Life in the COVID-19 Era
Editor’s Note: Mary Spinelli is a student enrolled in Dr. Leo Jeffres’s Specialized Writing class.
Normally, I am an introvert. I welcome the chance to cancel plans, put on Netflix, and relax. Some would joke that my daily life made no changes when we collectively started social distancing, but now I find I am restless.
Looking back, I always would get ready and leave my house/apartment at least once a day. It kept me feeling sane and normal. And I had a normal sleep schedule.
As the quarantine continued, I found that I would wake up at 4 p.m., then go to sleep around 11 a.m. I only recently have escaped this scenario. Now, I have been waking up early and I hope to keep it that way. I know that others are like me; no reason to go out? No reason to get out of bed.
Like many other Cleveland State students, I was home for spring break and decided to stay there after hearing that on campus classes would be canceled. I had been living on campus in a tiny apartment. Whether I stay at my parent’s house or my apartment, I’ve had to deal with loud people, the blaring music and barking dogs of the city or my parent’s sometimes equally loud conversations.
My most frequent outings were shopping, eating, walking, and going to the library. The library is one of my favorite places, both at home and at school. I think that is one of the places I miss the most. It’s a place where I can get some work done without distractions.
But now, I am afraid of getting the virus. I’m more afraid for my parents, but I don’t want to get sick either. I have limited my time outside the house to going to the drive-through or getting groceries when we need them. I also go for walks in the woods when it’s not too cold. I miss my friends, but we can always talk on the phone or online.
I think one of the biggest things I want is for other people to be happy again. Not only is it annoying to hear people constantly complain, but the general mood of the country is bad right now. I want people to be carefree and kind to one another. I worry about people trapped with abusers and I worry about people who can’t afford not to work. I don’t think that we have a good executive branch for this crisis.
Overall, I am not bored, but I am uneasy and I would love to go out to eat with you all when this is over.
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