Category: COVID-19 Reads

Life was good. I couldn’t complain about anything. Spring break was going to be a week of relaxation for me. A week to unwind and enjoy no schoolwork. That was life before COVID-19. I was free, but it didn’t last long. Being in quarantine has been a never ending roller coaster that has only been going up. When it will fall or reach its peak? I don’t know. Am I prepared? No. Should I be preparing? Probably. Will I start? Probably…not.

Why? Well what am I even preparing for? This is my first time experiencing this and I’m pretty sure it’s everybody’s first pandemic. When you think about it, we are living history. This will be in a history book one day. The thought of it is kind of wild, but it is true.

This whole thing has sent me into a world of confusion. I am constantly checking the news to see any new updates. Today, I found out that the president has decided to extend the quarantine guidelines for and extra 30 days. I almost broke down into tears after reading this. I’ve barely been sane since the quarantine started and now an extra 30 days?!?!?!?!?

I am in DISTRESS.

I don’t want to start ranting so I’ll stop there because I’m pretty sure we are all feeling the same.

Honestly, knowing that I am not the only person experiencing this is quite comforting. Knowing that I am doing the very same thing that millions are doing. It’s hard. That’s the truth. It will take a long time. It will be hard and will continue to get harder until its not. I bet many people are having the same thoughts as me. I bet many people are eating the same thing as me.

It’s comforting.

I will admit that I have made some essential outings but nothing without taking necessary sanitary precautions. It’s weird that I honestly still feel the same as before when I would go out. I walk with no worries. Sometimes I even forget. I feel like it is a regular day, early in the morning, and I am with my mom, sister, and aunt. We go to the store early Saturday morning to miss crowds and have our quiet. I feel like that. Usually not five seconds later, I remember.

For class we had to write a poem about something related to COVID-19. I will now post it below for reference purposes.

She Remembered

I almost forgot, but I remembered.
Like any other day, I woke up.
I woke up to blue skies.
I woke up to eager birds and their songs.
I woke up to smell sweet, milk chocolate melting in a cup.
I woke up and remembered.
I remembered the box they put us in.
I remembered the depression and emptiness that was slowly seeping in.
I remembered the virus that infected our bodies and made a home.
I remembered life.

This poem is the closest thing to represent how I feel about the virus. I am void of any sense of reality and living an empty body with a full mind. I am utterly out of my element. I will say that I have started getting better with handling it, but my feelings still remain.

I know that was a bit on the morbid side while being somewhat poetic?  I don’t know, but it’s pastus now. The good thing about this quarantine, because there is always a good thing, I am getting tons of needed rest. My body feels returned to its natural state with little stress and good ole food from my mother.

I don’t know your thoughts on the pandemic, but if they are anything like mine, you are not alone. I feel the same exact way quite literally. We will get through this guys! I feel it! Have some hope! MANIFEST IT! *refer to one of my earlier posts :)*

Have a safe quarantine y’all!

Welcome to our present reality. It began (sort of…) with great battles for toilet paper; who knows how it will end? But I have some news for you: the world is not ending. Although no one (for the most part) predicted the proportions of this pandemic and no one can predict the future, the present stands open to opportunity.

Taking all of this into consideration, I present to you a blog on how to stay sane…pandemic edition.

What to Do About the News

Lately, the media has been absolutely berserk. You check the weather and…Coronavirus. You check the news for five seconds and…Coronavirus. You decide to listen to music on YouTube and…Coronavirus.

Yes, this situation deserves all of the concern in the world, but it is smothering everything else and driving some people crazy.

Please educate yourself and keep updated, but do not…I repeat…do not let the media augment your fear past the point of stability. For instance, I used to check the number of cases in Mississippi and the United States every five seconds, and it began to make me feel incredibly anxious and hopeless. Now I only check once a day, document the numbers, and think of it less as “this is the end” and more like “wow, this is truly exponential”. I have no idea if that means anything to you, but I guess I am trying to say that you need to alter your perspective; detach yourself a little bit and do whatever works for you. I also include, beneath the numbers (on a sticky note) something that I am currently grateful for. Somehow, that has changed my perspective a lot.

Also, I said it earlier, and I will say it again: the world is not ending. Stop reading doomsday articles (unless you cope that way, but I still would not recommend it).

Adapting

Adapting to life at home, 24-7, has proven difficult for numerous individuals, I can guess. And it should. Even if you are usually a hermit, quarantine means no fast food, limited trips to the grocery store, and restrictions on even necessary travel. For a lot of families, never before has every member been under one roof for this much time. People with careers are working from their computer more than ever, and almost all students are suddenly enrolled in virtual classes.

Sometimes change can create a lot of fear and irritation, especially if you are losing something once guaranteed in the process. Change can also cause you to feel like you have no control nor motivation, and you may sink into an “in-between” state.

Never give up, though. Figure out what works with you through a series of trials, and do not be afraid to make mistakes. Put together a schedule, and completely disregard it or make another one if you ignore it. Continuously alter your sleeping schedule and daily routine until your level of productivity sits well with you. And sometimes you even have to change your outlook.

Try to hold onto routine, but realize that the future lies too far ahead for clarity, so the present matters more than sticking as close to the “usual” as possible.

Oh, Yeah, Outlook…

Perspective matters a lot, more than you know.

Although I will not say that happiness is entirely a choice, I will tell you that trying makes a difference.

Take off days. If you wake up and suddenly feel horrible, do not force yourself to sit at your computer for hours doing work. Try to complete maybe one assignment and then watch something or look to a hobby. But when everyday of the week turns into an off day, something needs attention. Listen to yourself. Look inward and make adjustments.

Stop thinking “I can’t”.

Stop focusing on everything you have lost, everything that is falling apart.

Do not get tangled up in all of the negative—past, present, or future.

And do not become deceived entirely by nostalgia.

Stop reminiscing about Taco Bell and nacho cheese fries; focus on the now. My heart feels heavy for the brave souls suffering through a relentless diet of canned vegetables and bread, but you can go to Taco Bell when people stay at home like they should, and the number of cases stop doubling. Seriously, please stop taking a world tour; I would like to eat fries before I have white hair. But, anyway, stop reminiscing. If you spend 90% of your day writing sad poetry and listening to sad music, you are letting yourself down (spend 5% of your doing that, obviously). And, no, you should definitely not dwell on the present or future that could have been. I am so sorry you bought a prom dress, but you could wear it to your online classes. (:

(Forgive me if that sounded sarcastic; I was actually being nice.)

So, yeah…focus on what you have to do, and live in the present. If you have to, spend a few days here and there wallowing in melancholy, but adjust to utilize this time to the best of your ability. Stop thinking that you will resume living when when normalcy returns; this is the new normal for the time being. Believe in yourself, never settle, and find what works for you.

Personally, I struggled with finding a new routine. I feel like people spend too much time building routines and adapting to environments that change is startling. I found it difficult to stop associating my house with a weekend mentality. I had no motivation nor inspiration, and I missed my dorm room at MSA where I spent countless hours completing assignments. Then I brought home my plants, and it made a huge difference. Originally, I felt like I was about to suffocate (for some reason). But I tried my best to rearrange my room a bit so that it became a place I actually wanted to live in. And I feel a lot better.

A Few Suggestions to Retain Peace of Mind:

• Drink tea (this has helped me so much, especially if I am stressed)
• Surround yourself with what makes you happy (even plastic dinosaurs)
• Create (even if that means spending thirty minutes decorating your notes with calligraphy)
• Find parts of your day that you look forward to
• Do not isolate yourself, but also takes breaks from socializing
• Go outside if you can! Take a walk or something (it does a lot, I promise—especially during this beautiful season of spring)
• Make a list of things to do if you face boredom
• Spend time organizing your thoughts and confronting your feelings (although do not think too much—you have to actually live, you know)
• Make a list of what you are grateful for (I do this everyday because I need it sometimes)
• Find reasons to be productive and optimistic
• Journal
• Listen to music
• Take a walk every now and then (avoid sitting down all day)
• Think of ways to help the people currently around you
• Know that you do have control of your life, and everything will be okay
• Never give up

Everyone is handling this situation differently. Some are celebrating in sweat pants, and others are scrolling through old pictures and crying. But I hope that everyone remains calm and considerate and motivated. It is okay to be pessimistic (believe me), but keep the majority of it to yourself unless you need to vent (which helps a lot). Look forward to certain parts of your day instead of dreading it all together, and do not allow the media to launch you into a panic. Listen to yourself. Adjust in ways that benefit you. Please do not let yourself down; stop spending hours staring at your phone and sinking into your pessimism (or an infinite void of hopelessness created by your tears). 

If you are experiencing problems concerning nostalgia, find solace in the fact that you have something to miss so much. It helps to only relive memories when you are in a good state. Also, it is okay to feel aggravated and upset. This is nothing to scoff at.

All in all, I wish I could say more, but that would most likely lead to another brick wall of text. I hope all of you are well (mentally and physically), and I hope you and your family members are safe. I also hope that—for those of you struggling—peace will find you. Take care and do not fight anyone for toilet paper. (:

A note:

I now realize how much I take for granted—the ACT, fast food restaurants, going grocery shopping, school, etc. I appreciate a lot of things in my life, but sometimes it is easy to expect something to be there. And when that changes… ):

This is not the end of the world. If anything, more people will practice proper hygiene, and more people will be grateful.

May we all survive until the glorious doors of Taco Bell open and the nacho cheese fries supply us with happiness.

peace

In 1971, photographer, Victor Baldwin, photographed his Siamese kitten, Sassy, hanging on to a bamboo stick for his book, The Outcast Kitten. After increasing demand for the photo, once the book was released, Baldwin decided to print posters of the image with the words, “Hang in there, baby”. The poster became a staple for motivation and inspiration. Reportedly, people wrote to Baldwin expressing gratitude, as the poster helped them through surgery, financial hardship, and other trying times. Now, the original image is considered a collectible.

However, many people have never even seen the original image, but popular imitations. The picture on the left, for example, has been recreated and modernized to appeal to younger audiences.

If you were to ask current high school juniors and seniors what comes to mind when they hear the phrase, “Hang in there, baby”, I’d be willing to bet that half of them would say the theme song of a popular Disney Channel show, Good Luck Charlie, and the other half might say the modernized kitten poster. However, this is just an assumption. In order to get factual data, I posted a question forum and actually asked current juniors and seniors what they thought, and then recorded that data in this bar graph:

Although most people voted for Good Luck Charlie, it wasn’t quite half of the 26 who responded, so while my bet was misplaced, it wasn’t so far-fetched.

This study seemed silly as I was conducting it, but it made me realize something: catchy theme songs and quirky posters like this bring so much nostalgia. It’s amazing how a song or an image can transport you back to childhood in an instant. It’s something that I take for granted, much like our country’s current situation. You don’t realize how significant going to school or going grocery shopping really is until you can’t do it anymore.

In the ’70s, a single photograph with a cheesy caption inspired so many, but where’s our photograph now? At a time when so many need encouragement, where do we turn? I say, to each other. An image isn’t going to solve it all, but I’ll admit, it could help. Maybe the image could bring people together in a time when we are supposed to be kept apart.

Now, I’m no photographer or influencer who could reach thousands, but I do have a small community within my school. This is what inspired me to create a virtual spirit week for everyone to get involved. So, it doesn’t matter if you, too, are not a photographer or an influencer, you can still make a difference within your community. I encourage you to— especially to those who are seniors in high school. Many of you will not get to experience some of the most fundamental things in life, and for that, I am truly sorry. I hope that this blog inspires you to, in some way, take back some of those things that were taken from you. We live in a world where almost everything runs on technology and social media— use it! Take advantage of your resources and get creative.

I say all of this to say: be grateful, make a difference, and hang in there, baby.

I wrote a poem about how I’ve been feeling in light of our current situation. I thought I’d include it here for those who may be feeling the same way.

Life As We Know It

Ⅰ

The sounds of typing and the rundown washing machine fill my ears. It’s a noise I’ve grown accustomed to, after what feels like a lifetime. Truthfully, I don’t know what day it is, so don’t bother asking me.  

 Ⅱ

The feeling of having nothing to do used to be a sigh of relief, but now it’s given me a sense of hopelessness.  Has this become my new normal?  

 Ⅲ 

I believe in an open-door policy, but the thought of another 6 weeks with my mother makes me want to lock my door and throw away the key.  

 Ⅳ

I miss my things. I miss the faces I used to see. I miss the art. I miss the struggle. I miss what life used to be. 

 Ⅴ

I wish people’d stop telling me to wash my hands, as if that’s going to make it all go away. 

 Ⅵ

Quilted Northern never looked so good.  

 Ⅶ

Things are put into perspective when people die. I wish it were like that before they died.  

 Ⅷ

God, is that you? 

Ⅸ

It’s funny how I miss the things I used to hate: stairs… chicken sandwiches…  curfew.   

Ⅹ 

Is this how Anne Frank felt during the Holocaust? 

 Ⅺ

What day is it again?

On March 14, 2020, the governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, declared a state of emergency. Following his declaration, he also declared on March 19, 2020, that Mississippi schools would be closed until April 17, 2020.

“This is not a decision that I take lightly. In fact, in my nearly 17 years of serving the public, it is perhaps the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I made this decision because I believe it’s in the best interest of all of our fellow Mississippians. I know our teachers and our administrators will step up during these challenging times .”  Said Reeves when he made the announcement.

A week later on March 29 Donald Trump, the president of the United States, announced that he is extending the national shut down for a month due to the rising sickness and deaths from the coronavirus.  This means for the next month we will be in quarantine. The federal guidelines recommend that citizens practice social distancing, and avoid large social gatherings.

With all this going on I have to wonder how does the youth feel? Many high schoolers are at the possibility of missing out on sentimental milestones in their life such as graduation and prom.  I wanted to hear the youth opinion on the coronavirus, so I decided to ask my peers, Kristian Byrant and Montrell Fleming,  some questions.

Kristian Byrant and Montrell Fleming are both high school juniors that attend Terry High School located in Terry, Mississippi.

Are you afraid? 

Kristian Byrant: Not really. It’s not something I should be afraid of. I’m covered by the blood of Jesus.

Montrell Fleming: Not really. I’m just chilling at this point.

Are you staying in quarantine? 

Kristian Byrant: For me yes and no. You got to go to places. The world just doesn’t stop automatically because of a virus. Also when you are apart of a big family there is no quarantine.

Montrell Fleming: No, I should be though. I went to a whole cookout. I got to live my life.

Are you disappointed that school is out? 

Kristian Bryant: I’m disappointed that prom is canceled.

Montrell Fleming: No. I’m happy, but I would choose school over quarantine.

How would you feel if the Mississippi Department of Education were to extend school? 

Kristian Byrant: I will be upset.

Montrell Fleming: I’ll be mad because why should we suffer? This isn’t our fault. I feel like if we had to go to school during the summer my grades would drop.

How do you feel about online classes?

Kristian Byrant: I hate it. Something you can’t learn off the computer. For instance, I’m taking Spanish and I’m the type of person who learns better in person.

Montrell Fleming: I don’t feel like doing it. There is already too much going on and it’s just adding stress on students.

Do you feel like this is the end of the world?

Kristian Byrant: Yes, it’s so many natural disasters going around. This is just a series of bad events.

Montrell Fleming: No, I personally feel that people are doing too much. I believe that we should worry about it but not too much.

Kristian Byrant: I pray that this is over soon, so we can go back to normalcy. Also, people saying that we young and we shouldn’t worry about it. Which is a shame because it’s teaching people to don’t worry about stuff unless it directly affects them.

Was something canceled that you were looking forward to due to the coronavirus?

Kristian Byrant: Yes, going to prom.

Montrell Fleming: Yes, getting my license. Hopefully, I can still get it.

Should the youth be taking this more seriously? 

Kristian Byrant: Yes, we should all just stay in the house, so hopefully we can go outside.

Montrell Fleming:  Yes, even though I’m one of the people who aren’t. For now on I’m going to try to stay at home.

Do you feel safe with Trump’s response to handling the outbreak of the coronavirus? 

Kristian Byrant: Negative. It’s like he could care less about what happens to the people. He claims to be taken it serious but he isn’t. If he did more, people would working with compensation.

Montrell Fleming: I don’t know. I haven’t been listening to the news or paying attention.

As of March 28, 2020, there are 758 cases and 14 deaths reported in Mississippi. Do you know anyone affected by the coronavirus? 

Kristian Byrant: No.

Montrell Fleming: No.

How do you feel about the curfew imposed by the mayor? Is it effective? 

Montrell Fleming: Yes, people are actually listening to that. When ten rolls around, everybody is in their homes.

Kristian Byrant: I feel like it encourages people to go out more.  When somebody tells you not to do something it makes you want to do it more.

Montrell Fleming: Yeah, I know that’s how I am. When someone tells me not to do something, I’m going to do it.

If I’m going to be completely honest, although this blog has nothing to do with the song, the title was inspired by a gorgeous song by Jaala. You should totally listen to it!

I don’t really know what to say. These past few weeks have been absolute h-e-double hockey sticks. I have seen insanity run rampant in the eyes of loved ones. I have heard the cries of friends that I cannot comfort. And I have resisted the temptation to mutilate my hair out of pure anger and boredom. And the classes aren’t helping whatsoever. Honestly, it drives the isolation even deeper. Imagine having to do the one thing that guarantees human interaction by yourself. If you ask all the students how they feel right now, it’d be angry. Lonely. Useless. And for good reason.

For the juniors, we’re missing out on memories, experiences, time we’ll never get back with people we may never see again. We miss our seniors and we miss our dorm. A lot of us don’t have the best home-life. So, school is a safe haven for us.  And it breaks your heart when you can’t even enter your sweet retreat due to a lethal virus.

And I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the seniors. Everything they’ve worked for, everything they’ve been praying for is being ripped away from them. Their last prom, their senior pranks, their showcases, their last moments with the people they love before they go different directions forever. It weighs heavy on their minds and souls. And I’m so sorry, you guys. We love and support you. You deserve everything sweet in this world for the sacrifice you’ve made. But, beings that I can’t give that to you, I hope my feeble Thank You would suffice.

I get that this is for safety purposes, that everything that’s happening is for the greater good, and with new cases coming up every single day, I understand why it’s necessary, but those of us that aren’t immuno-sensitive are scratching at the seams, ready to emerge from the shadow of our duvets.  Hope and faith are hard to hold, now more than ever.

Everything being said, here’s the silver lining: this is time for us to do the stuff we never had time to do. Get closer to God, lose weight, redefine yourself. Do whatever makes you your better self. And in doing so, maybe we can find solace in isolation. Maybe faith won’t be such a hard hold.