My Update

This pandemic has felt very surreal so far. It’s as if we’re in the beginning of a dystopian novel and nothing feels quite real. I had known before spring break that the coronavirus was becoming a large issue in the US but I had no idea that it would escalate so quickly. Although spring break now feels like years ago, it was also what feels like the beginning of the end. I’m a nursing assistant at the hospital and I worked 5 night shifts in a row at the beginning of break and then for the second half I flew to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to visit with some friends. I got word that classes would be online right before I boarded my flight to Bama and I was upset. I’m graduating in December but most of my friends are graduating this spring and so all of the big end of the year plans we had have vanished. 

I’m someone who really values time with my friends and this abrupt stop to the school year is something that I wasn’t at all prepared for and I’m still mourning the time lost with my friends before we scatter around the country for jobs or other schooling. When I got back from break I applied to stay on campus in my dorm so that I could continue to work at the hospital and help out during this time of crisis, but they denied my request and so I’ve been forced to move home. I love my job so much and was beyond thankful when my managers were understanding and will be allowing me to come back to my job when my lease for summer housing begins. I miss my job and my friends so much even though I completely understand that it’s a necessity to have social distancing and no physical contact with others. 

Being home has been a struggle, as I don’t focus well in places that aren’t bustling and loud like coffee shops. My family also just moved to a new house right as I was moving out of my dorm, so we haven’t had furniture and were unfamiliar with the new area and I’ve been trying to help set up a new home between all of my assignments. So everything is changing and it’s been difficult to focus, but we’re all doing our best. I have been talking with my friends over facetime daily and we have been watching movies and playing games together. I’m grateful we live in an age where we can have face-to-face contact with people. My sister also goes to UNC so we’ve been doing our classes together and it’s been nice to have someone to hang out with and plan stuff to look forward to each day. Although it’s been hard not leaving home we have all been respecting the quarantine and only leaving to go to the grocery store because not becoming a carrier and infecting others is all of our main priorities. It’s been a tough time but we will get through this and get this virus under control. I’m looking forward to when we can go back to life as normal and not have to worry about our loved ones getting sick!