This was a short paper assignment from a professor for an English class and we had free range with it so I decided to write my feelings and experiences during COVID times and this was the result.

In this video, I interview a former high school teacher of mine and I ask her questions about experiences she's had while battling this pandemic. I believe she's also attending Brooklyn College Graduate (Law) school.

This submission interweaves the personal and professional experiences of an associate professor in the Brooklyn College Library with references to events happening in the larger society during the months of the COVID-19 pandemic through early October 2020.

Due to Covid-19 my uncle's birthday party was turned into a Zoom get together. The participants were asked to create a video and submit it before the event. Normally, I probably would have just said a simple hello but feeling isolated and full of stored creativity I decide to make song. Aiso, I had lost my job due to covid. The subject of the song was the wish we, I , have to interact with fellow humans at a time when we are not able to. Who even knew what Zoom was before Covid and would I have ever tried to create a song with a harmonica if i was not quarantined, probably not. I do not think I even said the word "quarantine" more than once a year, and then only for a crossword puzzle. I tried to create a song that expressed my feelings for the time and create a performance piece that was challenging for me to do. I think after the tenth take my lip muscles were cramped and I had actual lip abrasions from sliding the harmonica back and forth. The finished product was rough and maybe one of the other 30 takes would have been better but i was on a birthday dead line so it is what it is. Unfortunately, the video file proved too big or the sound too bad that when my video was played for the Zoom "party" most of the sound was lost. Hopefully, it was not edited out. This little video will always be my gateway memory of time spent during the Covid-19 lock down. Through this song I will remember everything that happened, which was and is a lot. During my time at Brooklyn college getting my MA in education there was a focus on different learning styles which I think is typified by my video.

Im submitting an auto-ethnogrpahy I completed this summer about the housing movement during covid.

This blog is used as part of the class that learn how to calculate the impacts of students on the energy use and carbon footprints of Brooklyn College.

Since March 2020, the Hungry March Band, for which I have played tenor sax for about 20 years, has been on pause. We have not met, rehearsed, or done a gig this whole time. The only thing we have done is to create a few Covid-19 videos, in which everyone gets to have a different panel, since we can't all be together-then the editors mash everything together. This one is to the music of one of our oldest songs, Jupinese-JuJu. What I particularly love about the video is that we included shots of long time fans, emeritus members, and their families. I put in a couple of screen shots of me and my spouse (he's the pillow man) and a link to the video on Youtube.

As a librarian who works alot with maps, I am very impressed with this site: Justice for George Floyd. This is a way for anyone who wants to protest in the greater NYC area to keep track of upcoming and past events. You can also sign up and add your own events, which will then appear with a description link and an appropriate protesting icon on the map.

I work at Brooklyn College, but since we have been working remotely, I have been staying in Maine. I have two cats, and perhaps foolishly, I was letting them go out into the great outdoors every day. It wasn't very long before they began hunting and killing little animals-fighting with other cats-even disappearing over night one time. I was getting very stressed out worrying about the cats-this also seemed a ridiculous concern to me in the middle of a terrible time when it has been a struggle to deal with bad news every day; people losing their work, their art, their friends and relatives. Some inspiring news as well, like the #blacklivesmatter #BLM protests, but always the good was in reaction to some atrocity. It seemed as if there was constantly some piece of toxic news as well as some dead animal from the cats every day. I'm not sure how I stood it so long; the whole summer, really. Finally, I woke up on the morning of September 18 to read that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. I thought, there is absolutely nothing now to stop all of our civil rights from being curtailed, the environment from being ravaged, the election from being stolen; so many things that the world has had really for a very short time may well soon be taken away, all because RBG has passed before an election could wrest control from the vicious party in power. When I read the headline I think I screamed out, Oh, no! and started crying. I cried all day long; I had to leave my husband by himself and go for a long walk in the woods alone. I came home completely drained, but calm. The next day, when I let the cats out, they both returned in about 10 minutes, each with a dead animal clamped in their jaws. I thought, I've had enough. I made the decision in that moment not to let my cats out anymore. Since they are now indoor-outdoor cats, that has been very difficult. Yowling, door-dashing, vomiting, even peeing on things: they have done everything they could to make me change my mind. To make it possible for them to enjoy the outdoors, but without killing squirrels, chipmunks, voles, moles, snakes, baby gophers, field mice, and even the occasional bird, also to keep myself from going wild with grief and fear after RBG's death, I took a bunch of scrap lumber from the shed, bought netting and staples, and I built the "Catio" (an outdoor enclosure for cats). While I worked on it, I couldn't hear the miaows of woe from inside the house, and by the time it was finished my heart had poured out some of the bitterness that it holds, for the fact that a new, right wing, anti-liberal supreme court justice can be voted on at any moment. It's just a matter of how soon. I am no carpenter, so my hands were full of splinters and I was bone-weary when I was done. The cats went into their catio with excitement, and tested every corner of it to see if they could escape. I followed them with my stapler and my zip ties, tightening it up. They are not completely satisfied with the catio, but it is a whole lot better than nothing. I've started to supplement by taking them for walks on leashes in the front yard, and who knows, when the next really toxic news cycle comes around, I may well build a bigger, better catio. I want to be a responsible pet owner, and protect the environment-maybe I can't control the terrible big things that go wrong, but I can do just a little bit that I can in my own way.

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

A piece I wrote and submitted to my local paper, The East Hampton Star, about playing golf in the time of the virus. It was meant to capture the mood and anxieties of the time and also be humorous.

This might be long, but quarantine has been one of the worst experiences in my life. At first, I was kinda cool with the fact that I didn't have to go out. Not having to sit in classrooms for hours, not having to deal with hundreds of people at school, not having to deal with intense anxiety anymore! Life seemed pretty good for me at that time. Online classes during my last months in senior year of high school wasn't too bad. But when it came time for college, I was panicking. I mean, who wouldn't? Starting a brand new experience right in the middle of quarantine? That'd shake anybody in their boots. Like most things, it wasn't too bad at first. Sure, Zoom was pretty annoying to figure out, but things seemed to be running smoothly. However, in my opinion, trying to figure out Blackboard is a nightmare. That site is sooo not user friendly, it's such a complete mess. To this day, I'm STILL having trouble with it. The work load isn't too harsh, but trying to muster up the energy to do even anything during this pandemic is difficult. Everyday has started feeling the same: wake up, feel miserable, force myself to eat, try to do something productive (while feeling miserable), go to sleep, rinse and repeat. My depression has never hit this hard until starting college. On my worst days, I literally cannot bring myself to get out of bed and make myself food. I lie there with zero energy until the sun goes down. It'd be 6-8pm before I finally drag myself to the kitchen for a light meal (which is the same thing I've been eating for the past several months) or for a long, hot shower. I can hardly bring myself to focus on school work. As of writing this, it's currently 4:51 AM. My sleep schedule is an utter disaster. On most nights, I end up staying up till the sun rises. It's not too uncommon that I stay up for 20+ hours. Though this all comes crashing back to me when I end up sleeping through class Zoom calls, or even oversleeping and missing my classes entirely (it's happened twice so far and both times have spiraled me into a deep depressive episode that I won't be describing). Trying to be productive during quarantine is a joke. I have a lot of things around me that can entertain and distract me. How am I expected to focus when Twitter, YouTube, and Discord are in my reach 24/7, you know? During my classes, I just tune everything out. What's even the point of listening, when professors ramble on for a two hours about things you don't even care about, when all the assignments just consists of reading a bunch of articles that bore you to death and then having you write some response (that you can easily BS) to it? I never thought I'd say this, but I just want to be allowed to go out again. I'm tired of all of this. I'm so exhausted. Learning virtually is mentally draining. It can hardly be considered learning. I doubt anybody is really even absorbing any information being given to them during these virtual meetings, save for the few innocent souls that haven't been tainted by quarantine depression yet. I'm so sick of it all. I can't focus. I can't bring myself to do anything. I just can't anymore. (Also isn't it kinda stupid how they're letting literal children go back to school and yet campus won't be open? Okay sure, maybe it's because CUNY has way more students, but still. I wouldn't trust a 5 year old to properly wear a mask for the whole day and practice good hygiene. Kids are messy.)

Ever since the start of the pandemic and the shift towards remote learning, I’ve faced new challenges in places I did not expect. In my home, it was hard getting used to studying and going to class whilst living in a small apartment that I share with my family; I did not having adequate space to learn and read, but my family and I worked something out and now I could/can study with ease. Additionally, I could not talk to my friends and interact with them, even online, given how I had to focus 2x more on my studies but I realized that my friends were experiencing the same thing and we soon planned several days to just talk online and interact. With COVID-19 and police violence spreading like wildfire, I feared what was going to happen to my family, friends, professor, class colleagues and more. However, seeing how people got together, helped each other, protested, united and worked in solidarity, it showed me something: hope. That even in the hardest times in life, there is still hope.

What did my neighborhood looked like during the first phase of the New York State lockdown. How my neighbors responded to the crisis

My experience about the pandemic is that it was not easy. I am an essential worker. I work as a cashier at Whole Foods Market and a full time student so since the pandemic has started, we have taken precautionary steps moving forward at both work and school. School has been a little bit tougher because I have to maintain more discipline in getting my assignments done on time and I don't have the resources that I used to have such as being able to go to the library when I cannot focus at home.

I know people have mostly negative stories that correlate to Covid-19 but I am choosing to write about one of the positive things that happened to me during these harsh times. Before Covid-19 I never really had time for myself, it was always wake up, go to work and then go to school, then go home, then homework, shower and finally sleep (eating multiple times throughout the day). But I never really had time to do anything I liked. Back then when someone asked what my hobbies were, I had none. But Covid-19 was low-key a blessing in disguise for me, with all this free time with work and school being closed, I found myself. I started watching tv, picking up new hobbies and finding things that I loved but never really had time for. And now of course that everything is opened again, I gained some time management skills and am able to manage everything that I love in life.

The story I have uploaded describes my precious experience that should be helpful for controlling the spread of the pandemic Covid-19 and my practical ways for eradicating my previous chronic condition. It is also important for me to keep on enriching my spirit’s need by reading more story books and academic articles, as well as watching news, public health and healthcare-related films throughout my life.

I must say 2020 so far was not what I expected it to be. I began Brooklyn College on January 30th, 2020 for spring semester after taking a 10 year break from when I received my associate’s degree.I enjoyed getting back into the swing of things and coming to campus, making new friends and getting to know my Professor’s and engaging in my classes. This was a new routine me and it was exciting but challenging as well, between work, home life and taking five classes to say I was super busy was an understatement. When I first heard of the Corona Virus and what was happening in China, the resilient New Yorker in me thought “ this is NYC that won’t happen to us, we are fine “ but I was wrong. I was truly blindsided when the virus started spreading and became a world wide pandemic. Sadly I realized that it was serious when the mass hysteria began and I could not find toilet paper, hand sanitizer and everyday cleaning products. Shortly after, College became remote and I found myself unemployed. My busy, hectic, challenging and exciting new routine suddenly came to a stop, but I would soon realize the blessing in disguise with this quarantine. I was now home with my Sixteen year old Son and we were both learning from home. It was not easy for me, I soon noticed that I learn better in a class setting. I found it difficult to give my full attention to my Professor’s and my assignments but I pulled through and found the discipline to pass all my classes. During the quarantine I needed to find ways to make life interesting for myself, my Son and Fiancé. We started spring cleaning early, I started cooking takeout dishes that we missed, such as Chinese fried rice and Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding, and I even learned how to dye my roots blond. My family and I were blessed to not be affected by Covid-19 personally and the quarantine did bring us closer together and although 2020 was not what I expected I am thankful and blessed for what it has given me and I hope that we all can only move forward and I pray there won’t be a second wave. God Bless us all.

This story is about my experience working in a NYC hospital - being on the front-line as the pandemic hits NYC. It is important for me to tell, so that everyone is aware of how unprepared we were. Had we prepared, we could have saved lives.

Well in my story I describe everything that I went through this year since the pandemic started to affect us all globally , and I will talk about how it effects me positively and negatively.

The COVID-19 pandemic was something I definitely did not expect. It was a shock to not only me, but also to everyone in this world. This pandemic completely shifted my life into something entirely different from what I’m used too. Pre-COVID-19, I did not have to think about leaving my house with a mask on. Now, while we are still in the pandemic, leaving the house with a mask on is part of my everyday essentials. Wearing a mask is currently part of my wardrobe. I bought reusable masks because they are not good for the environment. Global warming is a very big issue that many people do not believe in, but I do believe in. I try my best to help the environment as much as I can, so buying reusable masks is what I did. Also, those medical masks are so expensive now, it is something I cannot afford to keep buying. While on the topic of expensive, I was someone who always carried hand sanitizer with me wherever I went. Now that hand sanitizer is a necessity due to the virus, it was hard for me to find them in stores, and when I did find them, the cost was two times higher than it originally would be. Money became an issue for me due to the change of price in many things. I did not work during the start of the pandemic because I was scared to put my families lives at risk. I work now, but I practice social distancing as much as I can, I sanitize, and I wear a face mask at all times. The hardest part about being in quarantine would be remote learning, and it still is. I was someone who despised online classes. I always avoided taking them. However, due to the pandemic, I had no other choice but to take online classes. I appreciate the effort my professors put into trying to make everything work, but it will never be the same as being in class physically and learning. Taking online classes is so stressful because I am basically teaching myself. Depending on the professor, somethings are just not clearly explained so I am left confused very often. Trying to manage everything in my personal life on top of online classes is not easy. Working academically in the comfort of my own home, with my family was and still is a struggle. I need to be in a different environment other than my own home in order for me to fully concentrate and study for my classes. Another constant issue with remote learning is my horrible WIFI connection. My WIFI has been a mess since quarantine started. Having bad WIFI added on to more stress for my online classes because I needed the internet to finish my work and pass my classes. Nonetheless, the CDC is trying their best to stop the spread of COVID-19. This pandemic has caused a major shift to the world, especially mine. The best thing I can do is to continue to work hard and do the best that I can. We have been in a pandemic for 7 months now. Unfortunately, this is our new normal.

I did not expect 2020 to turn out this way, I had a year of travels planned and a summer of adventures. I remember telling patients at the pharmacy I work at that things will be fine, we just need to a little cautious but I was wrong, it seemed almost routine that we started getting phone calls informing us a patient passed away. Scrolling through any platform, I would come across a familiar face that is now gone. It became numbing when I found myself rubbing my skin raw in the shower after working 10 hour shifts, the mask tan was humorous at first now it is a little saddening this is the reality. I remember watching the news in April with my family and going "wow only 700 people died today" and wondered if that was the new reality. Sometimes all of this feels so surreal, is it really happening? I want to remain optimistic but it seems almost impossible when things never seem to get any better. This is our new normal, life before COVID will never return.

As for all of us around the world, we all experienced unique circumstances within our homes. For me, it was keeping up with my workout routine these past six months. The gym has become my second home over the past two years. It was where I can relieve my daily stressors and shut off my mind for an hour. The healthy lifestyle changes that I have made were greatly influenced by working out, so having the gym closed during the pandemic was a drastic change in my environment, along with the closing of schools. Right before everything was officially shut down, my mom and I drove to the nearest target to grab a set of dumbbells. By the time we got there, everyone was in a frantic state and the shelves were practically empty. Luckily, I was able to get my hands on a set of 10s and one 40 lb. They were the last of the weights, I cannot imagine what would've happened if we came five minutes later. These three dumbbells became the sole accessories of my workouts for the coming months. I knew it was time to get creative. In addition to some resistance bands I own, I obtained a shopping basket from my local market. To mimic the deep back squats, I would pile all my weights in the basket and grab two dining table chairs. Then I would stand on top while straddling the basket with my hands. Originally, I used my younger brother but he became too occupied with video games as quarantine went on. This repetitive movement would allow anyone to quit after the first month, but I kept on going. The idea of maintaining my strength no matter the lengths I had to go through was my key motivator. By using grocery bags filled with detergent bottles tied to a broomstick, laundry bags filled with clothes, I performed my exercises in the strict confinements in my bedroom. My parents were too busy focusing on not scraping any new furniture or floors that came with finished renovations. I was not allowed to workout outside my room, so this was another mentally challenging restriction. It is different weight lifting right next to an unmade bed, and I was so close to giving up almost every week. I would try to find loopholes, but nothing was going to change my parents minds. I had to keep pushing myself, no matter what. I knew if I gave into the temptations of my soft bed, I would never get back to exercising until the gyms re opened. What helped was going on daily isolated walks, so I could at least get out of my room for a little. As I am sitting here typing this memo, I am ever so grateful for the gyms reopening. With the limited equipment and lack of space, I am truly amazed that I did not give into the laziness. Though in other aspects of my life activity levels depleted, working out in my room was the one habit I kept consistent throughout.

Before the lockdown, life seemed so ''normal''. Who knew the new norm would be to wear a mask, carry a hand sanitizer at all times and maintain a six feet distance from others. After being told that everyone has to quarantine from going outside to staying indoors all day. Most importantly, everything became remote. Therefore classes and being overwhelmed by work while not being able to go outside was really taking a toll on my physical and mental health. What gave me a ‘’ray of hope’’ was strangely enough my window. I never thought that looking outside of a window would show me what life has come to and what tomorrow has to offer. Every time I would feel anxious, overwhelmed and in need of a breather I would walk myself to my window. I would just look outside and see the vacant streets. Though it was making me feel ungrateful for how I used to never enjoy looking outside the window, when the children would occupy it. As looking outside my window became a habit I came to realize what didn't change before Covid-19 and now. What did change is the beautiful birds chirping, the beautiful weather, and the rising sun and sunset ensuring yet another day and hope. It is hard to be optimistic at such times but my window made me appreciative of the things I used to take for granted. Such as going outside for a stroll or taking a moment to just appreciate the smallest things around me. Looking outside my window did ensure another day. It endured me just like how the sun and singing birds things will change and indeed for the better. Yeah the sun goes down and the birds leave for their nest but to return for the next day. I've made this a ritual of a sort to walk by my window and take a moment and to be appreciative for what today has to offer. We may not be living in the best of times but tomorrow we'll look back and tell the tales of quarantine and covid-19 to our children and perhaps our grandchildren.

Its a bit of my experience of a day in the life living in the times of covid-19

It's my personal experience related to the pandemic. This experience prepared me to overcome greater challenges which I may still have to face in the future.

Months had gone by during the Covid 19 pandemic and for college students like myself, it began to take a toll on me mentally. It wasn't easy to say the least to stay at home and start remote learning. It was even harder being a journalism major and having to cover what was routine press conferences about death and despair ravaging New York City. But as the semester came to an end , frustration began to mount for me as there seemed to be no end to this nightmare. I grew tired of being at home day after day with no option but to stay inside. I saw many of my peers take advantage of the time being in lockdown to make some extra money. That was motivation enough to get against my parents wishes in hopes to get ahead when all this was over. The job was simple -- make grocery deliveries to apartments in the lower east side. The streets were completely empty , something out of a horror film where you’re the last person on earth. The only problem was , my mom was an essential worker and she saw first hand what covid did to people and their loved ones around them. Also my brother being a diabetic meant he was more susceptible to covid which I was putting all that risk knowing I would be out there in the city and unknowingly bringing back covid into my house. It finally came time to tell my family the plan I had and they were not happy to say the least. My mom was furious of the thought that I would go ahead and get a job during a pandemic -- And although he didn't show it , I knew my brother shared the same feelings. But I didn’t let it stop me and the next day , I went to work. On my way there , It was rough seeing the city in the shape that it was. People wearing masks with depression and stress written all over their faces , taking extra precautions every 5 minutes dousing their hands in hand sanitizer . It made me realize that although I would want to be in the best shape possible financially , I realized that my health is way more important and that I let greed control my way of thinking. I had made it to the supermarket and as I approached my supervisor , I told him that I could not put my family at risk for this and that I’m not going to be working. He understood my decision and felt that if I could not do it , then there would be no problem. As I got home , I apologized to my family for potentially putting their health at risk. This pandemic has taught me patience to say the least , there are more important things at the moment than money and sometimes things must take a backseat in order to fully flourish in the future.

Hello! I am a 20 year old college student who has been afraid to face the responsibilities the world has for me. I always thought "I'm not ready for responsibility. I can barely take care of myself." Due to this, I always procrastinated on real life tasks outside of school, and depended on my parent. However, COVID-19 came and changed my reality. Everything went remote, and my parent was left facing unemployment. My sick grandmother could no longer get the care she needed, and there was no family member nearby that could help with her wellbeing. It became chaotic. At that very moment, I realized it no longer mattered how I felt about being ready for responsibilities. Majority of people were not "ready", but it became demanded of them to do what they needed to do. Ready or not, I needed to do what I needed to do. After being with myself in silence and calming my nerves, I realized that there were people who needed me to be there to help them, people that I love and care about. I was scared at first to take on such a big burden. I'm a full time student taking more credits than normal, I took up a full time job in order to make sure I took care of my parent, my grandmother, and myself, and I also needed to move out of the home I grew up into a whole other town in order to take care of my grandmother. In all honesty, I was scared. Here I am a young adult, who has not had major responsibilities, being brought into a situation where others depend on me to take charge essentially. This is all taking place in the middle of a pandemic, so it is vital that I am extra cautious, especially living with someone immunocompromised. Despite the uncertainties of what is to come each day, I have learned about myself and what I am actually capable of. Although COVID has brought about countless tragedies, some of which I've experienced, it has allow me to become a stronger, more dependable person for others who will later need me to aid them in any circumstances. It is still a learning process.

Throughout this unexpected pandemic, many have lost a family member, a friend, or someone they knew. It has truly been a tragic event in history. Like many others, I lost someone I was very close with. My grandma was my best friend, she raised me as a kid, and though me the things I know and follow now. Her name was Maria and she lived in the Dominican Republic, she died at the age of 83. Many people in the neighborhood she lived in had gotten sick due to the virus. Slowly she too was getting sick. Her neighborhood was considered as a red zone which meant that the virus was spreading fast. Many of these people live with the majority of their families in one house. My grandma did not get the virus as she was very cautious. She had pulmonary edema and it was what caused her death. I told my mom that I wanted to go and be with her, my uncle had died a week before and I did not want my grandma to be without me. My grandma was buried the same day she died, without a goodbye she went away. So far away she was, I didn’t even a last hug or a last I love you. I lost many people due to COVID, but this one hurt me the most. I wanted to dedicate this story to all those we have lost. Their memories will forever remain with us, in our hearts. Although they died alone in a bed, they each knew they were loved and it was just simply their time to leave. My mama ( grandma) was the funniest human being I knew, I’m glad I took advantage of the time we had. So if you have lost someone just know that I am with you, It’s okay to feel the way you feel. One day we will get to see them again!

I was exposed to the Coronavirus almost immediately after the initial outbreak. I was already feeling sick in the middle of March. I felt a constant throbbing in my throat, sometimes I would wake up to a burning feeling in my lungs and felt pressure as though someone was standing on top of my chest. The first two weeks straight, I went from freezing cold to burning hot every few minutes, accompanied by a constant throbbing headache. The most menial of tasks would cause shortness of breath and my heart to pump excessively. I honestly felt I was going to die. After about a month, my breathing became less labored. In three months, I felt I recovered enough to start exercising again. By exercise, I mean the ability to walk a few blocks without having the wind knocked out of me. I began checking in with my family and found out that I had lost over 30 family members in Ecuador. I also lost a coworker, who was one of the kindest people you could meet and who was loved by her students. The amount of horrible and depressing individual stories of my family dying are too much to repeat, so I will say if there was ever a living nightmare, it was experienced by them. If I could describe what living through hell is like, I would say that it is the last six months of my life. Americans, as a whole, could have done better. To the people who have pretended that nothing is wrong, you deserve everything that is coming to you and I have absolutely no pity.

I am submitting my experience with learning about the truth behind environmental racism, how Covid 19 amplified these injustices, and how I got involved.

Covid-19 was an eye opening experience as to how fast life moves and all that plays a part in it.We're taught from young about germs,proper hygienic practices but this disease still seemed to emerge that continues to spread day by day.During these unprecedented times, it is important to be in control of your emotional health,financial and intellectual wellness.Self quarantining was the first and at a point in time was the only thing I, as a New Yorker could do.Being locked in your home everyday,all day due to fear of catching a disease that you have no idea where it came from,no cures, just a mask and anti-bacterial soap/hand sanitizers,or cleaning agents hoping to whisk it all away.As a young woman,growing up in New York,it is indeed true that you are a product of your environment.The city is fast-paced,everyday there is something to do,places to be.My life was made up of work,school,groceries,laundry.I enjoyed the rush, the constant rotation of responsibilities I had.March 19, 2020 It all came to a halt.My job was closed,going to class was now a thing of the past,can't see friends or anyone outside of immediate family,honestly.What type of life was this? All that was left was you,your mind,and time.To ensure that Covid-19 had not taken complete control of my life or my well-being,I kept the mind wandering.The reminder to consistently self-assess and keep the mind free of stress but also alert to not be oblivious to the seriousness of this pandemic.To learn the importance of finances and creating balance now that its uncertain when another check may arrive.Developing new interests,researching various topics,looking for new hobbies ;painting,coloring as a way to keep sane.With all this time spent in the house,its important to keep the mind active and alert and my emotions in check.

The pandemic ruined all my plans for this year and I could not get to enjoy the amazing senior events that I was looking forward to. I learned that things don't always go as planned but we still need to be courageous.

A letter written by me to describe my experience with COVID-19

A drawing inspired by Dorothea Lange portraying the anxiety and stress that came with obstacles as a result of COVID-19.

From the beginning of quarantine till now the simple, everyday things I used to do has now become a difficult. Such examples would be going to the bodega or going to my therapy appointments or even going to work. There’s now so many extra steps and protocols as if my job wasn’t already stressful enough. While I personally haven’t been affected by corona virus in terms of health, I can still say that it has turned everything upside down. I still can hang out with friends but I’ve missed so many events that I was looking forward to. Anime event to birthday event, all of those experiences missed. The biggest thing about COVID for me was that it showed me just how selfish and ignorant others are by not only people refusing to wear masks but some even denying it’s existence.

When COVID-19 hit, i was in my last semester of college. The semester was already overwhelming for me because I was juggling extra-curricular activities, two part time jobs and full time education. I was student teaching, but at the beginning of march, I kept telling myself I had more time to complete the requirements and that when things calmed down in May I would be able to complete my degree. I was wrong. At first we were home, having class discussions about the possibilities of things, we never imagined that we would not be back in schools. Accommodations were made for all the student teachers, regarding our exams and requirements. This should have made it easy to finish my degree on time, but with all the factors in place: documenting the work completed in-person, completing new assignments, completing certification exams, all to get a degree to begin teaching during COVID - Subconsciously I didn't want to do it. So I didn't. I knew I had an understanding professor who would give me an incomplete, and that was the excuse I needed to put off graduating. I hated my student teaching experience, I felt cheated and underprepared. I Kept trying to think of was to do it over again, from the start with no extra things on my plate, but I couldn't. I need to finish the class as it was presented to me.

This picture shows how is our life after the pandemic, from children to adult we need to wear mask. We are not able to breath fresh air and its sad that children's need to get used to mask.

As the picture shows, even though we as a society are fighting a pandemic, we are also fighting inequality. Breonna Taylor deserves justice regardless of what's going on in the world. As you can see, protestors are staying safe with precautionary measures such as gloves, masks, etc. becuase they are not just combatting diseases or viruses; there prepared for police brutality. I would like to take my turn to salute my people for always striving for what's right and for going about it the right way.

I never expected that this virus would shut down the world. One day I’m sitting in class talking about the first corona case and just a little later I hear that this will be our last in person lab. These quick changes were difficult to adjust to not just for us but for the professors as well that have never done remote learning. A biology class I was doing decent in, completely ruined by this remote learning. In order for the professor to target those who were using help from the internet, they just made the exams much more difficult and shorter than needed. But as I got used to it, I feel as I improved in my other classes. If I can, I would like to retake my biology class when we return to in person classes. This remote learning has helped in some ways too. I never thought I’d have more free time when I didn't have to commute. Being at home I was able to do summer classes while working as well. However, due to the pandemic, what I used to do in my free time couldn't be done because most places in this city are closed. I used to go to the gym regularly, and then I couldn't anymore. So instead, I used my free time to bike with my friends to interesting places usually by the water and just enjoy the views. The city is starting to open up with my restaurants doing outdoor dining instead of indoor which gives us the opportunity to try new flavors and new foods. My experience with this pandemic sounds very pleasant but there are families that are hurt. I am grateful for me and my family’s health. It's tragic to see this virus take so many lives. People in the medical fields are working very hard to treat these cases. I doubt things will ever go back to normal but I hope we all can enjoy the little things in our life and continue living to make ourselves better.

It describes my work experience during the whole pandemic

The object I'm submitting does not only show us its important during this Pandemic but in everyday life. This object has merely existed for no more than 30 years but has had profound impact on our society. Companies Like Apple Inc. and Samsung Group have made fortunes seeing these items to us. The object that I believe has made a massive impact on my life and the lives of many people around the world are cellphones. These small bricks of metal and plastic seemingly run the world. They control humans and push forward everything from the spread of information to entertainment. Without my phone to keep me entertained, connected, informed and busy; the quarantine and the Pandemic in general would have been much hard. Anywhere in the world I connect and communicate with anyone. During a time when we weren't allowed to leave home phones became a lifeline for communication. I find it very interesting that before the Pandemic people would blame phones for the lack of human contact. Now that the Pandemic has been in full swing the only form of contact we have is through these phones.

It is important because it affected my employability.

Trying to Stay Positive During The Pandemic

My document talks about what I have done with all the free time the virus gave me

This year has been really challenging for me and my family especially my kids who had to resort to online learning. As I started the spring semester with confident and some excitement as I was entering my last year at Brooklyn College, anxiety ,fear, and some what nervous because this is a crucial part of completing my degree. Some may think why are you so worried you should be happy you made it this far, but coming thus far and failing a class can mean one more semester and you not been able to graduate on time can get you pretty worked up. However while al this was going on in my mind the news break that COVID 19 has taken control of our lives and we have to resort to online learning. This was not the news I want to hear, when I have never taken online classes before ,and I must say its because online I hate. Not only that, I will now become my children teacher while in school myself and this was something that I have been concern about from the beginning of the pandemic until present. Though I have manage to pass my classes it is no secret that I have been overwhelmed, sometimes thinking that its too much to for one person to do in any given day. COVID 19 has bring mores worries and stress in my life than anything I ever experience, but I am determine to overcome COVID 19 and all its challenges.

The drawing I’m submitting represents how the city felt at the beginning of the pandemic. New York is known as the city that never sleeps. However, for the first time ever I was witnessing how the city that never sleeps began to take a nap. The streets were empty, everyone was hoarding for toilet paper and groceries. It literally felt like I was in a movie. I never taught would spent most of the year stuck in my apartment. Everything happened so fast and unexpected that my brain couldn’t process everything that was happening. It just seemed so unreal. I watch the news and all I saw was fear on the eyes of the anchors while giving the number of deaths due to COVID-19. On the other hand we had the government officials spreading misinformation about possible cures for the virus. Some suggested that cleaning supplies would cure the virus and ironically some people believe it. A couple of weeks later we saw the horrible video of the death of George Floyd and all the protest and riots that occurred all over the country. I remember feeling very upset at the beginning so I decided to stop watching the news and focus the last energy that I had left in my school work and art. I love drawing and I found it very therapeutical. I chose to color the building of the city black and shade the sky with the color grey because we were going trough really dark times. I hope that in the near future I can go back to the park and use brighter colors that represent better vibes of the city. Like I said in the beginning we are just taking a nap temporarily but the sun will rise again.

During this pandemic my life personally has taken a turn, with my mother being ill with a chronic disease ovarian cancer It was and still very difficult to get through it. I have to be extra careful with going out to places since my mother is a high risk patient. This leaves me with minimal social life which can be depressing because in times like this your friends and close family is your biggest support. This pandemic have impacted many lives, New York a city where there is always a rush and hustle was dimmed down when this pandemic hit which can take a emotional toll on an individual, personally for me since i am an outgoing person It was a difficult adjustment. Furthermore, At some point the same old routine of working remotely and online school can get to you. This pandemic has caused my classes to be fully online which can sometimes be challenging in terms of time management and keeping up with all the work load. Commute has also been rough during this pandemic people are afraid to take the subways making commuting from work an added stress, Overall this pandemic has been a life changing event for many people and I am hoping we soon return to normalcy.

Similar to many other Americans, the difficult months of March and April provoked a feeling of fear of what is to become when we return to “normalcy” in me. I still remember watching news channels constantly breaking the news of hospitals being overcrowded and insufficient storage of bodies making me terrified. The non-stop sirens were a reminder of the heart-wrenching situation we were living in every moment. I realize that we may never return to normal again. As we slowly return to our respective workplaces and institutions, I expect a more cautious attitude in New Yorkers. Some changes include less crowded trains and buses, fewer social gatherings, and less physical contact. Previously, crowdedness and liveliness were the essence of New York City but I do not expect this to remain to the same extent now. However, one positive change I expect in people is a kinder and compassionate attitude towards one another. These few months of quarantine have taught us to appreciate all that we have more. I expect New York City to develop a greater community outreach with New Yorkers looking out for one another. Having been one of the hardest hit cities in the world, we will evidently have more guidelines and safety precautions in effect once we return which will serve as a reminder of the battle that we have faced. I believe that each life we lose will soften the hearts of New Yorkers and unite us in our strength to overcome. When we look back upon this crisis, we will remember the frustration of being restricted to our homes, the fear of hearing the news of a lost loved one, and the anticipation of the good news of a treatment.

Dealing with the coronavirus, I now appreciate the outdoors and what I previously considered daily hassles have become beautiful memories. I have become more patient as the unsurety of the situation is intense. We are left wondering when public institutions will open or merely when we can step outside the house without worrying about the six-foot distance with others. The initial shock and denial have metamorphosed into solidarity among communities and humankind. Whereas otherwise we would have ignored the part of our routine in which we communicated with others, we now felt a longing for that same one-minute interaction. The minute-by-minute increase in deaths instilled fear in the hearts of many and individuals were living on the edge. It was fear of the unknown and desperation for an end to this extended period of isolation. The most significant change I am noticing due to this pandemic is that people have mellowed down. People have put their fast-track life on pause, specifically New Yorkers, and are waiting out the storm to pass. During the pre-quarantine life, not many would have payed attention to the needs of their elderly neighbors. However, the current situation has encouraged everyone to be on the lookout for anyone who needs help. People have become more sympathetic and I envision the same of the post-coronavirus world. The world will change in the future as a result of this pandemic as everyone will become more cautious, constantly monitoring the littlest of changes in our health. People will think twice before touching their face or a seat on the bus. Ultimately, I envision a post-pandemic world to be more sensitive and informed.