Mary
Covid-History Item Type Metadata
Age
34
Date
06/08/2020
Location
Schuylerville, New York
When did the impact of COVID-19 first occur to you? How did your reaction to COVID-19 change between then and the first case in your town?
I first became aware of Covid towards the end of February. My husband was going to fly for a business trip and I was very worried. He decided to cancel the trip and stay home. During the next couple of months we bunkered down in our house and only left to grocery shop which we did every 2.5 weeks. Our son was in kindergarten during this time so I was focusing on homeschooling. Thankfully my husband has an office at the house so he was able to work from home.
How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?
It seems the days go by faster now and I often forget what day of the week it is. My family and I still rarely leave the house. We don’t visit with friends anymore. We have only been visiting with a select few family members. When I grocery shop now I do bring my son with me but wear our masks at all times while in public. Being he’s so young he doesn’t understand fully what occurred with this pandemic. My husband and I tried to keep the news off and minimal talk about covid-19 while in front of him. However what we did talk to our son about is importance of hand washing, wearing our masks and that there is a virus that has made some people sick. We always made sure to answer any questions he did ask. But we always kept things positive so we didn’t add any stress to him.
How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?
My family and I have been doing well during this pandemic. The more current worry has been with the state of our nation and government. I wish for equality, peace and love for everyone. Our stress relief during this time has been hiking in the woods far away from people.
What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?
Since the outbreak I loved how the community participated in the 518 Rainbow Hunt. It was a beautiful thing to see while driving that people made art and hung rainbows all over the place. The other surprising thing I saw which disappointed me was how so many people were throwing their masks and rubber gloves on the ground outside the grocery stores. I also felt the atmosphere in most stores was very thick and people were rude. Kind of that survival of the fittest saying. People were being inconsiderate and taking more then they needed.
Are you a business owner who has had to close? If you are still open, how have you had to adjust how your business operates?
I am a stay at home Mom, however my husband is a business owner. He doesn’t have any employees and his work is all done through the mail. So for a few weeks shipping his products was difficult when the boarders closed. Some of his customers are from over seas and had to wait a long time for shipping. Other then that my husband had normal hours.
Are you an essential employee? What do you do? What precautions are being taken at your workplace? What precautions are implementing at home?
n/a
Are you an employee who has been laid off or furloughed? Were you able to get unemployment? Were you able to retain your health insurance?
n/a
Are you working from home? What adjustments or challenges are you experiencing?
n/a
Do you have children at home? How’s it going?
My son is 5 and goes to a private school. It was a bit of a challenge at such a young age to keep all the children connected via social media. I took it upon myself to use this time during quarantine to do additional homeschool with my son on top of what he was given from his School. Both my son and so truly enjoyed our one on one time we had for the last couple months. It got me to think outside the box and I had to get creative with not only arts and crafts but cooking projects for us to do together. I was trying to be resourceful and only use what we had in the house so we could stay in quarantine.
If you’re a student, was school canceled? Were you able to complete your studies online? Do you think you’ll be back on campus in the fall?
n/a
Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?
We didn’t have to postpone any “major” life events however we miss the simple things like going out to the movies as a family and going to Chuck E. Cheese with friends. Instead we had movie night on fridays at our house. We would blow up the air mattress and rent a movie on amazon. We had different food taste tests for different movie nights. One night we did a pop corn taste test and made 10 different kinds. Another movie night we did a cottage cheese taste test. I had no idea that cottage cheese can taste so different!
Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?
We have a lot of pets. A dog, chickens, snails, fish, cats and parakeets. The biggest impact was not being able to go to the store weekly for pet supplies. Instead I was buying in bulk and did a cat litter subscription on amazon so I just got delivered.
What positive things did you contribute to or notice take place?
The most positive thing that has taken place has been the emotional healing. Having so much time apart from people and society gave time to reflect. I have found peace with taking my hikes in the forest. I started painting again and my house got really clean and organized while in quarantine. I appreciate my husband even more then I ever did before. I appreciate his hard work and dedication to our family. I appreciate my son for his positive outlook on life and for the love and passion he has for animals and nature.
Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?
I knew a few people that had covid-19. Their symptoms were different. One person felt fine and just had a headache while the other person was in the hospital. Everyone recovered just fine.
If you lost someone during the pandemic, how did you celebrate their lives?
n/a
What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?
At least have a few extra rolls of toilet paper. That was CRAZY!!! I can’t believe the paper products section was empty for weeks.
What would you want future generations to know about the 2020 pandemic? How would you recommend they prepare for it?
There truly is no way to prepare for something like this. However I guess my best advice is to always have a little extra food in your house, keep some cash in your house too just in case you are unable to get to the bank. If you can always offer a lending hand to those in need especially the elderly. Don’t forget about your furry friends they also need help too!
How do you think this pandemic will change how we behave going forward? What will the “new normal” look like?
I think the pandemic will forever change our lives and not necessarily for the better. I think we have lost many freedoms as a result of this. I don’t necessarily believe what I hear and read on the news anymore. I believe that the government uses fear as a way to control people.
Is there anything else you would like to add that hasn't already been asked above?
I think this pandemic was a crazy experience to go through. I feel so deeply for the families that lost loved ones. I fear that this is only the beginning of many challenges to come in our future. I worry for my sons future. My husband and I have made it one of our duties to teach our son how to be more self sufficient, teach him how to garden, raise chicks, cook and fix things with tools. I can’t predict the future but i will do everything in my power to give my son the knowledge to help him survive.
Dublin Core
Title
Mary
Publisher
Southern Adirondack Library System
Language
English
Type
Covid History
Identifier
11677607322
Collection
Citation
“Mary,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed November 21, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/116.