Journal 1

What’s the best advice you’ve heard, offered?

My dad told me that people are doing anything they can to make themselves feel like they’re in control. With the virus spreading and the government taking actions, there’s only so much we can do. But what people feel like they can do to make themselves feel in control...it’s buying toilet paper. Nobody needs 108 Charmin Mega Rolls of toilet paper. It would take months to go through it. But, if one buys that much, unconscious of hoarding it from others, it makes them feel like they’re in control. It makes them feel “prepared” for this wild epidemic. It gives them a false sense of power and security. I think hoarding is the stupidest thing ever. People will buy 80lbs of rice when they don’t even eat 20lbs in a year. People buy gallons of dairy they can’t even freeze and just waste it. Hand sanitizer is extinct. Until this whole “crisis” blows over, people will do irrational things to make themselves seem like they are in the fight too.

What impact is technology having on your daily life? Is this different than usual?

I think technology is being both really beneficial, as well as very distracting at this time. Technology is enabling me to keep up with the pandemic news, letting me know all of the progress that is occurring. I am instantly connected to news stations, so I don’t need to wait till the nightly news to hear very important updates. Technology is also a portal for education - school, as well as virtual tutoring, guitar lessons, and personal training. It is enabling learning to continue without face to face contact. Technology is also very distracting as it is hard to escape when used in leisure. I’ve had a few days where I have just binge watched Netflix and rarely had time outside. I’ve been on my phone a lot facetiming, snapping, and texting my friends, so it disconnects me, yet connects me to the world. I would say that technology is different as right now it’s extreme. It’s being used for everything now. For school, lessons, training, and social interactions. I might need some blue light glasses because it is a lot of screen time…

What does your neighborhood look like? Are people walking around?

I live near a park, and that park is booming. There are so many people, dogs, little kids, and couples walking around. It is a little crazy as I’ve never seen that many people there before. I feel like people have chosen to be inside all this year, but once this social distancing thing hit they decided, “welp, lets go outside!” It’s kind of funny though...they’ve had literally the whole year to go outside, and they’re choosing now, a time where they’re blessed with the opportunity to continue their technological binges. The occasional bikes and runners pass outside, and every so often I’ll see a stroller.