covidchroniclesblog

[covidchroniclesblog]

Week 1 (ish) after…

This starts the week where my brain was torn in two directions. Direction one was to binge EVERYTHING on netflix that I had put aside and spend as much time being a human vegetable as possible because this will be the only time I get to do so. Or direction 2 was keep sitting in the mindset of school and pretend we are just living in the longest weekend ever. Guess which direction I decided to sit in. That’s right the person who loves to sit around and do nothing decides to… 

PANIC

 about what is going to happen with school every day for the next week. Shocking I know. Because the world was basically in the calmer version of OMFG WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO! Apocalypse mode. I didn’t want to start anything film or tv wise incase like most things that come here this virus didn’t last very long and we were back in school like nothing happened next month. BOY was I wrong but in my defense there were times where things have happened everywhere else but here (snow days, but now that I say that it sounds stupid). I decided that I could read instead as that was usually okay to put down and move on for a couple months...or years so I figured it was pretty safe to delve into books. I started by trying to finish the first book of the LOTR trilogy. That went pretty well once I got past the first half of the book which, not going to lie, is kind of boring but once they actually start walking with purpose it is actually quite interesting. That however is where the fun ended. I do not have the exact date but one night not far into the week I brought up something I shouldn't have. Well I bring up a lot of things I shouldn’t, sometimes on a daily basis but this one tops the cake. Capitalism. This was by far the worst thing I could have brought up. All I asked was what is going to happen to capitalism during/after the pandemic. Nothing too crazy right? Well it did not end well. I got a lecture and then had a bit of a quarantine cry session afterwards (alone as the discussion was embarrassing enough). Now before any of you come at me with your opinions I just want to say I am still learning. And the learning did not end there. As you will see I have come to learn far more than just my family’s (mainly my dad’s but that is another bag of cats) opinion on, well everything. That kind of put a damper on my mood for the next few days till the end of the week. I literally avoided everyone the next day and did laundry. Yep laundry. As I had time to think while I was avoiding the whole family I came to accept that I was going to be stuck in close proximity with my family for a long time. And I was going to have to deal with that and my anxiety all wrapped into one. The only other thing of great importance that happened was that on March 22nd the theater production class I was in was supposed to bring everything and set up the theater. Well as everything was in lockdown it obviously did not happen but my class texted each other and we felt sad for a bit and promised to zoom with each other soon. This week might have been the hardest in the whole time I have been writing this chronicle. This blog I think is going to have a bit of a back and forth component as I want anyone who finds this blog to either comment or message me about the question at the end of each entry starting this week.

Question: What has been your most embarrassing quarantine/pandemic moment?

I am interested to hear your responses. I promise I won’t judge.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Carter

[covidchroniclesblog]

March 13th (Friday the 13th the beginning of what was yet to come)

The day started off the same as all my days the last month. Tired. Tired to the point that I didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything. It was the vicious cycle of getting up, going to school to do film things and then coming home and trying to make sure I wasn’t behind on other school related things. This day however was supposed to be a bit of a relaxing day as I was able to sleep in but I was invited by my mom’s trainer to come over and hang out with her dog while my mom was working out. As much as I wanted to relish in the sweet release of sleep I accepted and went over. Getting in some quality animal time would probably boost my mood and maybe help my stress level. I told myself this as I dragged myself out of bed before 10:30 am. Anyone who knows me knows that I will sleep as long as humanly possible and even then I can still manage to take at least 1 if not 2 naps per day (Usually in secret as my parents are not big nap people). I had to go into school to do some editing. I wasn't too excited to go in because I was having to go in early every day the past week and I was beginning to be really sleep deprived. I also had told a classmate of mine the night before in film class that I would help him with the filming of his movie from 5-8pm (I think), so overall I wasn't too excited about being at school for longer than I had to. As well, it was Friday which is usually take out day in my family and I did not want to miss that. I waited for the bus and decided to put on Come From Away (the musical for those who don’t know) because I was feeling a bit down and that music is really upbeat (mostly) and I thought it would make me feel better. I got to the bus stop to wait for the second bus that would take me all the way to school. The screen that lets people know when busses are coming has been broken since October so I went to check google maps. I pulled out my phone and saw that my production group chat was blowing up my phone. We had been in the process of building a set for the upcoming show for about a month and half now so there wasn't really any reason to text each other. I checked to see what was happening and one of my friends had posted a part of the university’s website saying that all in person classes are suspended till the end of term ( until further notice but whatever) basically saying classes are canceled please don’t come back. So everyone in the chat was freaking out, which was completely valid as anyone would do in this situation. I decided that already being half way to school i was just going to go anyways. I hopped onto a 60 bus which took me 98% of the way to school. My friend who had sent us the webpage was there when I arrived and we chatted about things, I went and collected everything from my locker. The day before during film class I decided to take home all my books in case they told us we weren't allowed to come back ( for various reasons, like we entered an actual apocalypse or somehow aliens invaded got covid and only hazmat teams were allowed in ). I then texted my dad and he came and picked me up. Honestly looking back at this I remember feeling a sense of relief that school was over but because everything ended so abruptly there was not really any time to process anything further than that moment. I remember going to Walmart with my dad and feeling a bit lost. I got some coffee but really wanted ice cream ( I went to Mc Donalds if that helps set the picture) I messaged my friend from film class saying I wasn't able to make it but he insisted he was still going to film. Which actually helped him in the long run but that's another entry. After that I went home and just sat in the loss I was feeling. That was it. No punch line, no snarky remark. I just felt lost.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Carter

[covidchroniclesblog]

An Introduction

To everyone reading this in the future, a few months or many years from now when this has all been a thing of the past. You are in for a wild ride. I started this whole document after my mother suggested I write down everything that is happening so that in the future I can pass it on to my children and grandchildren (spoiler alert that isn't going to happen but she doesn’t know that...yet.) As much as I avoid going along with my mothers suggestions because I am stubborn,  I can’t pass up an opportunity for a good story.  This “diary” of sorts has been the place for my charthartic needs the last 7 months and will continue to be until the world gets back to normal...or whatever normal will be after this is over (I have a lot to say about this so be prepared!) I decided instead of keeping all these feelings and stories all to myself I would post them here. I don’t have high expectations for this as only my two close friends know I am making this but I hope it might bring a little humour to your day and a good story. I don’t know if I can give an accurate or concise explanation of what you all are in for while reading this but this whole blog is really about me and my adventures in learning as well as living through a pandemic. I hope I can bring something intriguing, insightful, or just a bit interesting into your life. I am not disclosing my real name as this document is very personal to me but I hoping that maybe I will find some kindred spirits who feel the same way or have lived a similar situation as I have. That is the hope.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Carter