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| "The Window" (1924) by Marc Chagall |
None of us will ever forget the Covid-19 Shutdown, but in time, we may forget or mis-remember how it felt to us when we were in the middle of it. In the comment section below, ECU Honors students are invited to share their thoughts and feelings not only about the virus and the shutdown and how you're coping with it, but also about their personal hopes and plans for the future. Words of wisdom are welcome!
It is my hope that this comments section will be a place where we can strengthen our shared bonds of solidarity.
Update (4/1/2020): If you are having difficulty posting a comment, email your comment to me (sbenton@ecok.edu), and I will add it.
Update (4/1/2020): If you are having difficulty posting a comment, email your comment to me (sbenton@ecok.edu), and I will add it.
First of all, no country in the world is having a peaceful and safe time. People are worried every second if this virus infects them or to their family members. I had never thought that the news we used to watch and hear about the virus in China would slowly spread to the whole world. I am still shocked that we are in quarantine and our plans, job, study, and health are in improper condition. I had so many plans and wanted to perform them being in a university. Now, I need to wait until next semester. These days we need to be scared of another human being while shaking hands or going near them, it's like untouchability is prevailing in the whole world just because of COVID-19. I just hope this horrifying situation will go away soon and every people can be back to their normal life. I enjoy studying in a university and attending classes and laboratories. It is much easier to co-operate with professors while we are in class. I am fine with the online classes but it's not as wonderful as being in the class and asking questions to our professors. It is my first semester in the Honors program and I am missing my last activities that were planned for us. However, we are given to read interesting books and write about them. I will be so glad to perform more activities on next semester.
ReplyDeleteDuring this difficult time, everyone is in the same boat. Everyone is faced with the fact that this virus could affect themselves or their loved ones. My hope, after this virus is over, is that people will understand the importance of staying away from others while sick, washing their hands, and appreciating health care workers that are on the front line of this pandemic. For my family this shutdown is a little nerve-racking. My dad runs and operates his own business, a jewelry store. Because the county has forcefully closed all businesses, my dad and his employees are out of a job at this time. On the bright side, my dad has been able to be at home with my family all day and has the support of the whole community behind him. For me personally, I have been able to take a breather and catch up on all of my school work and spend time with my family. Thankfully, I get to travel home and spend time with my new nephew. This break from the real world has allowed me to reflect on the importance of being around the ones I love, and soak in every minute I can. Hopefully, this virus will end soon, but all we can do now is take it day by day and social distance to keep ourselves and others safe.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I first heard about the virus spreading in China. I didn’t think much of it because I figured it was just your standard sickness that will phase out soon. And here we are in March with a closed university and fearing to go outside. I had really hoped it wouldn’t go this far but it is what it is. Since the virus came, we all had to switch to online classes (which I don’t really like), I can’t go out and do anything, and I can’t even work at my job anymore. After living in the dorms for the last half year, being stuck at my house is so strange. It’s just so boring being back at home with nothing to do. Not being able to even go out and watch a movie isn’t fun. The only thing I am really worried about though is getting back to working again. It’s not looking like the virus will ease up very soon and I am concerned about not only myself but my family and friends’ jobs. I really hope people will think about others in this time and be smart so we can get through all this chaos. Plus I’m tired of Walmart being out of Oreos.
ReplyDeleteI was completely oblivious to the spread of the virus until it began to hit too close to home. The week before spring break, I still thought the precautions being taken as a result of COVID-19 were insane. While I was on vacation and began watching the news, reality set in that this was a serious situation that I had completely ignored. Colleges, public schools, and stores began closing their doors. The shelves in Walmart were wiped clean of cooking and cleaning necessities such as flour, sugar, soap, and Clorox wipes. The most shocking item out of stock was toilet paper. There is still no vaccine as of March 31st. After the crazy realization of our situation, boredom sat in. I can no longer sit in a restaurant and eat with my friends. I can no longer get my 32oz Dr. Pepper from Campus Corner. Calf Fry has been canceled as a result of our new normal, and my typical spring break of staying with friends was transformed into quarantine with Netflix. These were normalities that I had previously taken for granted. Gas is now under a dollar in some places, which has resulted in many unfortunate layoffs. The unemployment rates have risen to insanely high numbers. The boredom is completely real, and I will never take the time with my friends and family for granted again.
ReplyDeleteEmily Garcia Ford writes: The Covid-19 pandemic has the world’s attention right now. News stations are eating up this pandemic and almost any channel you turn into someone is talking about Covid-19. While it is a good thing to keep everyone informed about what’s happening, this virus is being overly exploited to now even the youngest ears know that something bad is happening. Every news station has turned into a negative outlet, but there are some people in our communities trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I know across Oklahoma there are many cities putting up Christmas lights to bring a little joy into people’s lives. Growing up I was always told to look for the good in every situation, while this situation is not ideal anyway, I have found some good. For example, every morning my dog runs upstairs to wake me up so we can play. I am currently unable to go to work but that is allowing me to spend more time with my family as well as perfecting my chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is an no way shape or form how imagined my freshman year of college ending, but I am grateful that I’m living through this experience.
ReplyDeleteI never knew an illness could overtake the world until Covid-19. I feel as if everyone is in panic about what the future will hold... but during this time, I remind myself that this is not a time of anxiety or worry, but a time of hope and opportunity. Hope of a cured world and saved lives. Hope of schools going back to their regular routines. Hope of work being restored for those who have lost it. I remind myself that this could be an opportunity for parents to reconnect with their children as they have a new-found respect for teachers. I see opportunities for new medicine to be found and doctors/nurses all over the world to be recognized. I see opportunities for people to reach out and help others when they never had the chance to before. I know that this time can be scary and confusing, but together we can look at the positive side and believe that this illness will not defeat us. For myself, I do miss the “normal” routine of going to school and work, but I am thankful that we have technology to keep us moving forward. I am excited to see what the future holds for Covid-19!
ReplyDeleteI remember the first time I heard about the virus. I was watching a movie with my boyfriend and his roommate was reading something about it on his phone. Neither one of us wanted to hear about it. At this point it was January and we weren’t concerned about it. It was still on the other side of the world, and while the virus is scary, I didn’t want to hear about it and live my life in fear. Even up to the Thursday before spring break, before they announced that we were getting two weeks of spring break I still had no plans of living my life in fear. I do not have class on Fridays, so as I was preparing to leave Thursday, Dr. Benton and I had a conversation about our spring break plans. At that point I was still planning on going to six flags with my roommate and our boyfriends (psych, six flags closed the next day), and not living in fear. I would say even now I’m not living in fear. Yes, I’m taking many precautions, but I did go to visit my roommate and her family during all this madness. However, with each day, I find myself washing my hands more, and growing slightly more concerned. I’m not worried about myself or even anyone in my immediate family. I’m more worried about my grandparents, but they already live the quarantine life, because grandpa is a home body. I do think they miss seeing us grandkids at church. That’s what I think has been the hardest part of this, not being able to go see people. Don’t get me wrong, I love the 5 other people I live with, but I’m ready to go out and see people again.
ReplyDeleteI also hate how soon my sophomore year ended. When I left that Thursday, I had no idea I wouldn’t be coming back. I half-heartily waved goodbye to my professor, friends, and roommate, and if I would’ve known I wouldn’t see most of them again till next semester I would’ve said a real goodbye. This was also my roommate, Alisha Smith (Hayes), last semester in the dorm. She got married last weekend and will be driving back and forth next semester. While I still will see her often, it’s not the same, and I would’ve loved to have those last few weeks at school with her, because living with her the past two years has been a blast, and I’m in denial that it’s over so quickly.
I feel like the reality of this situation still hasn't fully set in. Up until a couple days ago, I had been living life just like I normally would: going to Walmart every other day, hanging out with a few friends and family, going to church, etc. I have been more responsible this week because my sister-in-law is about to have a baby and she wants us to take extra precautions. It's strange going out and seeing everyone wearing gloves and masks. It's strange going to Walmart and not being able to find pasta sauce, cheese, cereal, or toilet paper. It feels like we're living in a movie. When I left ECU the Friday before spring break, I left most of my stuff there, thinking I’d be back in a week. A few days later, they sent an email encouraging everyone to move out of the dorms for the rest of the school year. Online school has been a nightmare so far. With 19 hours of classes, many of which are music classes that obviously cannot function in the ways they normally would, I've had to learn to be more organized. Learning how to use Zoom, Facebook Calling, and blackboard has not been fun, not to mention the poor internet connection at my new house. Besides school, nothing really feels that different. I've always been an introvert, so not going many places is pretty normal for me. Maybe that's why this seems unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteWhen the world first heard about the new COVID-19 virus, we were sure it would not be ~that~ big of a deal. A mere four months later and we are all self-isolating in fear of what might happen to us or our loved ones if we don't.
ReplyDeleteI work for the Chickasaw daycare, so when COVID-19 came to Oklahoma there was a mass panic. We were asking so many questions and quoting everything we had heard from articles we saw online, “I hear that children don’t show symptoms,” “well one lady in California got it from an Amazon package,” (the later turned out to not be the case). We had very little idea what was true, but it was not long before they decided to shut the facility down, along with most of the “nonessential businesses” around town.
Since then my sister, who had been in the Disney College Program at Disney World in Florida, got sent home about 5 months earlier than expected. It was a bittersweet moment because I had missed her dearly, but I knew how heartbroken she was to have to leave. My brother was going to OU, so he had to move home as well. For a little bit we would joke around by saying that our mom’s house had become our “refugee camp,” but the longer this goes on, the less funny that gets. The truth of the matter is no one truly knows how long this will last. I have heard it said that medical care is “boring” when it works properly, but this hasn’t exactly been a very boring time in the world.
Madison Wilson writes: Looking back through these pictures makes me miss these fun times! I am sad that my freshmen year has had to be cut short, but I know that this will make the years to come so much sweeter. It is crazy to look back at all of these pictures and remember how I didn't know most of the people, then think about the close relationships that I now have! and man, am I happy for them. The people that come into this program are truly the best. I am very excited for next year and getting to meet more friends through honors and attend more fun plays, most of which I would never think to attend on my own.
ReplyDeleteNot only have I enjoyed meeting other great students, but the professors have been the BEST. The amount of heart that they put into their classes is to be admired. Both of my classes have been an hour of my day that I look forward to everyday, especially on days where the games were getting heated. haha. It is exciting knowing that the best years are yet to come. I am truly so grateful for the honors program.
I hope that everyone is staying home, safe, and healthy. Also, let's all cross our fingers for no more pandemics.
Throughout this all, I've tried to keep a positive attitude. I now realize how angry and emotional being locked at home has made me. Getting to just drive somewhere has become freeing, which is strange considering how much I hate driving. I'm home, so close to my friends that are also home for the first time since college started, and I can't go see them. Online classes aren't working well for me, and I constantly feel like I'm falling behind, despite being ahead of the schedule for most of my classes.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there's so much that I hate about the current situation, I'm thankful that so many people are working to flatten the curve. Because of this pandemic, I've been praying more, I get to spend more time with my dog, who has separation anxiety, and I was able to move in earlier than expected with my boyfriend.
My professors have been more than helpful and understanding, and I'm very thankful for that.
As for the future, I'm excited for the lock down to end and to embrace my friends and grandparents. I'm ready to walk my dog at the park, and have picnic's with my family, and invite friends over to swim once again. I feel I'll be more thankful for my life and my family and friends when this is all over.
I wasn't really surprised when the shutdown started. I've been having a bit of depression about not being able to see all my friends every day, but it's worked out to where I'm starting to communicate to people on a daily basis through different applications. I've been at my home working on homework and writing to help myself feel better when it comes to my anxiety. I'm ready for this to be over, but I understand that it's needed for the protection of others and ourselves. My online classes are going well and I've realized just how much I sleep when I feel like I have nothing else to do.
ReplyDeleteI'm really ready to move back to Ada and into a dorm room again. It'll be nice to see people every day that I'm friends with, and I'm really excited to meet my new roommate in person. She seems like an amazing person already that I'll get along with, and I hope that she and I can connect in meaningful ways. I'm also ready to see everyone in my classes and talk with my professors in person.
I hope that everyone around the world is more connected after this, as it's better to get along than to be hateful to one another.
Once I heard that ECU was going to shut down, I was sad about it. I had made some amazing friends and had some great opportunities to preach, which is what I love to do. In what almost seemed like an instant, that was all taken from me. Do not get me wrong, I love my family, but I was so excited to actually start experiencing life on my own. I come to realize that I was looking at this whole epidemic the wrong way. Yes, it is horrible what people are going through on a day to day basis as a result of this virus. However, I decided to quit dwelling on how bad things are, and I chose to find the light in the situation. I decided that I would take advantage of this opportunity the best way that I could. Now I have more time to study and focus on school.
ReplyDeleteThis was not necessarily the easiest semester, so it really has been a good thing to have more time on my hands. While having all this time on my hands, I realized something even more important than having more time for schoolwork. I realized what a blessing it has been to be able to spend so much more time with my family. My sister, who is three years older than me, is close to going to Occupational Therapy school, and my parents are not getting any younger. It really has been so special to be able to live with everyone in my family again in the same house, and I now know that this will be the last time we will ever get to all live together. I love my family, and in the midst of all this tragedy and sadness, I choose to take advantage of the time I have with my loved ones, before I can’t anymore.
When I first heard about the virus, I did not think it was going to be a huge deal and it would pass quickly like outbreaks of common sicknesses usually do, and sadly I was very wrong. There is still a part of me that has not fully registered everything that is happening because we have never personally experienced anything like this before. While at school, I live in an apartment with three of my best friends and it has been really hard not being able to see them every day, especially because two of them will be graduating this semester. Taking everything one day at a time has really helped me through adjusting to online school and quarantine, etc. Thankfully, no one I know has been infected, which helps a lot in trying to stay positive when everything seems to be going wrong. However, that has also made it easier for me to dwell on the events and things I am not able to do, which feels selfish when there are much bigger problems right now. I wish so badly that everything could return to normal, but whenever it does I have a new appreciation for so many things I have taken for granted.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had heard about the virus, I did not think much of it beyond the rumors and conspiracy theories that circulated around Wuhan. As time went on and the virus hit the states, I felt more and more stress as my friends in New York went under lock down. To an extent, I was excited, I wanted an extra week off campus. I wanted time to rest. Six weeks later, I want to go back to college. My brother was a senior in high school this year. His school keeps pushing back the date he will walk the stage and his Prom was rescheduled for the middle of the summer. Most of my family is high risk, of which, I am the least of the high-risk category as I do have sport induced asthma. My youngest brother has severe asthma and has dealt with multiple cases of the flu. My brother that was set to graduate dealt with pneumonia and Mono this past year. Both of my parents are over fifty. With all of this in mind and the knowledge that Ada’s hospital is very small, my parents asked for me to come home. As an introvert, it was nice to finally take a break, but six-weeks later, as I said, I am ready to go back to college. I’m waiting on word back from my internship in Austin as I near the date I signed my contract to start. I’ll be honest, I feel scared, and selfish. I want to be around others and hug my friends. I want to see everyone again. I miss everyday life and I miss having a routine. It is so difficult to get schoolwork completed right now, I am barely keeping up with due dates. I know we are all in trauma, but I feel like I should be doing better than what I am. I know many others are feeling this and I wish I could be there for them as well. If anyone wants to talk, feel free to message me!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about the virus, I was not extremely worried about it. I thought, like most people my age, "This doesn't really affect people in my age group." When the virus started hitting closer to home, it started to get scarier. The real panic hit me when I moved back home to my grandma and mom. My grandma is much older, so she is at a higher risk, and my mom is a diabetic with heart issues, so she is at a even higher risk. Luckily, we have been practicing safe social distancing, and staying at home unless necessary. We have mostly been watching TV, Golden Girls is our favorite. We have also been playing board games like Monopoly, and card games like Phase 10. Now that the curve is flattening here, Texas is trying to open back up. I think that it is not such a great idea because we are only at the beginning of the curve. If we open too early, a whole new second wave can arise and will make us quarantine for even longer than intended. With that being said, I am very hopeful for the future. I think that the Texas government will consider all that is being said by scientists and the CDC and choose to wait a little while longer before opening up the state. I also see ECU going back to in-class learning in the Fall 2020 semester. I have really been struggling with the online classes from lack of motivation, and not being able to study with people, and converse in person with the material that I still do not understand. I am hoping that I will end the semester with A's to keep my 4.0. I also am hoping that ECU will have in-class learning because my next semester will be where I am getting into some upper level courses, as well as hopefully starting my thesis. My research for my thesis has been halted because of Covid-19, so I will have to work even harder next year while doing my research. That being said, I have no doubt that I will be able to catch up and present my research in time. Lastly, I know that the quarantine is hard, so if anyone needs an emotional support, or just need a listening ear, I am more than happy to listen.
ReplyDeleteKiley Watkins writes:
ReplyDeleteI never imagined that there would be a day that everything would be shut down. It was almost unfathomable until it happened. I was excited at first to get to go home and spend some time with my friends and family. Then I realized how serious this was. People were wearing mask to Walmart. Everything was gone in stores. I couldn’t take my little brother to the park. I did not have any money at all because my job did not open. It happened all so quickly. I was excited to see the kids in the grade below me graduate. I wanted to go watch my old softball team play again and support them. I couldn’t. The virus shut everything down almost overnight. There was no way I would be able to see my friends. All we can do is sit at home, watch the news, and hope that all of this would get better. My church shut down. All the friendly and supportive people that I love seeing every week, I was not able to see anymore. My classes went to completely online. We did zoom meetings for class everyday. My Sunday school did Facebook lives, but many of the sweet elderly people struggled with the force of technology. My mother had so many conspiracies going on in her head because of how bizarre this all is. I guess that’s the only word to describe it: bizarre.
The semester during the coronavirus pandemic affected many aspects of my life. While sitting with my buddies in the Taff Cafeteria, we would talk about the coronavirus like a joke before it became a worldwide pandemic. It seemed like one of those news headlines you hear but do not have any concerns about it. However, as the virus began to shut down countries in Europe, I began to realize how catastrophic the virus could be.
ReplyDeleteLater one day, my phone blows up with messages and notifications saying that Orlando Jazz basketball player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. It just so happened that they found this out right before the jump of the OKC Thunder vs. Orlando Jazz game in OKC. That was too close for comfort to me. Immediately, I called and messaged many people that I knew and talked about this incident. It was at this point that I knew things were going downhill for a while.
When I went home for spring break, it was emailed to me that the campus would be closed indefinitely, so I stayed at home with my parents. It would seem like I would have had more free time to do whatever I wanted. However, I felt busier than I did on campus. Staying motivated to finish college work at home was a struggle, especially when the family would want me to do something with them most of the day. I also helped make video sermons for my church during the quarantine, which took up most of my time during each week. Because of how it affected my life and many others’ lives, I will never forget the coronavirus pandemic.
Tony Thoma writes: What a weird time in our lives. The only thing that I get to do that is normal is go to work at my essential job that I should only be doing over the summer. I miss going to class, especially band where I get to see all of my class mates and colleagues. All of the teachers are doing a great job of switching to online classes. I have been voted drum major for the fall 2020 marching season and I hope that this happens still even though many are calling to not have football season. The only thing normal is my practice schedule in which I am preparing for an international competition that has not been cancelled yet. If I make it past pr-lims online I will get to go to the festival in the fall. Many people around me are not doing their online work or they have simply given up. Do not fear. Set yourself a routine that you can do with as much effort as you want to put in. There is no reason to push yourself to the point that you are stressed out and cannot operate any longer. Just push through it the same as if you were normally in school. I know that all of my teachers have been understanding if something has been late or not as good as it normally would be so I bet yours will be too, especially if you communicate with them. It is almost done. This is dead week and I have about three assignments left before I am finished with the school year and move onto my summer of summer school.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about COVID-19, I really did not think about it in depth. I kept going to school and work and hustling around to complete everything that I needed to. A few days before we were let out of school for Spring Break, I noticed that other schools were closing. Upon hearing that ECU would be closed for two weeks, I was joyful. How bad could no school really be? However, I then received an email that we would be doing school online for the rest of the semester, and my mood quickly changed. It has been difficult to adjust to the online courses. I am a nursing major, and our work is typically very hands-on. I do not feel like I benefit as much from just reading the book, which was a requirement while we were in school anyways. Furthermore, I am glad to be home with my family, but it is challenging for me to focus on my work or take a test in peace. I have tried to cope with social distancing by driving around and contacting my friends frequently. Fortunately, I do not live near people, so I am also able to spend time outside, which also makes staying home a little bit easier. With only two weeks of school left, I am thrilled to see a break in sight. I thoroughly enjoy working on campus, visiting with friends, and attending classes. I am hopeful that we will be able to attend classes on campus next semester.
ReplyDelete- Payton Hodges
At the beginning of the outbreak of this virus, I had the same mindset as many other people: it is nothing more serious than an outbreak of the flu. However, as the virus started to spread into our country, and experts were struggling to fight it, I knew it was going to have a profound effect on our lives, even though I selfishly hoped colleges would not shut down. When ECU closed for the rest of the semester, then, I was disappointed but not surprised. I have greatly enjoyed my first year at ECU, so I was sad to have it ended early. However, despite the terrible consequences of this virus, there are some positive impacts it has had for which I am grateful. The best result has of course been getting to spend more time with my family. My brother, a student at OSU, had to come home early too. We had not seen each other since the beginning of January, so it has been great getting to spend time with him.
ReplyDeleteLife has certainly changed, but my family and I have adapted to it. We spend most of our time at home because almost all of us our high-risk, especially my dad who has congestive heart failure. We cope with this though by going on walks outside, watching movies, and playing games together. Also, with churches closing, we have been helping my dad, who is the pastor of our church, with his online services. (I think the church members are at least enjoying our efforts!) As for school, the switch to online classes has been a little difficult mostly due to the amount of work that is required. However, I am grateful for the help my professors have provided to make this transition easier (although I am also thankful the semester is almost over).
During this painful and disheartening time, something I have learned is how to wait patiently and focus on the positive messages, especially with the heartbreaking statistics shown on the news every day. I hope everyone is staying safe and finding hope in the midst of these times, and I am anxiously looking forward to coming back to campus in the fall!
I think the one part of this whole experience that will stick with me the most vividly is the complete and utter panic I could see going on around me. I work at a bank and I can remember the first couple days where everyone was panic buying toilet paper and wipes, they were also trying to withdrawal their money from the bank in the case that they would collapses like they did in the great depression. This is a something that I never thought I would see happen, much less when I am still so young. When ECU decided to officially shut down for the rest of the semester, I can not fully explain the feelings I was feeling because there were so many at once, all jumbled together. I was disappointed that I had to spend my freshman year of college at home. I was worried about the future and if this virus was going to keep getting worse and if anyone I loved would suffer from it. I was glad ECU took this hard step to close down to help prevent the spread and keep us safe. I felt anxiety for how in the world I would be able to teach myself all of my classes online, especially chemistry 2. And most of all, I was I was grateful in a way. Every which way you looked, you could see people spreading love and support to one another. The way everyone was brought together is terrible but I believe that it is something that we need to all take a step back and look at what we actually have. To be thankful for the things we used to complain about like waking up early for work or classes.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing is definitely a new experience for everyone, and my family has struggled with the new schedule just as much as any other family. No one in my family is the type that like to just relax inside all day, we get anxious and stir crazy if we are not constantly doing something. But we all have a mutual love for the outdoors and we have been spending many of our days hiking, or doing something active outdoors. Funnily enough, I have actually enjoyed helping teach my brother his online classes and I am thankful for this extra bond we are able to share. Online school for me has been more difficult than I anticipated i'll admit, but I believe it's only because teachers have to assign more work online to match the same quality learning we would've got in person. I personally find the workload to be a little stressful because I am still working full time everyday and then I have had to find time everyday to make sure to get all of my work done correctly and on time. But in a way, I am thankful for this because I can genuinely say that it has helped my time management skills tremendously! Throughout this experience, I think we have all grown and adapted to this unique situation but I am extremely thankful for everyone I have in my life and those who have helped me stay positive. I continue to pray for those who are going through this tough time as well and to those who have lost someone they love. I hope everyone stays safe and that we will all be able to see one another in a few short months!
When COVID-19 reached the United States, I did not bat an eye to be honest. I figured that it would quickly dissipate and that it was not nearly as dangerous as some were hyping it up to be. As things began shutting down and statistics were released, however, my fears were soon sparked. When campus shut down, I panicked. While there are many who have loving parents to return to, I have no such luxury unfortunately. With no family willing to take me in, I sunk into an anxious depression. Thankfully, my job was deemed essential and I can still afford to support myself. As my uncertainty about the summer looms, I still worry as to where I will live for the next three to four months before the fall semester begins. Thankfully, my anxious depression has been replaced with a hopeful vision forward. While I do not know when this will end, I am certain that the human race will be able to overcome and move forward. To keep myself busy during this time, I have been gaming, doing homework, working, and sleeping a bit too much at times. Until COVID-19's day of reckoning, I will probably continue that cycle and hopefully start exercising more like I should be doing. I hope everyone stays safe during this time! Also, I know we are all struggling during this time so if you need someone to talk to or need any help, I will do my best to assist you! We are in this fight together after all.
ReplyDeleteIn this time there is a lot of uncertainly. At first I was upset about the virus restricting me from doing some of the things I had planned. It was less then 12 hours before my flight was supposed to take off for my mission trip to Belize. I had fundraised the money and worked hard to get everything thing taken care of and then it’s cancelled. I was devastated then I decided to go skiing with my family, less then an hours away from out hotel the governor of CO closes all the resorts. At this moment I was fed up with the whole world freaking out about this virus and what was the deal with people buying all the toilet paper. I was reading one day and came across something saying whoever started this game of jumanji please finish it and that’s exactly what I felt the world was going through. I was not a supporter of closing all schools down, especially public schools for kids. School was the only safe place some had, where they would be fed and had adequate shelter from the weather. Yes there were/ are some cons to this situation but there is also some good things too. One solution schools had was they set up a lunch system for the kids. After this is all over I believe we will be able to look back and see how people who could not be together created a community to help those in need. Through this we are learning as humans how to adapt to get things done, we are learning not to take little things for granted, we are learning family is one thing that can’t be taken away, and we are learning we are stronger together even when we’re apart to prevail over whatever situation comes.
ReplyDeleteBecause of my weak immune-system the Corona Virus terrified me before it even hit the United States. I spent a year going from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with my lungs, ears, nose, and throat. My health has been far from great and I am still terrified of the virus. With still no answers from the doctors, once COVID-19 hit Oklahoma and everything shut down, all of my doctor appointments were cancelled. However, also because of social distancing and not having to attend class or work, my health has been on the rise. By avoiding contact with people, I have finally managed to get over my bronchitis, I haven’t needed any IV’s, and have had no fever.
ReplyDeleteAs scary as this was for me, and as is it for the economy, I believe the Corona Virus has helped my health as well as the health of our planet. Because of people staying at home we have had less pollution and are finally starting to heal our earth. I hope that once seeing these results people tend to be more aware of their decision and how they affect not only themselves, but the entire world. Maybe then, we could reduce the effects of global warming, and our everyday pollution.
When I first heard about COVID-19, I never thought it would become a serious issue in my life, and I most certainly never thought I would be writing about it today. I initially thought COVID-19 was simply a horrible flu. I did not believe it would make its way into rural Oklahoma. However, I quickly realized how much and how far people like to travel and how this would play a significant role in the spread of the virus. I assumed if people were not sneezing or coughing on each other and implementing good hygiene practices, they would not get the virus, but I was wrong. The virus spread much easier than I imagined, and it is more deadly than I ever fathomed.
ReplyDeleteI was very upset when I realized campus was shutting down and classes were moving to online formats. The thought of being stuck at home and the uncertainty in my internet’s dependability had me discouraged. I live in the country and, although it is nice, the internet is very poor. Luckily my internet combined with my phone’s hotspot has made it possible to access my courses and complete my assignments. The other obstacle in this learning experience has been social isolation. After online classes started, I did not leave my house for about a month. I did make the occasional trip outside to see what the grass looked like but did not do any traveling outside of my property. Admittedly, I feel like a fool for telling my friends I wanted to catch COVID-19 so I could be done with the virus. I now know this virus is nothing to be taken lightly considering the devastation it has caused the world and the strain it has put on many families. Like most people, I am eagerly waiting for this pandemic to be over so I can go back to a normal life. Hopefully, once everything is over, the world will not be too different from how it was before this pandemic. I wish the best for everyone and their families and for the country to make a speedy recovery.
I have felt several emotions throughout this shutdown, and they are all drastically different. I started to really worry about the extent of Covid-19 about two weeks before ECU closed the campus for the rest of the semester. When we started learning about who Covid-19 affects the most I started getting worried about my Grandparents and everyone else’s grandparents and immunosuppressed family. I was relieved when our state shut down and several others, trying to flatten the curve. I was also very thankful that my job was considered essential. Soon after the State shut down, I started to worry again about the economy. I try to stay up with what is going on in our government, and I know we could survive a small recession. However, I really did not want a major recession that would hurt people even more. Then, more and more studies have come out debating whether staying at home would do much better than the natural immunity from going out getting the virus. Needless to say, I have been pretty confused with what I think about everything going on, and I am not a fan of that.
ReplyDeleteOn top of all the worry surrounding Covid-19, I still had to finish the semester. I am definitely a hands-on, in the classroom learner, so learning online was going to be difficult for me. I can keep better deadlines when I am in a classroom and I procrastinate less. Unsurprisingly, while doing everything online my level of procrastination has gone through the roof. I have not missed an assignment thankfully, but I have caused unneeded extra stress on myself. Throughout of all the turmoil, in the end I am optimistic that things will go back to being somewhat normal soon. The semester is almost over, so some of my stress will go away. Also, I feel like everyone is going to take some time to slow down in the future and enjoy their loved ones. I have been home way more than I have in a long time, and it has been really refreshing.
Where do I even start, I guess first things first it sucks that we’re learning from home. It isn’t terrible and all of my professors have been more than helpful and some of them have had their classes completely changed because of COVID-19. My Child and Adolescent Psychology class used to meet once a week and Dr. Rob has been incredible in helping every single one of her students pass her class. She email’s us and is always wanting updates with our lives. Mrs. Powers, my Intro to Nursing professor, has been having us come to weekly Zoom meetings just to catch up and take a break from just doing homework. I think Mrs. Powers is having a hard time not getting to see her students. Dr. Vlad has continuously made power points and he’s making sure that we’re all getting the information even though we can’t attend class. He really cares about computer literacy. And Dr. Ananga is probably getting the short stick because EQ classes are not supposed to be online and that’s all we can do. We’ve missed quite a few opportunities to discuss things that were assigned and we weren’t able to have a discussion about some books and even each other’s papers. I know I’m not the only one who is looking forward to having life back to the way it was.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know who authored this unsigned post?
DeleteLike most of my honor peers, I was not worried when the Coronavirus finally made its way into the United States. Most of my immediate family works in the medical industry so I was reassured that I and my friends would be fine as long as we quarantined and took the proper precautions. However, although I was not concerned about the physical impacts of the Coronavirus I was worried about the mental ones. I became anxious about how quarantining would affect my friends' mental health since many would be going back to toxic households. Fortunately enough, even though some of us did experience mental repercussions due to isolating ourselves we were able to stay in touch through text messages and social media apps. I learned that from this world-changing pandemic that the younger generations push through obstacles by finding creative solutions. Some of my favorite ways people have kept in touch are trunk picnics, Netflix parties, Skype calls, and PowerPoint presentations. For me, it proves that human beings evolve and adapt to whatever comes their way and somehow we manage to create good from the bad. I have also appreciated seeing how people show genuine kindness and comfort for those in need during troubling times.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Coronavirus first made its way to the United States, I was not fully concerned about it. I will agree that I was one of the people who thought "it does not affect our age group. We will be fine". Now, as I go to work four days a week, I worry I may become infected with the virus everyday. I come into contact with a lot people and anyone might have the infection and not know about it. I worry about being a carrier to this disease and taking the virus home. I worry about infecting the elders in my family. Moving to the virtual learning has been one of the worst experience in my life. Some of my professors added more assignments to our already full schedule so managing time has been difficult. I am a major procrastinator, which I am working towards improving. Some professors have been very helpful and easy to contact if we have any problems getting our work turned in or have any questions. Some professors have been difficult to get answers from. For example, one of professor still has not replied back to my email, and follow-up email, about a quiz. We had a quiz about a week ago, and I missed a question on. Blackboard was not letting me see what I missed so I emailed my professor about it and haven't heard back. I think communication with professors is my biggest problem with the move to virtual learning. But, we are all doing our best and that's all we can do at this point. I have been keeping in contact with friends and most of my family virtually, but I can not wait to see them again. I am ready to go back to campus.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about the virus, I didn’t really think anything of it. I thought it was just another virus that would quickly pass through. As time went on, I quickly realized that this was not the case. I still didn’t think anything of it when ECU extended Spring Break. I thought they were just taking precautions and we would be back shortly. When campus finally decided to shut down, I got really nervous. While the virus never really scared me, the idea of converting everything online did. I choose to enroll in on-campus classes, because I better understand and retain more information. I don’t even do homework at home; I go to the library to finish up work. This was a very big and difficult adjustment for me. Not being able to go out, along with the changes in education, was very hard to adjust to. This is a time when having the support of your friends and family would be very beneficial. While they still did, it was not the same as if I had received it in person. I found the strangest event to occur in all of this to be the shutdown of businesses. I never imagined anything like that would ever happen.
ReplyDeleteDespite all the recent events, I am hopeful that this will pass soon. I am ready to finish out the semester strong, and I am ready to see my family and friends. I have some big things to look forward to next fall, and remain hopeful that it will happen. I hope everyone is doing well. We will get through this!
I have had a great spring semester and a very busy one at that. I continued my football career hitting new lifting highs as well as entering my major’s courses. I took classes like optics, calculus III, and Engineering physics II. I increased my presence within my church group by becoming a part of the leadership team for college ministry. I had the great pleasure to act as a host and mic operator for fun nights called Club Alternative. We had a cowboy vs aliens night where I had the opportunity to do a tandem costume with my best buddy. The covid-19 virus was a conveniently nice break for me. ECU is about a seven-hour drive from home. These online classes have allowed me to see my family more in these last few weeks then I did all of fall semester. I do miss football though and being able to go to the gym since all this has begun. I am eager to get back into Ada so that I can see all the friends I have made there. Also, online classes are not fun and are lot more stressful than regular classes. I hope that this ends soon so that summer workouts will continue as planned
ReplyDeleteCovid-19 has changed my life more than I thought it would. I am very introverted, so I do not really go out very much normally. However, I did not realize how often I went to visit my friends. Since I started self-isolating, I have not gotten to talk to my friends as much as I want to. I text them fairly often, but it's not the same as getting to see them face to face. I also did not realize how much of my schedule relied on going out. It feels like my days all run together. Almost every day feels the same. The only thing at this point that is keeping me aware of time passing is the homework I have to do. I did not expect to appreciate my assignments as much as I do. I am very grateful that I get to spend more time with my family and pets. Even though time feels fake, I have my family to talk to and work to do. These are the only things making this time feel very normal at all. Online classes have been difficult to adjust to, but this has all been a very good learning experience. Overall, I think this situation has helped me prepare for the future.
ReplyDeleteThis Spring semester has been a very interesting one. When I came back from winter break, I had big plans for the spring semester and was excited to start my first off season training in college. but when things turned upside down before spring break it made things interesting. I am a licensed pharmacy technician in the state of Texas and when I came home the impact of Covid-19 started instantly. My boss called me on my drive home and asked me to work back to back 9-hour shifts. since then I have been traveling from pharmacy to pharmacy helping the company I work for as people are quarantined or sent home. At one point in this semester i worked 11 days straight in the pharmacy spanning anywhere from 6 to 10 hours at a time. It has been a busy semester due to me working a lot and it took me by surprise that the semester was coming to an end. I have really enjoyed my time home though, but it sucks that we couldn't have a true spring football, and the online classes aren't my preferred style of learning, but it is good to stretch your weaknesses and get better at them. This virus has driven a lot of people into a state of fear, but as I have worked almost every day since I have been home and seen the transition from everything being open to there being major stay at home orders I don't think it is as bad as people think it is. There will come a time of passing and people will see where mistakes were made and ways to improve certain areas, but in the end it just a novel virus. I have dealt with more flu cases than corona cases and the flu is far more deadly, but we have learned ways to overcome the flu and in the same way we will overcome this virus as well. I do hope all of you are doing well and stay safe in this time of change.
ReplyDeleteThe pandemic has affected me greatly, at least my daily life. I am not able to see my girlfriend for the next few months, due to her parents not allowing her to leave the house. I now have to watch my sister from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. before going to work from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. My work no longer allows any customers into the lobby. This forces much more awkward transactions through the drive thru lanes. I am now much more conscious of what I touch, which is already something I am acutely aware of, working at a bank and all. I can no longer go out at any time of the night, or even to my favorite restaurants or to do activities. This makes it much more difficult to be active. I would say that I have eaten healthier lately, due to the lack of drive thru food. Economically I have also probably benefited due to not being able to buy drive thru food.. The less people in the hospital the better. It seems as though I’ve spent more money on Amazon as of late though. I do not know the reason for this, as nearly no prices have dropped. I had to move back to my parent’s house from the dorms, which has both positive and negative implications. It is really nice to not have to wonder where I am going to eat at for the night, but now I cannot go out during the night. Again, due to corona I do not have to worry about that too much anyways, but I wish I had the option. In the future I will be more mindful of ensuring not to spread diseases and I will be more empathetic for those experiencing an epidemic. Whenever I am at work I have to be very mindful of all incoming items, whether that be paper money, IDs, or checks. One woman came in whenever she had tested positive for corona. The issue with that is that banks are a hub of activity, and everything is done by hand. We spent over an hour after she left disinfecting everything to ensure the safety of ourselves and our customers. The severity of the situation is extreme.
ReplyDeleteWhen I began this Spring semester, I never thought that this would be the way it ended. I didn’t understand the gravity of the Coronavirus pandemic until after the school had made its decision to take an extra week of Spring Break. During Spring Break, I travelled with my boyfriend’s family to Colorado to go skiing. The day after we arrived, we learned that they had shut down the lifts to the mountain. We were disappointed but we still made the most of the situation. We hiked up as far we could (which was not very far for me) and skied down. It was a really valuable time of friendship and bonding for everyone on the trip, which made the closure of the mountain less disappointing. The changes brought about by this virus have affected me negatively and positively. I was without a job for over a month, which made rent and tuition difficult to manage. On the bright side, the extra time that I've had at home has helped me to access a creative aspect of my identity that I haven't been able to nurture in a long time. I've written more poetry and songs in the last month than I did throughout all of last year. I've also had time to invest deeper in my relationship with God. I still have academic responsibilities, but everything feels a little less rushed. This private time has helped me center myself in a way that is difficult during a busy semester.
ReplyDeleteI recall hearing murmurs of a strange virus overseas in China that was spreading like wildfire in the waning weeks of 2019. At the time everyone around here believed that there was no chance that the outbreak in China would have any influence in our American lives. I remember America’s plunge being swift and severe as the virus made the trek across the Pacific Ocean. It felt like within a week or two of the first case that the whole nation shutdown. I never imagined that Covid-19 would have such a huge effect on the world or that I would experience something like it at such a young age. Before the shutdown of East Central’s campus, I was in the midst of taking 21 credit hours. This large workload made the transition to online difficult to say the least. Even though we were faced with extreme adversity, we were able to pull through. At the time of this posting numbers were beginning to fall and businesses were beginning to reopen. The University experienced new challenges that would have never been imaginable before the Covid-19 outbreak. Thanks to the University’s faculty and the efforts of the students the school semester was able to reach the finish line rather smoothly in my opinion. I pray that the world doesn’t experience anything like this again any time soon. This outbreak will hopefully be a once in a lifetime occurrence that reminds us all what we can do when faced with adversity. Even though this semester was less than ideal, I will walk away from it with an unique experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteI remember vividly walking through the business building and seeing a news report on one of the T.V.s about the astronomical impact the COVID-19 virus was having on the people of China, and I had a pang of fear hit me. Granted, I had no idea the virus was going to make its way over to the U.S., but I did know that in some shape or form, we were going to be affected globally by this illness (at the time, I just assumed economically). When cases cropped up in the United States and things began to shut down, I began to see just how severe this was going to be. That is when I started to feel unsettled. It is not that I didn’t understand the need for things to close down, it was the uncertainty of how things were going to change and not knowing when life was going to be normal again that got me.
ReplyDeleteI hope that moving into the future we can begin to appreciate the simple things-- such as going to class, hanging out with friends, being on campus, eating in at restaurants, etc. I hope that as things begin to open up and life slowly returns back to a sense of normal, that we do not just fall back into our usual ways-- that we may reach out to old friends, thank healthcare workers, be more gracious to people we meet, and understand the importance of a unified community effort. I hope that we look at the positive impact of the majority of communities social distancing and apply other group efforts to causes such as climate change.
Quarantine has had its ups and downs for me, but overall, I feel like it was a great chance to reflect, get closer to family, and have a little downtime.
Sam Pratt
ReplyDeleteI am very concerned all the time about my family members who do not live near me. I have many family members that live elsewhere who have breathing issues. Luckily, I am fortunate enough to not have those genes, but my father is less fortunate. I am always worried that I am going to try to contact him and he won’t be there. It is something that is always on my mind, but I am happy that I get to talk to him frequently. Ways that I have been trying to cope with this shutdown is keeping myself socially distanced, but I have a couple of friends that I talk to all the time and hang out with. My thought behind that is since they do not go anywhere for social distancing, there should be no problem with me only hanging out with them. Other ways I try to cope with it is by taking my mind off of everything and playing video games. Video games are usually my source of relaxation. I am hoping that by the beginning of the Fall semester of 2020 everything here is far behind us. This semester was horrid transferring all of my on-campus classes to online. They are not the easiest courses that I have taken, and usually I am a procrastinator for some items that are due. I am just ready for this semester to be over.
Raynee Taliaferro writes: When I first heard about the Coronavirus, it was in China and no one had any worries about it ever coming into the United States. It had never crossed my mind that it would affect the United States like it has, especially Ada, Oklahoma. Usually being from a small town has its perks, like never having to deal with large outbreaks like this. Classes being moved to online has honestly been really nice. I am getting to spend more time at home, and with my family. I am getting so many home cooked meals, and it is so nice. Although I miss my friends, I love being home. I am ready for all of this to be over though. I am ready to be able to go to my gym, go shopping, get my hair done, and even get my nails done. I have done so many puzzles, and watched so much Netflix during this time. I also have started taking more walks, and trying to figure out ways to workout from home. I also am ready to begin coaching tumbling classes again. Once I begin coaching again, I feel like that will be a great get away from home.
ReplyDeleteThe COVID-19 shutdown is unlike anything my generation or generations before have ever faced. It is completely unprecedented and has completely changed how we currently operate from day to day. We are no longer attending class in person and many are not living on campus at East Central. We have had to adapt to moving back home and the obstacles that come with online lectures and homework. I know this time has been trying for myself. I have many close friends and family who have been labelled as “essential workers.” This puts them at a much higher risk of contracting coronavirus. While I recognize that this situation is out of my control, it stills troubles me. However, I hold on to hope that we will recover from this. When all is said and done, I believe this time of separation will ultimately draw us as a nation closer and create less divide amongst citizens. While we do not have a certain view on the future, we know that stability is on the horizon. I am eager and prepared to return to ECU in the fall and see all the friends I have made in my first full year as a college student.
ReplyDeleteIf I could adequately summarize the feelings I have experienced during this time of quarantine, then they would be a mixture of disappointment and relaxation. Before the time that we are experiencing now, it was hard for me to slow down and count the many blessing that are before me. It is easy to become caught up in the motion of life and forget the importance of family and connection. However, with the world being stopped in its tracts to effectively work together to stop the spread of COVID-19, I have had the opportunity to develop coping mechanisms and the skill of self-reflection. While attending college, I have found it easy to not make time for the activities that I had once loved. Many of us will never have to chance again to be with our family in this nature. We should all take this time to breathe and de-stress from the pressures of school and work. It is our duty to do our part in society’s fight against the virus by staying home and limiting our excursions outside of the house. Although it is disappointing to not get to attend the activities that we would want, including the Global Faiths tour, I choose to look on the bright side and spread positivity.
ReplyDeleteI returned home to the Bahamas once I received confirmation from the International Student office that it was okay for me to leave, however almost every day I think about what it would've been like had I stayed in Ada. My country has had a 24-hour lockdown meaning you're not supposed to be on the road unless you need to, and only essential places are open. We've also had a 5-day complete lockdown where everything is closed, and no one is allowed on the road besides officers and medical professionals. Now we have complete lockdowns every weekend. It's been a miserable time for me and not having that physical contact with people is tough. I had the thought the other day that humans weren't meant to live so isolated. I know that being home is much better than me being in Ada away from my family, but I do think about the freedom that I would've had had I stayed. I also haven’t been able to focus as well as I was when I was on campus. You would think since I’m just at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do besides my school work that I would be thriving, but it’s the exact opposite. It’s almost like having no distractions is a distraction. My mom has been telling me to look at it as God giving us time to slow down and take a break. There are essential workers that probably wish they could just stay at home and do nothing right now so it’s probably annoying to hear people constantly complain about having to stay home. So, I am doing my best to enjoy it, but I am miserably failing.
ReplyDeleteWhat has happened in the last couple of months is something that I never could have predicted. Even when the virus was a known threat, I never thought it would have affected America so much. I realized it was bigger than I thought; I was at baseball practice on a random thursday in march when we were told our season was cancelled. It was devastating to hear the news that I may never play with some of my teammates again (the seniors that are leaving). Shortly after, school was put online and I moved back home. While online classes are no fun at all, it is kind of nice to be at home with my family in these trying times. My family is taking social isolation quite seriously since my father has diabetes and I have asthma. Which means we are both at much higher risk than most. Being at home so much almost makes it feel as though I am a kid again, spending so much time with my family hasn’t been normal in a long time. My sister attends Oklahoma State University and for the past few years we’ve only seen each other over breaks. While I never thought anything like this would happen and I’m upset that it did, I’m getting through it by trying to find the silver lining in all of it. There are days that are hard to do much of anything but I’d say overall I’m keeping a positive outlook about things. Until things start to clear up, that’s all I can really do.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough time for everyone and I now that we all have been impacted by this in more ways than one. First of all I just want to say that I miss seeing all of you and our daily interactions and I am sorry that our time was cut short. I miss seeing all of my friends and playing volleyball. Online classes are not fun which I am sure you all know by now. Finding motivation to do my homework is challenging. Being at home with my family has been nice but it is not the work environment that I am used to having at school. I usually go home after I finished my homework so home was a place where I went to relax but my brain does not want to do work at home. If I am being honest I have been struggling lately. I have been trying to stay positive though despite all of that. I have had quite a few phone calls and facetimes with my friends and family members during this time. I am thankful for technology and the ability to stay in touch with others. I plan on working at camp this summer if all goes well and I am super excited! I hope to see all of you soon and I hope you all are doing well!
ReplyDeleteI already left a comment but I guess it never posted.
ReplyDeleteCOVID-19 has impacted nearly everyone in the world. I'm not a fan of how everything has turned out. However, I'm here to talk about how I feel, not my opinions.
ECU being closed is the worst thing that's happened to me this year. It has separated me from my friends and from my learning. It feels like I'm in Jumanji. Now that it's May, welcome to level 5! I'm (hopefully) kidding. The only good thing about ECU being closed is that if I somehow get a bad grade I can make it a "Pass". I do not like teaching myself online. BUT, it's really difficult to try and get my work done, because, like Ashlyn said, home was a place I would go to relax after all my work was already done. Now that I have a laptop, it's easier to work, but it's still hard to motivate myself. Online classes are a trap!!! Don't do it! But being at home also has its advantages; I've been eating much healthier and I've actually been able to exercise! Now that I've done it for so long, it's become a habit. Also, seeing my parents more often makes me chipper. I don't really get to see them very much because they work so much. But now they're both temporarily off (with pay)!!!
My predictions for the aftermath are uncertain. There will definitely be a baby boom in eight months. However, as to how long this will be going on, I am 100% in the dark. I do hope it dies down soon. A lot of people have already had the coronavirus, myself included, so hopefully there will be some immunity to it. I get really upset when I think of the lives lost. Not to mention people's livelihoods. The amount of abuse has gone up, and that makes me so angry. I really don't think about it often because when I do I get extremely negative.
Overall, 2020 has been pretty crappy. We all hoped for a fantastic futuristic year because 2020 sounds so cool, but instead it's been one horrible thing after another. Let's hope that later 2020 will be better. I want to go to Wales and Russia to study abroad, so this better all clear up! :)
When I first heard about COVID-19, it seemed like a distant thing across the world, and I never would have imagined that it would become the global pandemic that it is right now. I remember before quarantine started, I was preparing for ECU pom tryouts and was excited to meet all the new possible members. But now, I miss my fellow pommies (Kristen Curry!!) and wish I could still be dancing with them, as dance is a huge stress reliever for me. Transitioning to classes online was seamless, and all my professors have been excellent in this unique time. I thought that online classes would be easier to work with, because of the extra time, but it has been difficult to stay on track. I have been lucky enough to keep my job and continue to work, although we are short-staffed and it is hard to juggle the extra workload with my schoolwork. This trying time has taught me to be patient, and that I am capable of more than I thought. I pray that things go back to normal as soon as possible so I can see all my wonderful classmates, professors, and fellow honorables soon. I hope that everyone is staying safe!
ReplyDeleteCovid-19 has been quite the adventure. If you look at the situation as this massive issue, then I think that is the truth you will live. For me, it helps to perceive the situation as an organized mess put in place by some kind of higher power. I know that before all this went down, I was in a really repetitive cycle. Wake up, repeat yesterday, go to sleep. Covid-19 kind of slapped me in the face with a fish, or bat, and woke me up a bit. Although, my stay at home journey has not offered me the most thrilling days of my life; it has gifted me with plenty of time to self-reflect and to come into my own a bit more.
ReplyDeleteAs crazy as its been, I cannot help but to admit that I have discovered, within me, a new layer of inner peace. This virus made me stop and look at what my life was and where it was going. Adjustments have been made, and future adjustments will be made. I feel as if something, or someone, saw the chaos in everyone’s minds and thought of a way (Covid-19), to calm us down, while at the same time giving our community and population a common goal to unite us. Brilliant, honestly. Uniting humans with a shared hardship but also distancing humans to allow one’s retrieval into his/her own mind.
You used to hear people say the internet was making us selfish and isolated but then comes along a pandemic. And the best course of action is to stay inside and connect with each other via the same technology that they claimed to make people narcissistic. But now, here we are. We’re slowly reopening after protests and demands for haircuts. It all seems surreal, especially with warmer weather heading in. Sitting on the porch, I saw the ants at work. Busy as they could be, pandemic be damned. Meanwhile the quiet nights in town just seemed a little more silent. But those ants just keeping marching right on in to the house, though, regardless of how many you squish or sweep away. They just do what ants do. And now we’re asked to do what we normally do, even after so many of us have just been squished by one method or another. So when I’ve been sitting in quarantine sometimes I get mad. I don’t want to be an ant. But there’s never only one ant. An ant by itself isn’t really anything. It takes a colony of ants for one to achieve true ant-ness. For now, I’m doing my ant-ly duty by staying in no matter how much it affects my sanity, but I also know I’m eventually going to have to return to normalcy soon. No matter how terrifying it will be. Our ant hill has been kicked over and it is going to take the whole colony to build it back, though it will never be like it was, because it’s more than one ant can handle.
ReplyDeleteThe Corona Virus Pandemic, and its indirect effects, have dictated the majority of the human population this year. In many states, like New York, there have been strict lock downs that only allow people to leave there residence for necessities. However, Oklahoma has been one of the least strict states in the country. Oklahoma has not been testing a large percent of its population. With calls to "reopen the economy", many in power have decided a few weeks is enough to stop the virus. Since a majority of the population has not been tested, reopening places that contain large groups of people will wipe out a severe amount of the progress that stay at home orders achieved. A big factor that many forget is that people can have, and transmit, the virus without having any symptoms. Throughout the country there have been a lack of tests. Whenever a state, or community, receives tests. the leaders state that only people with symptoms can take one. But by allowing only people with symptoms to take tests, a large number of people that are infected may never know. The constant news coverage never changes, and makes it seem like everyone is going to die is worst than the virus itself.
ReplyDeleteEddie Manriquez writes: The covid-19 pandemic did not change much for me because I generally do not leave the house anyways. As a younger person that is not immunocompromised, I was not very worried about the virus and am still not. Mainly because I recently moved out here and do not come in contact with people outside of school. All of my family is still in California, so I am not scared of getting a virus I can easily fight. A majority of the deaths are from the immunocompromised and I do not come into contact with any here in Oklahoma. Although I did not fear the virus, I have come to appreciate the what little human interaction I had at ECU. I am currently in an EQ course and very much enjoyed the discussions and the game that was part of the class. Not much has changed, but I have come to appreciate what I had more as it is gone.
ReplyDeleteIt was March when COVID-19 really hit Oklahoma and our area. I was dealing with the scare firsthand at my job. I didn’t work in the medical field, but I did work in the employee benefits and leave area within the Chickasaw Nation. I was taken out of my job field to help with the call center because of the new large volume of calls and the hysteria involved with them. I missed class and labs do to being in meetings about the next steps and not being able to leave my desk because I was dealing with an employee crying to me on the other line. This virus rocked my world from every aspect of my life. I went from living my normal everyday life to being right in the middle of the situation. I noticed I was getting behind in my classes because my attention was else were. We moved classes online which honestly saved me, it did have its issues, but we all were learning differently on the fly. During this time, I was an ear for people that needed someone to listen and help with their jobs, and I became a teacher to my younger siblings, cousins and friends' kids. These are two things I never would have thought I would have to do but the virus situation is still forming and evolving so who knows what else I will have to become. Only time can tell what the next steps we as nation, community, and even myself will take.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard of the corona virus in china I thought that is was no big deal and did not research it any further, it wasn't until we received a two week spring break that I though it might be serious. Living with a physician I was not overly worried as he was not either. When someone I knew personally was diagnosed with the virus a bit of fear struck at the thought that I could lose a friend. The friend had been into my dads office where I had been as well as a bunch of other people. The panic had set in around town for a while after. Social distancing was done correctly and amazingly others managed to not get infected. The friend was able to recover from the virus without complications. Continuing through the epidemic I have lived my life as normal as can be with everything being shut down. I experimented with cooking and tried out some new things. I think sometimes the news goes overboard and strikes a level a fear in people that may not be necessary. Overall the virus has blessed me with quality time with my family and praise god I never ran out of toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteGarrett Clark
DeleteDixie Redman writes: “Life right now is scary. That’s a really simple thing to say about such a complex set of issues, but that’s how I feel, scared. Ever since lockdown began, probably even before then, my anxiety has been through the roof. My life went from the normal everyday structure to feeling like if I left the house for a walk around the block I would end up infecting my entire family. My mornings and nights were spent glued to the news reports taking in as much information as I could about what was going on, because I thought knowing would make me feel better. At the end of the day, I feel like I may have made things harder on myself. It seemed like every second of my day was spent reading the new death tolls or learning about some terrifying new symptom researchers had discovered (don’t get me started on when they discovered some infected middle aged people were developing strokes as a result). At my core I am a creature of routine, so to be completely honest it has been a struggle. Setting a new routine now with the constantly changing news and the lack of structure has been a struggle with the limited direct impact I’ve experienced. I hope for everyone’s sake that we all take the proper precautions before phasing back into “normal” life and continue to try and social distance whenever possible.”
ReplyDeleteInitially, I had no idea what to think of the virus nor did I expect it to impact the world the way it did. Everything seemed to fall apart so quickly, society essentially crumbled. My own life underwent extreme changes as well. I changed jobs, moving from childcare to pizza delivery. I have not seen my friends in months. I rarely see my own mother, who works close to 80 hour weeks as an inpatient pharmacist. I am unsure if we can ever go back to the way things were before this virus plagued the globe. I am thankful that it is still not as widespread as it was predicted to be. I know that there is talk of the end of quarantine approaching, but I think that should remain as wishful thinking for now. The safety of our people must come before the economy. However, I am conflicted about how long will become too long. Opening slowly seems to be the best option. Hopefully, this is all over soon in a way that is positive. It is so easy to be negative right now and just say that this is the end. I do not believe it to be the end, therefore I will wait for it all be okay so we can just laugh about all the ridiculousness of quarantine. -Samantha Ray
ReplyDeleteCovid-19 has challenged me in numerous ways, but it has also allowed me to witness beautiful things, as crazy as that sounds. Of course, the lockdown is hard. I am an athlete. Everything I do has always been with a team, who I also consider to be my best friends. My teammates have always been alongside me, helping me through workouts, homework, and tough times in general. With the lockdown rules set in place, not only have I not been able to see these friends whom I am so close to, I haven't been able to see my family very often, as I moved out a few months ago. This has, of course, forced me to spend a lot of time by myself. I have had to learn self-discipline like never before. I have had to learn to be nice to myself, as I haven't had many friends to do it for me if I'm feeling down.
ReplyDeleteI've also seen a lot of pain. This illness is hard to see and hear about. I've witnessed the pain it has caused so many families and it is heart wrenching. But above all of this, I have seen beauty. I have seen nations come together to support each other through this hard time. This time has been hard for everyone, even if you have not been through the actual illness, and everyone is understanding this and supporting each other along the way. Although I would love to say that I am ready for things to return to "normal" , though, I know that this is not attainable anytime soon. And that is okay with me, as I just want to see this disease gone for good.
This Covid-19 pandemic has certainly changed my life quite a lot. I was expecting to just have an extended Spring Break, and then for life to return to normalcy. Sadly, that was not the case. I am one of the lucky ones; I did not lose my job over this pandemic. I am an essential employee since I work at an electric cooperative. People have to keep the lights on and the utilities running, so there was no way I'd be out of work. Many of my friends were not as lucky as me; many of them were laid off from their jobs and are now unemployed. I have a friend whose father was laid off from his job and he was the only one who provided for their family. This has certainly been a troubling time for many, and I am incredibly lucky to be counted as essential and to have a family that is employed by the government.
ReplyDeleteECU allowed me to stay on campus for as long as I liked, but I ended up leaving after a few weeks staying on campus. We could not even eat in the cafeteria because all dining halls had been ordered shut! We had to go into the cafeteria, pick up some food, and then leave and eat outside or in our dorm rooms. Campus was incredibly boring as nearly all my friends had left along with the rest of the student population, rendering the campus a ghost town. I live back home in Shawnee now, and have brought my girlfriend, Sabrina, to live with me there. She and I commute Monday through Wednesday to work in Ada, then get to enjoy an extended weekend in Shawnee or in her hometown, Duncan. In fact, I am typing this out in Duncan write now.
This pandemic has been heavily politicized, and it seems that people are incredibly passionate about their stances on both sides. I have mixed feelings about the politics of the matter; on one hand, I'd like for everything to open back up so that people can work and make money again, but on the other hand I don't want any people dying unnecessarily! I have read many conspiracy theories on this subject and believe that this virus could potentially be far worse than the media portrays it to be, but who knows.
McKinlee Stafford writes: The world right now is a crazy, scary place. I find it weird that the things I used to enjoy doing, I now hold fear towards. Being with my friends or people I love, trips to Norman just to go to Target, and going to concerts are just a few examples of places or things I used to find happiness in that I now hold such much animosity towards. Coping wise, I think I’m doing better than most. I’ve found joy in the fact that I now have so much extra time with my family; however, I won’t turn a blind eye to the fact that the virus has taken so much from me and others, too. I had a trip planned to go to Paris in July. It was my birthday gift, and it would be my first time overseas. But seeing as my birthday is at the beginning of March, that dream was ripped away as fast as it came. I didn’t see my nana and papa for 6 weeks. My grandma, who I haven’t seen since October, moved to Ada a month ago and I saw her for the first time yesterday. I’m taking it day by day, trying to look forward to the future, but it’s so hard when sometimes all you can see is what’s been taken. Getting outside more, starting a healthier lifestyle, finding activities like board games or learning corny tik tok dances with my brother are the things that have made me feel hopeful and happy in the midst of it all. I think it’s important to remember we are not alone in this. Stay home, stay safe, and thank your essential workers.
ReplyDeleteLike a lot of my fellow students, I am reflecting back on the time before all of this really started. I remember seeing the news about an increased number of deaths in China due to a respiratory virus and thinking in the back of my mind “oh that could get really bad.” But I never would have imagined it completely uprooting life as we all knew it. I could have predicted that there would be a shortage on certain products, but not to this extent. The dust masks, respirators, cleaners, and toilet paper (of course) leaving the shelves happened slowly at first, but then it felt like it happened all at once. Now these are some of the hardest items to obtain. I think that as a result of this virus people will start looking at how they react to things and how to prevent disease in a more effective way.
ReplyDeleteIt also has me wondering how long the transition will take back to get back to “normal” life. Will it be as simple as stores extending hours again and the mandate to wear masks in public spaces being lifted? Or is it a more gradual change? Or, is it possible that some of the changes that occurred because of this virus will stick with us forever? I hope now that one day we can achieve a semblance of “normal” again, and people will no longer have to feel a pang of fear every time they hear another person cough.
Natalie Hegwer
The first time I had heard of COVID-19 was on social media and the news was saying that the cause was from someone eating a bat in China. At first, I had thought it was just another tabloid article used to spark fear in the unsuspecting readers who believe everything that they read online, but then the cases continued to grow. At first me and my friends debated about whether this virus was serious or if it would be just like the flu. I remember someone jokingly saying that maybe we will all get a early summer vacation and the table laughing. Fast forward a few weeks and no one was laughing. A lot of us said our goodbyes before spring break because we just knew that the best possible decision that the school could make would be to close early. At the time it seemed like a fun possibility. Now I crave the late-night group study sessions and the yelling in the dorm hallways. I tried to stay in the dorms but due to my work schedule and the cafeteria cutting times and meals, there was no way I could stay. I ended staying with Darren and his family in Shawnee and we commute together for work back in Ada. It’s a rough drive but better than losing my job and having to commute two hours from Duncan back and forth. The school and luckily all my professors have been very accommodating to their classes, whether it being lenient on their due dates or lightening their course loads.
ReplyDeleteAs goes with the majority of my peers, my life and routine have changed drastically since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. At first not aware what Coronavirus was at all, I could have never in my life imagined that the entire world would be completely turned upside down by it! In February, I first educated myself on the subject. It seemed like a regular virus that would come and go like things do. Those hopes were crushed when, in March, talks began to circulate about travel bans being put in place and eventually about the nation having to shut down. It still did not occur to me just how impactful these things would be on my life in small-town Ada, Oklahoma. Now, by the beginning of May I can truthfully say that I believe coronavirus has taken ahold of our world in a way I think nothing else could have. While it has caused me to stop having contact with most of the people in my life, it has in fact helped me grow closer to the family members and friends that truly do matter the most. While putting the world on pause, it has allowed me to gain control in parts of my life that I was not able to before. Slowing the whole wide world down seems to be what it takes for me to get ahead!
ReplyDeleteCaden Manuel
DeleteWhen we look back in this time in our nation, we will see it defined by two things, economic turmoil and extreme uncertainty. The COVID-19 outbreak has had an impact of historic proportion. It hasn’t necessarily claimed the amount of lives of other pandemics, however, the effect it had on an economic scale is truly unprecedented. The pre-conditions of our booming economy are what I personally believe enabled it to affect it in the manner that it did. It will be very interesting to hear the other stories of how others have been affected.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal level COVID-19 has affected me in less of an economic way and more of a humanitarian way. The list of things that have been halted for me includes; on campus college life, social interacting, and in general how I decide to spend my time. Personally, I have never thought so much about every decision I make as it pertains to leaving the house. Usually I just decide where I want to go and get in my car and drive. However, this pandemic has forced me to analyze many things before going out. I make decisions based on my supply of a certain product and then decide the level of demand that I truly have for it. Now I don’t literally use those words in my head but it is the process that occurs. While staying put at home I also have to decide how to a lot my surplus of time. I must decide if I’m going to wake up and got to class and then after that I must decide how much time I spend on homework and my studies for the day.
When I first heard about COVID, I wasn't very concerned about it and in all honesty thought it was blown out of proportion. Then I started seeing the calculated deaths in China and throughout Europe. Then when Italy began issuing people to stay home I realized just how big of an issue this actually was. Once COVID started pummeling the US was when life for me was truly disrupted. Getting classes taken online was a real hardship and made it hard to feel motivated, especially because I am still living in the dorms on campus. Being confined in the small room was not great for me but I am so thankful to ECU for understanding that some people were not able to find another place to live. Keeping the dorms, not to mention the cafeteria, open was a big blessing.
ReplyDeleteMy way of life was disrupted, not nearly as much as some, but in less significant ways. Not going out everyday was hard to adjust to but minimal in comparison to the lives being saved from staying home. I was supposed to start my job at the hotel over a month ago but was unable to because nobody was travelling so the hotel had to downsize their staff leaving me without a steady income which was hard. I’m also immunocompromised so if I would have gotten COVID there is a big chance that I would have had to be put on a ventilator and continue to live with that well after the virus was gone. It was, and still is a scary time, but for the most part people have come together and really shown comradery and compassion for others, especially for our healthcare workers that put their lives on the line day after day to make sure that we stay healthy.
Jess King writes: What fun times. I remember worrying a lot about this day. I had many fears about college. I would often wonder about how many close relationships I would make, and how on earth would I be able to make them. I felt very nervous about meeting the rest of the honors students, and worried about how I would measure up. Sometimes, I even wondered if being a member of the honors program would be too much on top of everything else. This event changed everything, as well as the following events (like the kickoff, so much fun!). But this event was the first. The first time I got to see my fellow honorable freshman, the people who I would be in Enduring Questions classes with the following semester. From this event I met people who were older, and who were not only surviving in college, but who were thriving. My favorite part looking back at these pictures is seeing how I had just met these people, but already we were having a blast! It is crazy to imagine how differently my first year of college would have went, had I not had familiar faces to look for in classes. And it extremely hard to know that we went from seeing each other at least two times a week, to not seeing them at all. I think of how EQ classes has changed my perspective on life, and hearing my classmates opinions has made me a better person. One of my favorite memories of the past year was going to see the Tempest in OKC with the Honors program. It was so much fun, and I felt so at ease with everyone. I cannot wait until we have these events again (hopefully this summer we will get too!). It is not only important to get to see people, but it's calming when you get to have a head start on making friends!! I love the East Central, and I love the Honor's program! I can't wait to see everyone again
ReplyDeleteMaggie Summers writes: “I really thought the Covid-19 shutdown was only going to last for about two weeks. While I took the precautions seriously, I did not think they would be in place for very long. Even though I would consider myself an introvert, I thought I would be able to go about “business-as-usual” in no time. Soon to find out, I was wrong. I had no idea how many things I take for granted. I was so excited for this spring semester. I had a course schedule with classes and professors that I loved getting to see everyday. I enjoyed getting to hear all of the different perspectives that my contemporaries had to offer everyday. I miss being challenged to be a better student everyday. I miss being held accountable by the standards that were set in place for in-person classes. Now, while I still proceed through school work, I find it much harder to be motivated to push through assignments since the in-person accountability is no longer there. While Zoom lectures help, I feel like it's just not the same as getting to go to class everyday. In addition to missing classes, I was so excited for my sister’s junior tennis season as well as for my friends that were supposed to graduate this spring.”
ReplyDeleteEmiley Cole writes: The feelings that many of us are experiencing during this pandemic is a mix of many feelings together. I feel uncertain about what will happen next, scared that this situation will get worse, nervous for what else is to come, etc. Something that I’ve learned from this is to appreciate the little things in life, because you never know how easily it can be taken from you. There have been days that I dreaded waking up early for class, but now I’m eager to sit through a lecture again in the fall. I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on myself throughout this quarantine, and I’ve been working on appreciating the things that I’ve taken for granted. We’ve all dealt with missing friends, family, and coworkers, but hopefully we’ve all gotten some good out of this, too. I know that when this is all over, I’ll hug my loved ones a littler tighter when I see them because it’s so difficult to be without them now. This pandemic has changed my mindset going in to next semester. I look forward to seeing everyone on campus again and going to class. I’ve learned to appreciate all the little things in life. I hope you all are remaining safe and I hope I get to see everyone in the fall!
ReplyDeleteMatthew Bless writes: I never would have thought something like this would happen during my lifetime. It has not only affected us as individuals, but also our country along with the entire world as well. Personally, it has affected me by school having been ‘cancelled’ due to the virus. Moving to virtual learning was a tough transition, especially in the middle of a semester. I’m a person who learns better by being in the classroom, so this was tough on me. I don’t feel as if I obtain the same amount of knowledge online like I do in the classroom. However, I have managed. I have been able to complete my homework and maintain my grades. I was saddened by the honors events being cancelled. I was looking forward for the house games, I enjoyed those last semester. I was really excited about the Global Faiths Tour. I think that would have been a great experience. I hope we get to do something like that next spring. It’s been a weird time with covid-19 but we will survive. I can’t wait for the normal life to come back around.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Howard writes: The semester during the coronavirus pandemic affected many aspects of my life. While sitting with my buddies in the Taff Cafeteria, we would talk about the coronavirus like a joke before it became a worldwide pandemic. It seemed like one of those news headlines you hear but do not have any concerns about it. However, as the virus began to shut down countries in Europe, I began to realize how catastrophic the virus could be.
ReplyDeleteLater one day, my phone blows up with messages and notifications saying that Orlando Jazz basketball player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. It just so happened that they found this out right before the jump of the OKC Thunder vs. Orlando Jazz game in OKC. That was too close for comfort to me. Immediately, I called and messaged many people that I knew and talked about this incident. It was at this point that I knew things were going downhill for a while.
When I went home for spring break, it was emailed to me that the campus would be closed indefinitely, so I stayed at home with my parents. It would seem like I would have had more free time to do whatever I wanted. However, I felt busier than I did on campus. Staying motivated to finish college work at home was a struggle, especially when the family would want me to do something with them most of the day. I also helped make video sermons for my church during the quarantine, which took up most of my time during each week. Because of how it affected my life and many others’ lives, I will never forget the coronavirus pandemic.
The past six weeks have been chaotic and stressful. However, they have been rewarding in that I have learned things about myself I never knew were possible. For example, I can sleep 16 hours in a row, and also sleep through multiple zoom meetings. COVID completely destroyed my sleep cycle, so when things return to normal, I will be very grateful to exist in the daylight again. I, too, had serious difficulties finding the motivation to finish the semester. The temptation to ignore my homework was too enticing for my own good, and the past few weeks I have played a lot of catch-up. However, I am very grateful for my professors pushing through and trying to give us a sense of normalcy. I feel sad for my friends that were supposed to walk on Saturday, yet I know they will accomplish even greater things than finishing the COVID semester. It still feels unreal and like it's all one very long, very depressing day. I hope that with a new job and a new space that everything will line itself out, and I am confident that Fall 2020 will be the best semester yet.
ReplyDelete-Kennedy Thomas
DeleteTerah Abrams writes: As a person who loves to be in complete control of every aspect of my life, this has been a very trying time for me. I am a huge planner. I like to know what I am going to do or what is going to happen to me days in advance. Time such as these have not allowed me to plan for the next day, really. There is no telling what will happen. When things are so unsure like they are now, I find it useful to focus on the things that are sure. I find serenity in investing in my own mental health: taking care of me for a change. Quarantine has given me a rare opportunity to reflect on who I am and who I want to be. Am I the person I wanted to be 5 years ago? What can I do to be the person I want to be 5 years from now? What can I do today? These are questions I constantly ask myself. Although it has been beyond trying and different, this time I have spent with myself has also proved to be quite essential. And, in a way I never thought I would be, I am grateful for it. It has let me focus on what I need to do and minimize the distractions. It has helped me realize what really matters and what I really could do without. With all of this said, I absolutely cannot wait for things to go back to normal. To see my friends. To hug my grandma. To be able to walk around without thinking twice about it. All of this for sure has made me grateful for the things I never was. I will definitely take everything I’ve learned back to normal life when it resumes.
ReplyDeleteJitendra Chaudhary writes: At this moment, the whole world is suffering from the outbreak of COVID-19 and it has affected directly or indirectly to each person in the world. If you see the current record, there are more than 3 million people are suffering from this virus, and more than 270 thousand people dead globally. I heard first time about this virus when I was traveling to Nepal in December but I did not catch very clearly because people were talking about there is some kind of virus shown in china which was transferred by human contact so I was avoiding contact with other people in the airport. I was thinking, that was just flu and after some days that will disappear, but I was wrong. When I heard the news that virus made disaster in Italy and I socked but I was not still worried about this virus because that was very far from us but when it entered in the USA I was kind of happy because I was thinking USA have the ideas of everything or USA will find the medicine of COVID-19 Virus but I was wrong again. When our college was closed in March, I really realized the virus is waiting in front of the door. I was so afraid, and I stopped to take out my feet from my house and started staying at home, and unfortunately, I got sick but that was the only flue. After recovered my health I started to join online classes and doing my regular activity. So, in my opinion, we all must be strong by yourself and do not be panic just stay at home and safe. I hope everything will be fine soon.
ReplyDeleteElijah Woodward writes: I am embarassed that I ever complained about having to wake up for my early morning classes. Thinking back, I feel so silly. Now I sit in quarantine not really knowing what day it is anymore. I miss my friends. I miss my teachers. I miss the lady in the cafeteria who would not charge me for guacamole on my sandwich (I hope she is well).
ReplyDeleteWith all that has happened, if I take anything away from all of this, let it be that I not take for granted all that I am blessed with. Even now I am blessed above most. It may be cliché, but clichés are cliché for a reason! Even with all that is happening in the world it is supremely important to not forget about the things we can still be thankful for. Because of all that has happened I have had a chance to reconnect with my parents and siblings; we appreciate each other more and have come to better understand one another.
When all is said, and done I hope things don't go back to normal, but I hope that we will have grown for this--I know that we all can grow from this! It has surely made us more resilient. I know that it has changed my perspectives.