Millennial Pandemic Ramblings - 1/?
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Title
Millennial Pandemic Ramblings - 1/?
Description
Question 1: As of this date, in what ways has COVID-19 affected you at work / school / other?
I'm writing this on the last day of my fifth week working from home. I work at Brock as an administrative coordinator, and a lot of my job roles have disappeared due to COVID. For example, right now Brock only wants us to share COVID-related updates and stories on social media, so I don't do much posting anymore. I used to coordinate events and liase with guest speakers and create all of our marketing for events, that's now out the window. I still have work to do, but it's not nearly enough to keep me busy. I'm afraid to ask for more work because I don't want to be seen as "non-essential" to my unit and get laid off.
I'm writing this on the last day of my fifth week working from home. I work at Brock as an administrative coordinator, and a lot of my job roles have disappeared due to COVID. For example, right now Brock only wants us to share COVID-related updates and stories on social media, so I don't do much posting anymore. I used to coordinate events and liase with guest speakers and create all of our marketing for events, that's now out the window. I still have work to do, but it's not nearly enough to keep me busy. I'm afraid to ask for more work because I don't want to be seen as "non-essential" to my unit and get laid off.
Question 2: How has it affected you at home? How are you passing the time?
I've been online shopping like crazy, it keeps me occupied. Some of the things I've bought have been in an attempt to cure boredom. I bought a lego set for my partner and I to work on, a paint-by-numbers, I borrowed some embroidery stuff from my mom. I can only watch so much Netflix and Amazon Prime.
I've been online shopping like crazy, it keeps me occupied. Some of the things I've bought have been in an attempt to cure boredom. I bought a lego set for my partner and I to work on, a paint-by-numbers, I borrowed some embroidery stuff from my mom. I can only watch so much Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Question 3: What are your biggest concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak?
I'm mostly concerned at people who aren't taking it seriously, or who think this is some giant government conspiracy. I know a few people from high school who are babbling on Facebook about how the government is trying to strip us of our rights and it's just so exhausting. The worst thing is that it's those people who are going to refuse the vaccine when it comes out and make this quarantine last even longer. I really have very little tolerance for people who refuse to listen to the experts because they think their hour long Google search somehow equates to multiple years of school and research. I try not to get riled up by stupid people, but man those ones really get me going. ESPECIALLY during a time like this.
I'm mostly concerned at people who aren't taking it seriously, or who think this is some giant government conspiracy. I know a few people from high school who are babbling on Facebook about how the government is trying to strip us of our rights and it's just so exhausting. The worst thing is that it's those people who are going to refuse the vaccine when it comes out and make this quarantine last even longer. I really have very little tolerance for people who refuse to listen to the experts because they think their hour long Google search somehow equates to multiple years of school and research. I try not to get riled up by stupid people, but man those ones really get me going. ESPECIALLY during a time like this.
Question 4: Do you know someone who has contracted the virus (no names please)? What has that experience been like for the individual(s) and those around them?
I don't, no. I suspected that my mom had it in the early days because she had a fever and was coughing like crazy, but my sister and I couldn't convince her to get tested. To be fair, it was in the early days when nobody was really taking it seriously, but I still wonder.
I don't, no. I suspected that my mom had it in the early days because she had a fever and was coughing like crazy, but my sister and I couldn't convince her to get tested. To be fair, it was in the early days when nobody was really taking it seriously, but I still wonder.
Question 5: What are your opinions on how the media has covered the pandemic?
Honestly, I try to stay away from the media as much as possible. I watch Dr. Tam's updates just so I can stay current on what experts are recommending we do to stay safe, and I watch Trudeau's updates to stay informed on what the government is doing to help people who have been majorly impacted (job loss, etc.). But beyond that, I try to stay away from the media. It's all either fear-mongering, talking heads whose only real view is that the world is basically ending, or the over-the-top saccharine "we're all in this together" ads. It's either overly optimistic, or overly pessimistic. I want to absorb the facts and then make my own judgement from there.
Honestly, I try to stay away from the media as much as possible. I watch Dr. Tam's updates just so I can stay current on what experts are recommending we do to stay safe, and I watch Trudeau's updates to stay informed on what the government is doing to help people who have been majorly impacted (job loss, etc.). But beyond that, I try to stay away from the media. It's all either fear-mongering, talking heads whose only real view is that the world is basically ending, or the over-the-top saccharine "we're all in this together" ads. It's either overly optimistic, or overly pessimistic. I want to absorb the facts and then make my own judgement from there.
Question 6: Do you feel like your local leaders - medical, political, business - are doing a good job in responding to COVID-19? What about at the provincial or national level?
I haven't heard much from local leaders other than the Mayor of St. Catharines declaring a state of emergency. I think Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau are doing the best they can given the remarkably shitty hand they were dealt - and this is coming from someone who doesn't particularly care for, and didn't vote for either of them as politicians. I haven't directly benefitted from any of the financial relief efforts, since I haven't lost my job. My partner was able to qualify for CERB and I know it's been a huge relief for him. I'm massively grateful that both Ford and Trudeau are telling people to listen to the experts and are emphasizing the value of hospitals and medical professionals. I also think they've done a good job in calling out the people who are acting selfish in this crisis (stockpilers, businesses marking up hand sanitizer). I'm just grateful I'm not living in the U.S. Those guys are totally screwed. Not to say we don't have wackos here as well, but at least we don't have a leader who enables them.
I haven't heard much from local leaders other than the Mayor of St. Catharines declaring a state of emergency. I think Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau are doing the best they can given the remarkably shitty hand they were dealt - and this is coming from someone who doesn't particularly care for, and didn't vote for either of them as politicians. I haven't directly benefitted from any of the financial relief efforts, since I haven't lost my job. My partner was able to qualify for CERB and I know it's been a huge relief for him. I'm massively grateful that both Ford and Trudeau are telling people to listen to the experts and are emphasizing the value of hospitals and medical professionals. I also think they've done a good job in calling out the people who are acting selfish in this crisis (stockpilers, businesses marking up hand sanitizer). I'm just grateful I'm not living in the U.S. Those guys are totally screwed. Not to say we don't have wackos here as well, but at least we don't have a leader who enables them.
Question 7: When do you think this will end? What challenges are still ahead? What will be different? What will be better?
It's weird to think about this "ending", as if one day we'll all just walk out of our houses and it'll be business as usual. I think even when the social distancing rules are relaxed and the mandatory quarantines are over, we won't forget what this was like. I'll probably never leave a grocery store without sanitizing my hands again. I used to poke fun at my partner because he was always crazy about hand sanitizer everywhere we went, but now he's not looking so crazy anymore. I have tickets to a concert in September, and even if it doesn't get cancelled the idea of going to a show and standing shoulder to shoulder with a total stranger completely creeps me out. I definitely have a new appreciation for seeing my friends and family, and I'm hoping that everyone will feel closer with their relatives after having to spend this time without them.
It's weird to think about this "ending", as if one day we'll all just walk out of our houses and it'll be business as usual. I think even when the social distancing rules are relaxed and the mandatory quarantines are over, we won't forget what this was like. I'll probably never leave a grocery store without sanitizing my hands again. I used to poke fun at my partner because he was always crazy about hand sanitizer everywhere we went, but now he's not looking so crazy anymore. I have tickets to a concert in September, and even if it doesn't get cancelled the idea of going to a show and standing shoulder to shoulder with a total stranger completely creeps me out. I definitely have a new appreciation for seeing my friends and family, and I'm hoping that everyone will feel closer with their relatives after having to spend this time without them.
Question 8: Is there anything else that you would like to say about the COVID-19 pandemic?
Just that I think projects like these are really interesting. I've never lived through a major world event like this and really understood what was happening - I was only 7 years old when 9/11 happened and I was 8 during SARS, so a lot of the information I got came from kids at school who were equally uninformed, or from my parents. It's been interesting to actually understand what's going on during all of this and form my own opinions.
Just that I think projects like these are really interesting. I've never lived through a major world event like this and really understood what was happening - I was only 7 years old when 9/11 happened and I was 8 during SARS, so a lot of the information I got came from kids at school who were equally uninformed, or from my parents. It's been interesting to actually understand what's going on during all of this and form my own opinions.
Date
April 17, 2020
Spatial Coverage
Thorold, ON
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This item was submitted on April 17, 2020 by [anonymous user] using the form “Questions and Answers 1” on the site “Documenting COVID-19 in Niagara”: https://exhibits.library.brocku.ca/s/COVID-Niagara
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