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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Quite honestly, COVID-19 has moved to my mental back burner. With all that is happening locally and globally–easing restrictions on campus, a national decline in cases, large-scale crises like Putin’s invasion of Ukraine– hearing the word “covid” has started to leave me with an apathetic expression. Although I have heard utterances of another simmering variant, it seems like a given at this point–covid will continue to wax and wane, cases will drop and spike, and we will all just have to carry on and adapt as we have been the past two years. Ironically, I am sick right now with some other virus; you forget that other viruses besides COVID-19 still exist. Even more ironically, I fully departed from wearing masks indoors this past week, which may explain my newfound sickness. Do I blame the sudden absence of indoor mask regulations or plain bad luck? Part of me wants to retreat back to mask wearing as I sit here with a burning sore throat, but I have to keep reminding my hypochondriac self that masks are not the norm and not a safety blanket, either. Additionally, spending the end of my spring break in bed has been a major let-down, especially with warmer temperatures and sunnier skies, but I am trying to remain grateful for suffering at home in my bed instead of a noisy dorm with a roommate I do not want to get sick. I also did have the chance to get outside (and inside, apparently around floating viruses) pre-illness and managed to take some photos of one of my favorite spots from home: the Lake Michigan beachfront. I am immensely looking forward to more time at the beach in the near future, to recovering from this virus, and to the final stretch of a semester that seems to be rising out of covid’s ashes.
March 22, 2022
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Do you have any concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on children, either in general or in your life? If so, talk about one or two of your biggest concerns.
YES. Last year they built a playground near my apartment. And it was a lovely playground. Brand new equipment. The problem was - it was completed in late May. And California didn't believe playgrounds should be open. So, every night when I took my walk - I strolled by this playground. I saw the "CAUTION" tag plastered all around it. The equipment sat empty. And it was silent. Those are two things that playgrounds should never be. It deeply saddened me. I don't have children myself but I wondered "what will the children do if they can't even be outside and play?" My heart ached for all the parents out there. How sad that these children couldn't do something normal. Instead we confined them to houses and deprived them of fresh air. Of the opportunity to play with others. To learn social skills, to learn how to share. To be educated. We forced them to grow up when all they wanted to do was play on a simple playground. Towards the end of last year, when the third (I think it was the third...) shutdown happened, the parents revolted. And I applauded them. Now the playground is open. And when I take my walk each night, I think of that small victory. The elementary school closest to me just reopened. That's another important step forward. We have to continue taking baby steps. We have to keep moving forward and give these children something back. We need to let them be children again. Tell them to go back to day dreaming and playing outside again. Tell them to see their friends, go to concerts, do something normal. We need to let them be children again.
May 17, 2021