amazing trip together. Finally, I should mention that I went on this trip and missed my in person college graduation ceremony, and I don't regret it for a moment.
• 
  2020-10-10

  Disney During The Pandemic's Lost Year - A Glimmer of Fun in Chaos

  Half full fights, social distancing and Disneyworld
• 
  2021-12-25

  Immunocompromised at Christmas

  The impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism over the past three years has been significant, and in my experiences, travel for me in post-COVID era has been wildly different - as my mind swirls around a large concern that I could possibly do harm to my immunocompromised husband. He’d experienced major spinal and heart surgeries in the summer of 2020, and the following year a round of COVID left his nervous and immune systems permanently weakened. My parents had planned a large family trip in May 2021, and my thoughts continued to swirl around the potential for another round of COVID afflicting my husband. I had us cancel. Months later, my family finally convinced us to get on a plane for Christmas to Austin, Texas to see my sister’s new home. It would be our son’s first flight, too, which only added to my anxiety. It was December 2021, and most restrictions were still in place at airports at this time. I was grateful for the number of passengers on the flights, in the airports, and in public transportation hubs utilizing masks and maintaining distance from one another. I recalled seeing one family, completely maskless, at the airport. They seemed so out of place - and to be honest they looked very uncomfortable - too. Luckily, like us, my extended family was hesitant to explore the hustle of downtown Austin, so much of the trip was spent with everyone at my sister’s new home, cooking, reading, completing puzzles, and most importantly: getting her lawn familiarized with several dozen rounds of Bocce ball. It was the first time we were all able to come together after the start of the pandemic, and I felt grateful for the opportunity to be with my family in the same safe space. We got way too competitive, but the laughter during Bocce proved the most memorable part of the trip. I loved how happy my family looked in this moment, especially my sister (front in orange) and my husband (over her right shoulder). I am not sure what the future looks like for COVID and travel, but for me, I know that it already looks different - I will continue to mask, I will distance, and I will choose options that will do the least amount of harm to those I love and the people I may meet along the way.
• 
  2021-08-15

  Pandemics, Wildfires, and Climate Change

  The Covid 19 Pandemic is and was a transformative event representing history in the making. The state of Oregon and particularly Portland witnessed a trifecta of converging crises beginning with the lockdown on St. Patrick’s Day in 2020. That summer was one of the hottest in recorded history and saw the city and state divided in smoke-filled chaos. The literal last words of “I can’t breathe” uttered by George Floyd were being chanted in the streets downtown as wildfires raged in all corners of the state, set against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Everything felt surreal and the tension in the city was like a powder keg. By the following summer some advancements had been made, the first round of vaccinations administered, but the same underlying issues were present in Portland. Houselessness, fractured political ideologies, and Far-Right and Far-Left members clashing in an invisible maelstrom on the Willamette River. My husband and I had adhered to the very stringent guidelines and protocol set by both the city and state to the letter. For a bit of context, my husband worked on the front line as a department manager at a grocery store and wore a mask for eleven hours at a time often six days a week for a year and a half, while I volunteered at the Red Cross and held down the home front. In August of 2021, we finally decided that we needed to get out of town, so we grabbed the dog and set a course for the Crooked River in Central Oregon. It was a two-week period of sheer peace and glory bookended by fear and anger at the negligence of fellow humans. We camped on the river and practiced mindfulness and being present every day, breathing deeply the fresh air ushered in by a strong breeze from the East. The “going there” and “going home” portions were marred by anti-mask protestors with weapons arguing about state’s rights, as death toll numbers were rising. The fires had already burned over a million acres with no signs of slowing down, and the reality of Portland’s social justice issues did not disappear just because we did. The experience left us feeling gratitude for the opportunity to explore, our good health, and open minds, it was our 18th wedding anniversary, in which porcelain is traditionally given as a gift. Ironic, given the fact that not only is porcelain extraordinarily beautiful but also incredibly delicate, a perfect representation of the state of things during the summer of 2021.
• 2021-06-01

  Post-pandemic Beach Trip

  Unlike most people that we knew, we did not travel anywhere during the pandemic. We did not have any visitors outside of our family and continued to use social distancing until the restrictions were lifted. When the world opened up again, we still chose to stay fairly close to home. At the time, we were living in Harrisburg, PA and decided to visit Virginia Beach. We stayed at the Hilton and were shocked to see how to the pandemic had effected the tourism industry. The hotel was wildly understaffed as they had let many employees go over the past year and it was chaotic. The rooms were not cleaned on time for check-in so there were people packed into the lobby, bags everywhere, just waiting to get to their rooms. The employees were overworked and mostly rude; wholly unlike how it had been pre-pandemic. When we were finally able to check into our room, we got onto the elevator and found that there was some kind of liquid all over the floor. We tried to show an employee but there were none around to help. After getting into our room, we pulled out the sofa bed to find that it was full of sand and that the room had not been properly cleaned. Eventually, someone did come up to clean it but it took hours. Our trip could be summed up as unrelaxing; nearly every employee seemed as though they were at their limits. There were still mask guidelines in place and all of the people there seemed angry about it, whether it was because they were wearing one and others weren’t or because they did not want to wear one and were angry that the guidelines told them to. It seems as though no one could be satisfied and everyone was inconvenienced no matter which side they were on.
• 
  2021-03-06

  Escape from COVID: San Antonio to Galveston

  I submitted this story because I wanted to explain what my first trip after COVID was like.
• 
  2021-10

  Woodcrofts in Post-Pandemic Iceland

  First, let me say that I am not a big traveler. I was never bitten by the travel bug, and I had no strong desires to see the world. A bit controversial, but I remember feeling even just a few months of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic that I needed to get out. I needed to escape my house, not because being quarantined and working from home with my husband was problematic or bad as far as our being with one another 24/7, but I just felt very confined and small, almost suffocated. There’s a difference, I think between choosing not to travel or leave your house and not being able to leave your house because of guidelines and the risk of spread illness. My husband and I had planned a trip to go to Iceland in September of 2019, but I just started a new job and couldn’t get time off that soon after starting, so we pushed it off to – as luck would have it – March 2020. In fact, it was planned for about a week or so after the entire world shut down and said “stay home.” At that point, we were “refunded” our tickets and accommodations, and were in this place of not know when or if this trip would happen. By refunded, I mean that the airline gave us a credit for the amount needing to be spent within a year after this date. So we felt in a bit of a dilemma and unsure of what to do. The news of the pandemic and the guidelines were – understandably - constantly shifting, and we were looking at international travel, so we had to frequently check the U.S. travel restrictions as well as Iceland’s restrictions and compare. Even then, restrictions fluctuated, at some points saying travel was allowed on one end, at others, if you test positive you may have to stay there for your entire quarantine period in a designated space away from others, extending your stay for potentially a month. It was a force to even consider planning. Finally, the stars aligned, and we were able to schedule our trip for October 2021, two years later that we had originally planned, but we were going and excited, if a bit nervous. I remember from the day we picked the flights looking up the travel restriction websites every day. I bookmarked the U.S. and Iceland’s sites to check to see if anything had changed in terms of guidelines or cancellations. We knew that we needed to schedule a covid test about 1 week prior to the flight and upload and bring proof of a negative result for the airline. We had been vaccinated, so we had to bring our cards for verification at customs. We also at that point, scheduled our return flight’s covid testing in Iceland to make sure that we had another negative result so we could come home. It was incredibly stressful trying to schedule all this, some sites were booked up, we had to take time off of work to get available appointments before going, all while reminding ourselves this is supposed to be a fun trip, a vacation in a country neither of us had visited before. Luckily, everything by way of travel went well. At that point, being in such a crowded area, like an airport, felt strange and uncomfortable. Everyone wearing masks, but still getting closer to us that we were used to now. We had heard stories of how planes are breeding grounds for covid, the air was recycled, so if someone on the plane is a false negative, they’ll give it to everyone. But we landed 6 hours later, and were relieved to do so. Despite not seeing a single puffin, our week in Iceland was absolutely fantastic; however, I can’t say that it wasn’t hindered a bit by covid and the transitioning public guidelines. After planning this trip for two years, we had read and marked up a number of travel guides that suggested areas to visits, restaurants to try, and trips to take while there. None of these books were equipped to prepare us for what vacation would look like post-pandemic. On one side, the sites and streets, even in the city of Reykjavik, were not nearly as crowded as we had read and expected it would be, which, for someone like me, who gets incredibly overwhelmed when around too many people, was perfect. We were able to visit museums, go on a virtual flyover of Iceland’s landscape, and see sights with no line or trouble. On the other hand, many store, restaurant, and attraction hours had changed or were complete shutdown, and were not updated on Google or on company sites. Occasionally we would finally reach a destination and find it was closed, but we understood that this was a small price to pay overall for a trip to Iceland so soon after things re-opened. One restaurant we stopped at in a small town south of Reykjavik was completely empty, we were the only customers from when we walked in to when we left. We were able to talk to the owner, who was saying that this is what it has been like for them since the start of the pandemic and restrictions on travel, especially international travel and tourism. It was a family-owned restaurant, where the owner and his wife sold art and homemade Nordic pieces on one of the tables in the back. They relied on tourism and the income of international visitors, and they said that this was the hardest part of the pandemic for them, seeing Iceland, a huge tourist spot for years, now hit financially and, really their way of life, changing because of this long ban on travel. For our trip across the country, fortunately, as it is, my husband and I are moderately outdoorsy people, so most of what we wanted to see or wanted to visit was outside and didn’t have the same restrictions that we found in town. We were able to spend a day at the Blue Lagoon, climbing a relatively recently active volcano, walk on the black sand beaches, and just drive around, climb out of the car and hike up a hill for the view. Early on, we decided to abandon our strict itinerary and just think of what we might want to do the next day and plan from there. It was jarring for someone like me, who is almost too reliant on structure and order, but the flexibility worked better and developing that mindset of being adaptable in this post-pandemic time helped combat the frustration and panic we felt after realizing so much had changed from the typical and expected. A stark difference we noticed while there was the general feeling towards covid-19 guidelines and vaccinations there compared to the U.S. at the time. Since the start of the pandemic, so many people were outspokenly skeptical and against the restrictions and guidelines in place and the vaccine, but we never really experienced any of that in Iceland. Rules and guidelines were quietly followed wherever we went, wearing a mask or maintaining distance, there was never a fight or resistance to this. We never saw or heard of any anti-vaccination groups or protests, as we had experienced both where we lived and on the news across America. All in all, our trip coming out of the pandemic was great, if not a bit unexpected because of the guidelines and transition period that came from international travel post-covid.
• 2023-07-13

  My trip to Xinjiang

  For myself and many others in China, people were faced with policies and travel restrictions that were put in place due to the Covid19 pandemic. These policies and restrictions included, but were not limited to: quarantines, frequent nucleic acid tests, scanning a code in order to enter all sorts of places, and working from home. These covid policies and travel restrictions were finally, and fully, lifted this past winter, in January of 2023. This summer would be the first chance my family and I have to travel, and we will actually be starting our trip tomorrow, on July 13, 2023. As this is the first summer after covid policies were lifted, I’m expecting many places to be crowded. My wife has already done some research and has come across some videos on social media that shows some scenic spots that are crowded. As for the trip, we will be going on a road trip to Xinjiang, which is China's westernmost territory. We chose this place because we have never been there and have always wanted to visit. It is supposed to be one of the more beautiful places in China. While we will visit some urban locations, they will not be our primary focus as we are more interested in natural scenery. We’ll be starting out trip tomorrow, on July 13, 2023 and will be driving to areas in regions around Urumqi, Xinjiang. Among the places we will visit are Turpan, Sayram Lake, and Tekesi Bagua City. After that, we will drive back to Beijing, stopping at various places along the way and spend a few days in each place. Along the way, we plan to take many pictures and buy some souvenirs. My children might also have to write about the trip as well for an assignment for school.
• 
  04/16/2020

  Mikayla Marshall Oral History, 2020/04/16

• 2020-08-22

  Finding peace during the pandemic

  During the pandemic, like most people, I experienced high amounts of stress and feeling kind of hopeless. I would spend the majority of my day playing video games in my house which doesn't really seem like a bad thing to be doing, but over time I could feel myself being lost and not the same person anymore. This was because before the pandemic, I was constantly on the move and interacting with people, so when this was taken from me I was unable to resume the things that I had always done. I began school at a local university and found myself unable to make friends as I had easily done in the past, because my social skills had taken a huge fall due to the pandemic. I found myself being a really quiet person and would only talk when I was talked to, and also found that I did not have the drive to complete tasks that should have been easy to complete. The way I began to overcome this was when I joined a local dance group. They were practicing at a park following social distance regulations. I did not instantly feel comfortable because I was unsure of myself and was not very confident when I first joined. However, the group was very welcoming and friendly towards me and they gave me all of the time and space I needed at the time to begin coming out of the shell that the pandemic had formed around me. Within about a year, these members have become some of my closest friends and we hang out daily. My confidence has reached an all time high that honestly I think might have caused me to become bored whenever I know something is a waste of time but is something that I have to do. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it is definitely an improvement from before where I would not attempt to do things because I did not feel the confidence to complete them. Had I not joined the group, I would've stayed in my shell and would not have made the friends I have today. They gave me a chance to become active again and become socially active as well.
• 
  12/14/2021

  Anonymous Oral History, 2021/12/14

  Anonymous is a person who, in his senior year of university, was hit by covid. Anonymous goes into detail on what went wrong with the pandemic, how new sources are at the biggest fault, and how it affected his personal life when looking for a job, and interacting with family and friends who both do, and do not want to be vaccinated, and self-isolating with many precautions despite Wisconsin having very few mandates.
• 
  12/08/2021

  Jill Smith Oral History, 2021/12/08

  Dr. Jill Smith is a retired professor from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, she currently lives in Menominee Wisconsin. In the interview, she talks about how Covid-19 has affected her family and her work within her community. As she started the pandemic as a caregiver for her husband who unfortunately passed in January. When she talks about her job as a contact tracer for Dun County and how that has shaped her life. While she also volunteers at Steeping Stones and interacts with her community. Commenting on the political side of how her community adapted to the pandemic. Concluding with her perspective on how the future may look with the new Omicron variant.
• 
  12/11/2021

  Tim Yasick Oral History, 2021/12/11

  Tim Yasick is a truck driver from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He lives with his wife, a puppy, and three cats. Tim spends most of his time on the road, only interacting with people at gas stations and truck stops, and this has allowed him to get through the pandemic without getting sick. In this interview, Tim discusses his experiences on the road, with mask mandates differing from state to state, and at home, where he just got married this June. He feels that accurate information and understanding each other are going to go much further in ending this pandemic than politics or vaccine mandates. He feels a change of heart is the only way.
• 
  12/08/2021

  Ashley Kiley Oral History, 2021/12/08

  Ashley Kiley lives in Oakland, WI, and currently works at Black Hawk Park, La Crosse, Wisconsin. In this interview, Ashley discusses how COVID-19 has affected her life, including her work, family life, and mental health. She shares what it has been like to work as a park ranger and hurricane relief worker during the pandemic, and how the pandemic has affected people she knows. She discusses the implementation of COVID-19 procedures in spring and fall of 2020, and touches on the political arguments over masks, and how the hierarchy of the Department of Defense tried to stem the spread of the virus.
• 
  12/07/2021

  Wyatt Goetz and Sloana Goetz Oral History, 2021/12/07

• 
  11/27/2021

  Rebecca Ferber Oral HIstory, 2021/11/27

  Rebecca Lynn Ferber is a resident of Oronoco, MN, and currently works for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester as a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). In this interview, Rebecca talks about how COVID has affected her job as a CRNA and Mayo Clinic as a whole as well as a mom and wife. She also talks about how it has affected her family and friends and how some of her relationships have been strained because of different views on COVID. She touches on how it not only affects people's physical health but mental health as well and gives some advice for future generations.
• 
  11/27/2021

  Terry Ehle Oral History, 2021/11/27

  Terry Ehle lives in Two Rivers, Wisconsin with her husband, three daughters, and two foster boys. She works as a librarian at the local public library. In this interview, Terry discusses the struggles she faces during the COVID pandemic trying to juggle such a large family and their many extra-curricular activities. Her daughters are involved in musical theater, sports, and international travel- all of which have been impacted by COVID. She struggles to manage all of these different activities together, all while trying to be a good mother and a good employee. Because of her situation, she has had to take a lot of time off of work and has found herself working many nights and weekends to make up for the lost time.
• 
  12/02/2021

  Lindsey Jo Boehm Oral History, 2021/12/02

  Lindsey Jo Boehm is a former UWEC student and graduate in Nursing, now a full-time nurse in a local hospital. This is Lindsey’s second interview a year since her first interview. In this interview, she discusses how things have changed from the last interview including moving, a new job, family changes, and how she takes care of herself and stays positive (or tries to). She discusses how the attitude in the medical field and doctors and nurses has changed in the last year; they were seen as heroes and now there is very little community support. She also discusses vaccines and variants and how they impact the community and her frustration and empathy for people during this pandemic.
• 
  12/03/2021

  Sarah Benthein Oral History, 2021/12/03

  Sarah Benthein was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, and currently resides in San Diego, California working as a travel nurse. Being that she has been working as a nurse, Sarah has been able to see firsthand how the health system has been affected, and changed by the pandemic, and her perspective will give individuals a first-hand account of many of these changes. Throughout much of this interview, Sarah discusses many of the different ways in which Covid 19, including such things as travel, working, and recreational activities. She shares how restrictions in San Diego have been taken much more seriously than in Wisconsin, and because of that, her life has changed dramatically from what it was prior to Covid 19 occurring. Sarah also reflects on how drastically travel changed in regards to Covid, especially owing to how far from home she lives.
• 
  12/12/2021

  Anonymous Oral History, 2021/12/12

  Anonymous is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and is partially studying political science. In this interview, she discusses her own personal experiences with Covid and her thoughts on how leaders have dealt with it. She also discusses mental health and her mother’s experience in the medical field.
• 
  2023-03-30

  Dancing In The Face Of Uncertainty

  My family and I were shown immense grace as the world endured the heart wrenching sorrow of the COVID-19 pandemic. May those whose lives were stolen by the coronavirus live forever in memory, and rest in eternal peace. At the onset of my second Freshman semester, the chatter among friends included ignorant musings such as: "what would happen if we got it?”, and my favorite, “the virus would NEVER come to the island.” Before Costco lines evoked Walmart on Black Friday, and up-to-the-minute death tolls became the linchpin of our media diet, the Bayonne Bridge signified a seemingly impenetrable chasm safeguarding Staten Island from a quarantined cruise ship in February 2020; because obviously airborne particles don’t pay tolls, right? A strange sense of wonder and excitement overtook the CSI campus on March 11, 2020: the day Gov. Cuomo announced CUNY & SUNY schools would “pause” in-person instruction. I'll never forget hearing the announcement on radio before walking to class for the last time until September 20, 2021. As I drove down Loop Road, a group of students (presumably upperclassman) cheered while blasting music on the Great Lawn. If those students truly were upperclassman, their dancing in the face of uncertainty would spite the commencement celebration they would never receive. I suspect a webpage and some pre-recorded speeches is an inutile stand-in for sitting among thousands of graduates on that very lawn. In tandem with devastation, panic, and uncertainty, the pandemic thrust society into a hard reset. So much of life is spent planning, yearning, and working towards the future - all of which are meaningless novelties to a hellacious virus. To survive the pandemic, besides evading COVID by way of masks, social distancing, and grace from above, each of us had to sift the remnants of our livelihoods to make out what our “new” present would look like. I thrived through the pandemic with music blasting, self-reflection, and a sense of liberation. Family bonds grew stronger, passion projects were completed, and for the first time in a decade, my life felt tranquil. I am repulsed by the fact that while millions took their final breath, businesses shuttered for good, and anxiety tormented the world, I found inner peace reminiscent of my childhood summers. Eerily, I vividly recall sitting in the basement of 2N during a 8am Geology class wishing for, “all this crap to end”, and lamenting, “why didn’t I go to SNHU or some college online?” I guess someone got their wish, and dragged humanity down with him. My father was the only non-essential worker in the house; he didn’t get that fancy paper from the state which supposedly let you free if cops pulled you over. We spent the first full day of lockdown scouring local stores for the coveted (and effective) N95 masks. At a time when the CDC told people to not wear masks so medical professionals had supplies, we were on a mission to guarantee we had protection for the long haul. My family recognized that the “pause” would not be a 1 to 2 month patty cake. My father was adamant his Window Cleaning & Power Washing business would collapse from the indefinite closures of his commercial clients. Our first purchase was the last 3-pack of Milwaukee N95s with those gaudy exterior respirators from homespun Garber’s Hardware. The ever-jovial gentlemen behind the counter adamantly said something to the effect of, “we’re gonna be here ’till they tell us to shut them doors.” 3 masks wouldn’t cut it, so we continued down the way to ye olde Sherwin Williams; where the employee had no suspicion we needed a 20-count box of 3M's finest for anything other than some recreational spray painting. Mask wearing wasn’t en vogue just yet. Those masks were needed when my Uncle could not get out of bed at 1:30pm the following Saturday. He worked the night prior, Friday the 13th, at his second job as a bouncer in Manhattan. On Saturdays he would saunter out of bed by 10:45 the latest; but here he was: frozen in bed, voice hoarse, and coughing like a smoker. I threw on the 95 and nitrile gloves just to speak to him from the hallway. That day was also the first time I ventured out in full biohazard regalia. I still remember the condescending scowls at my neighborhood’s second rate deli counter. The treatment advice the CDC hotline provided was to load up on Extra Strength Tylenol and guzzle water like there was no tomorrow. Thankfully my Uncle did see tomorrow and recovered in about 5 days. While my Dad and I kept our distance as my mother tended to the patient, we realized there must be a fruitful pastime besides burying our eyes in CNN coverage all day. My father, perpetually seeking the next project, came to the realization that, in plain english: we needed a pool table. When I was 6 years old, my father built a pool table out of wood when he was working for a contracting firm that operated in what is now Brooklyn’s Industry City. At 9 feet It conveniently sat atop our giant dinning room table. It was a gorgeous deep blue with every authentic accoutrement short of nicotine-reeking cloth. The table lasted about 8 months until my mom wanted her dining room back, fair enough. For a long time that table felt like a fever dream. After the it departure it was seldom mentioned; the balls and commemorative Coca-Cola cuestick sat dormant in the far reaches of our old home. The biggest hurdle to this project was space. The only feasible location was the unfurnished room in the back of our basement. The room experienced iterations as a screen-print emulsion lab, woodshop, actual chocolate factory, punching bag area, and video recording studio. After countless YouTube tutorials, including a Filipino gentleman building an unleveled table where all balls rolled to one side, we ventured to Lowe’s “Indoor Lumber Yard” to rekindle the magic of 2007. We sourced only the finest un-warped 2x4s and the purest synthetic wood crafted by the hands of man: Unfinished MDF Board. The 97 inch composite wouldn't fit down the basement stairwell, so we asked the one employee not running from us to cut it down the middle. Our makeshift table now presented two unique considerations: first, the board had to be precisely glued back together, and second, did you know commercial lumber dimensions are several inches off the actual product size? And in case you were not aware, “real” pool tables are made of slate. Breaking ground on March 19th, we used our decommissioned 20-year-old kitchen table as legs for our new creation. The board’s overhang allowed pockets to sit freely (no ball return system needed). On the days I had online class, my father intended to go downstairs “for about an hour” in the morning, before getting stuck in a jam by lunch, and working until dinner. I would assist in between classes, and when I was free, we’d get caught up in the room for hours on end. With Music Choice and MTV Classic the soundtrack of our toil, my Dad and I measured “tournament standard” dimensions - only to be slightly off, argued about what the heck a 142 degree cut really is, and savored the aromatics of wood glue and contact cement. The room was coated in sawdust, with scrap wood scattered neatly about. I was finally involved in my dad’s carpentry prowess after years of staring at his convoluted tools. Have you heard a Mitter saw in action? The grinding of the spiraling blades drown your ears with the screams of a motorcycle whizzing through a tunnel. I’d wince in fear that the time would come when the blade’s “SHING” would be followed by an agonized scream. My dad made mention of how woodshop teachers were always missing an appendage. He even shared horror stories like the time the blade guard failed to engage on a circular saw, skid free, peeled the side of his boot, cut through floor tiles, and sputtered wildly until it sliced the power cord. When I did schoolwork upstairs while listening to SiriusXM (another pandemic coping tool) I regularly heard my dad belt obscenities en español louder than both of our blaring radios. The table was declared playable at 8pm on Monday March 30th. I know this because the music on tv tuned to a channel recording CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE (I DVR’d many movies during lockdown). The table is not 100% complete, and has some quirks which challenge you to be a better player. We practiced and played on that table at least an hour a day everyday until in-person classes began to cloud my schedule. Under lockdown, my family spent days and nights hanging out in the backyard, barbecuing and laughing loudly, before we capped the night with rounds of pool. In homage to the California Spring Break shelved by the obvious, I burned a best of California Hip-Hop Mix CD to play on our old stereo that found new life in the pool room. As New York overcame the epicenter phase, the laid back qualities of spring carried into the summer and fall. Everyday felt like a celebration of life. People were out in parks and open spaces, roads were traffic free, and in my case, I was able to hold the people I love closer. I wish everyone could have experienced the “new normal” as I did - with their own sense of peace. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved ones who no longer walk this earth because of the pandemic, and myself and my entire family experienced onset and lingering side effects from both the vaccine and the coronavirus. I do not think I would have survived contracting COVID as I did in May 2022 if I was not vaccinated. I look back at my lockdown experience so fondly because I choose to focus on the joyous moments in the midst of global tragedy. Perspective is key. Perhaps I was forsaken the “true college experience”. I know for sure I was afraid of COVID. I only stoped wearing my N95s after having them for 12 hours straight while coughing phlegm from the virus. I feel a sense of sorrow and shame when people tell me the lockdown screwed them mentally; regardless of whether or not they lost someone. But what did I get out of the pandemic? A furnished room, an unbroken streak of Straight A’s, an endless summer with those close to me - and at what cost? I’m still the same shoddy pool player after three years of practice. What the lockdown gave me, more than anything, was the one thing that is unequivocally fleeting in this life: time. Maybe in hindsight, those revelers on the Great Lawn had the right idea.
• 
  2023-03-25

  Lockdown Story from A Different Perpective

  “During the lockdown, it seems that everyone took on a small hobby to keep themselves busy. For me, I took on a couple to keep me busy. One of them included going for daily walks and taking photos of the scenery around me. I’ve taken walks even before COVID, but this was the only time where I really took my time and payed attention to my surroundings. I normally don’t bring my phone as that time is my 20 to 30 minutes away from technically, however I started to bring it along with me to take photographs of the trees blooming in spring and everything starting to grow and looking amazing. For the remainder of 2020, I kept to my hobby of taking photos and made sure to capture scenery I thought looked interesting. I especially made sure to snap photos in the same spots to capture what they look like in each one of the seasons. Luckily with it snowing weeks before Christmas that year, I was able to get a photo of one street during each one of the seasons. To me, they looked really cool!” Photo by Kyle Collesano, April 19th, 2020 #lockdownstatenisland
• 2020-04

  Getting Our Time Back

  The Covid-19 Pandemic was a hard time for everyone. People were sick, out of work, losing loved ones, and going through several other mental and physical health problems. However, we also had a lot of time on our hands during the pandemic, and my family took the as the perfect opportunity to bond. During the pandemic, we spent a lot of time together, we would paint, talk, watch movies, play games, basically anything we could do get together. This gave me the chance to grow closer with my family during a hard time and I really cherish the time we spend together. .
• 
  April 7, 2020

  Chris Samano IndivProject#2

  a look at the life of chris samano during the early stages of the pandemic