Amanda
Covid-History Item Type Metadata
Age
45
Date
8/9/2020
Location
Edgewood, New Mexico
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?
We started hearing news reports about a virus in China in February. The seriousness of the outbreak was becoming clear in early March.
How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?
My husband, two boys aged 7 & 11, and I stay home most days. Almost all summer camps were closed this year, so the boys stayed home all summer rather than going to camp. In normal times we attended outdoor concerts, went to the children’s science museum, went swimming, ate at restaurants, went hiking, and traveled for work and fun during the summer. This summer we’ve been hiking a lot, not traveling at all, and occasionally getting takeout. We’re fortunate that both my husband and I can work remotely so child care hasn’t been a pressing concern.
How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?
This was a lot more stressful at the beginning. I really mourned the loss of things I enjoy, like yoga classes, meeting my friends for book club in person, and traveling. As things have opened back up, we’ve resumed book club meetings in outdoor locations. One thing that has helped relieve stress is that my husband and I walk outside every evening. We were doing this before the pandemic and keeping that bit of normalcy helped my state of mind quite a bit.
What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?
Well, restaurants aren’t open for indoor dining, and most people wear masks. It’s surprising how politically charged wearing a mask and following precautions is.
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?
n/a
Are you an essential employee? What do you do? What precautions are being taken at your workplace? What precautions are implementing at home?
No, I’m a librarian and am able to work remotely.
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?
I am mostly working remotely. It’s ridiculously hard to concentrate on work with kids at home, and nearly impossible to homeschool kids and work at the same time. Somehow, almost all of the extra tasks fall on mom’s shoulders, too.
Do you have children at home? How’s it going?
Ugh. It’s been rough. Trying to homeschool my kids and work remotely for three months in March, April and May was an unmitigated disaster. Summer has been better, but the kids are seriously bored, lonely, and mostly sitting on the couch eating and playing on their iPads while Dad and I work.
Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?
n/a
Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?
We’ve adopted two kittens during the pandemic. They’re a lot of fun, and a lot of work. I have to clean a lot more because all four of us are home all the time, cooking all the time, and now I have two kittens to clean up after, too.
What positive things did you contribute to or notice take place?
I definitely take fewer things for granted, and appreciate life’s smaller pleasures more.
Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?
I’ve had two cousins contract Covid-19, but they had very mild cases.
If you lost someone during the pandemic, how did you celebrate their lives?
n/a
Dublin Core
Title
Amanda
Subject
COVID-19 (Disease)
Publisher
Southern Adirondack Library System
Contributor
Southern Adirondack Library System
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Type
Covid History
Identifier
11887141993
Coverage
Coronavirus Pandemic
Collection
Citation
“Amanda,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed April 19, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/202.