I’m not sure how long the US has been “social distancing,” but every week is changing. The state of Alabama has required all unnecessary businesses to close for at least a month. My dad owns a gym and had to close, and I can tell he’s worried. Donald Trump announced the other night for the US to see 200,000 deaths by the time this all ends possibly. The county I am from got its first case last week. One of them is a pediatrician, and today another case was found. When people were buying all the toilet paper and cleaning wipes, it seemed like a joke and ridiculous, but now people are scared to go to the grocery store. Before we all know, trucks will no longer have routes, and then stores will not be able to stock up. This virus is affecting everyone in different ways, and I think talking about it is therapeutic, especially since there is nothing else to do.
Before all this happened, I was hoping for a summer job at a local business where I could potentially have a future career. The company won’t have any summer workers this year because of COVID-19, and I will miss my chance of getting my foot in the door because I graduate next Spring. Many people my age won’t have an opportunity for internships or summer jobs. It is hard to predict if our economy will be up and running fully by the time I graduate, so that worries me. This isn’t the end of the world because I can take summer classes instead.
All of my classes at school have moved online, and all summer courses will be online. None of my classes are lecturing, so a lot of the material I am learning, I have to cover myself. I had a group assignment due today, and I’m still waiting for someone to do their part. How am I suppose to be responsible for their part if they don’t have good internet service or don’t care? My Excel professor has been saying all semester how receiving a certification in the class is a big deal and how it can go on resumes, and it attracts job offers. I received an email today stating that we wouldn’t be able to take the exam to receive the certification. Some of my other class professors will only send one email a week, and that is all. I made a 70 on an assignment that I thought I did well on, but there was no feedback. No student can blame professors for what this pandemic has caused, but students are still frustrated.
I think a lot of people are experiencing stress eating and maybe a little depression. I don’t remember the last time I ate this much junk food. I used to drink only bottles of water, and now I might have one a day and either juice or cokes. The only thing to do is sit at the house, watch Netflix, and procrastinate because how are we supposed to keep going with school without being distracted by the breaking news? My mom and I painted our kitchen table and hutch. I feel like cutting my hair or dying it and making impulsive decisions because why not? I have decided to start journaling each day beginning yesterday until all this is over.
I think all Americans are mostly on the same page about this pandemic. We are all scared of the uncertainty that lies ahead.
Life & Lessons 