While the news was still developing about the dreaded coronavirus, Edsource.org documents that most college students under-went testing in higher populated cities and towns across America. This, paired with a 14 to 90-day self-quarantine begun to circulate to numerous states as a way to cut down on contact with other human beings, as to hopefully slow the spread of the deadly disease. As laws began to change, colleges across the globe decided to close their doors, leading to numerous students being sent home, or finding places to stay while their in-person courses turned to zoom meetings and online productions.
On A Serious Note…
A lot of students who traveled abroad also had their programs canceled and were forced to return home. They were not even allowed back on their campuses before a self-quarantine at their own personal homes for 14 days. This brought many uncertainties and frustrations from students, especially while information about COVID-19 continued to spread and many professors and directors of these colleges did not fully know what needed to be done. Sideeffectspublicmedia.org interviewed a student, Xiao, from Italy, who explained that while a junior at the University of Illinois, she headed back to her hometown, only to be sent back to the United States to stay alone in her parents home in California for the 14 recommended days. She told them, “The email they sent was kind of vague,” she says. “And nothing else was really provided, nothing about what would happen to our academics, what parts of our program would be refunded to us. The main point of that email was: we want all students out of Italy right now.” Aside from the title of this post, it is extremely disappointing and scary how this has affected so many students, seniors, athletes, and families lives – All of which will be in my thoughts and prayers tremendously. What I truly want this blog post to be, is a way to find some light and laughs during this unknown and difficult time, but to in no way diminish the realness of this deadly disease and pain so many have suffered.
Here For A Few Laughs
With our normal daily routines flipped upside down, the way everyone is choosing to spend their time has shown many creative outlets. One thing I have found to pass the time easily is the very popular TikTok app. My good friends all made accounts and will post short clips of their parents, pets, classrooms – in the form of school jokes, or of themselves doing all kinds of hilarious activities or participating in remakes of old vines. This has continued to be a very interesting and exciting way to go about my day in the moments I have no further activities of my own. One viral video I saw had me hollering as a zoom meeting for some college students was taking place. One student was the recorder and the others were in on the joke! Asking for a pencil they took turns passing the fake pencil through each zoom screen as the teacher sat in disbelief in the middle trying to figure it out! It had other classmates bursting with laughter at the popular trend clearly the professor had not seen on social media.
Stories like that are what really keep us all laughing during difficult times such as these. Trends and viral videos on TikTok or other media platforms have people trying new and calm activities like painting their walls or things a little more crazy such as playing pranks on one another during online school or in person. It has people figuring out new ways to make money through pyramid schemes or Etsy by the creation of their own talents in painting or drawing – even woodwork! With everything going on remember to stay positive that things will turn around soon. Be careful and safe and respect one another. Keep in mind we’re all in this together. A Healthy You Is A Happy You!
