The rules starting out felt kind of weird in the beginning. It felt kind of extreme whilst at the same time, understandable. I can recall that some rules were that we must stay at home unless absolutely necessary (food, gas, anyone in the medical field, officers, most jobs).

During Covid-19, there were many rules and procedures that people had to go through in their everyday lives. The most important rule, in my opinion, is to wear a mask. Everyone had to wear a mask whenever they went out in public. At work, grocery stores, pet stores, basically everywhere. We didn’t have to wear masks when we were at the beach, the park, and the golf course. But when we were in those places, we must be socially distanced from other people. I remember when my sister came home from going out to buy groceries, she met someone that was refusing to wear a mask. Now, we were about 10 months into the pandemic, so wearing a mask outside is basically a well-known rule. As my sister was standing in line, the lady in front of her was saying she didn’t need to wear a mask. She told everyone in there that it was useless and that no one should need them. My sister just watched on, not wanting to join in the argument.

The day before quarantine, I was with my friend and we had both just gone to a birthday. we knew about the virus but not about social distancing and masks. my dad had called me and told me to stay away from anyone. I was confused on why but when I went to Northern California, I realized that the cases in LA started to spike rapidly. from that moment forward, I wouldn't be seeing anybody for the next five months. when I went up there in November, there were few cases. Maybe 50. so when we went out to get food, groceries, or anything like that, I realized nobody really bothered to wear a mask. of course my family still did but we ended up getting weird looks from other people for wearing one. it was really strange.

I mean, in reality the rules that i had to follow were not that bad. Wear a mask, stay six feet, wash hands, quarantine for two weeks. Those rules are pretty easy to follow. If you want to go somewhere just throw on a mask whenever around or near people. Stay six feet, just maintain six feet from people. (Not that hard). Wash hands, We do this on a daily so its not hard at all. We just need to wash them a little more than we did when Covid wasn't around. Being able to quarantine for two weeks, if you're friends or family or even you have covid, just stay at home for a while. It's not going to hurt you. Overall, rules are easy to follow, you just have to accept them.

Because of Covid, we have to wear a mask if we go anywhere besides our house. I personally do not like wearing a mask at all and I think they are hard to breathe in and very annoying. We also have to social distance from other people at places like the grocery store. That means the stores can only have a certain number of people in them at a time. I think social distancing isn't a bad idea can it help with having germs from one person not spread to another. In the beginning of covid, we had to quarantine which means we couldn't leave the house unless it was necessary like going to the grocery store. I hated quarantining because it was very boring and I wanted to see my friends. Now we don't have to quarantine and we can see people. Also now all retail shops are open were in the beginning only grocery stores were open.

There were a lot of rules and regulations that we had to follow to stop the spread of COVID. Most of them were simple and made sense. Others, didn't... The rules that made sense were simple. Wear a mask; wash your hands often; stay six feet away from others; don't gather in large groups. The rules that had to do with which businesses were allowed to be open, seemed a bit arbitrary... For example, restaurants could open, but bars couldn't unless they served full meals. Retail stores could open with a limited number of customers allowed in at one time, but zoos couldn't. It was perfectly fine for you to wait with 10+ other people outside of a store, but to go to a zoo which was also outdoors apparently meant certain death. The rules that annoyed me the most were the ones regarding school closures. In California, it had been made practically impossible for schools to open. The worst part was that my school was in LA County, by 500 feet! I remember that in April, I went to Carpenteria with my dad and one of his friends. My friend was there too and we were standing about 4 feet apart without masks on. A lifeguard came up to us and started to get kind of mad. The strange thing was that the sign in the parking lot said, "No lifeguard on duty." Overall, the regulations weren't to bad for me, but I was to annoyed with our governor killing small businesses to remember that.

I never liked the idea of wearing masks. Everyone would give you dirty looks if you didn't. I still didn't care, if i was to get covid then so be it! Then eventually it was a mandate. To be honest, The covid virus was the least of my concerns. I really am not worried about the virus, and personally hate all the mandates.

The first picture was taken April 29, 2020. Remote schooling was not going to end, we thought it would only last a couple of weeks. My child was falling apart, I was falling apart. The second picture was taken about seven months later, November 27, 2020. I had been furloughed, school opened up and then went remote again, we learned how to wear masks, we learned how to social distance. We joined the family bubble, in Illinois. I reflect in January 2021 and I want to note that we are figuring it out together. We continue to teach each other. The second picture is my favorite picture of 2020 that I took. I think this picture speaks to the attitude we are putting forward together. This is a picture of my daughter with her cousin, this picture gives me hope and energy.

Personal Reflection

From article: "Each day, thousands of Americans have lost a mother, a husband, a last surviving sibling. These are some of the lives who were lost."

As Different variants of the COVID-19 spread, India continues to give vaccination in hope of slowing down the spread among the 1.3 billion population. Though testing for vaccines of the new variant has begun, India will be giving out the approved vaccines by its government to the people. Though some of the population is skeptical and choose not to receive the vaccine, India has put the drive on a voluntary basis and gives the vaccine to whoever wishes, as they push for immunization of the country. also, as cases soar through countries, India has begun making many cheaper vaccine options that many countries are in line waiting for.

As of today, 3.81 lakh people have been vaccinated in India of which around 600 have had major symptoms and 2 have died. The death of one has been reported not to be related to the vaccine while the other has death is yet to be detected for the cause. India continues to give free vaccines to neighboring countries as a kind gesture including Mauritius, the Philippines, and Myanmar

India has approved two vaccines, one developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and another by Bharat Biotech. The maker of AstraZeneca has told people to consult a doctor before getting the vaccine if you have weak immunity and other health problem that he listed.

Though the world's largest vaccination drive had been opened in India and plans to vaccinate about 300 million people by august, many people are doubting the vacine in India and believe that it does more damage than anything else. These are all speculations that have been spread around and none of them are really prooved.

The Article below speaks about India opening the worlds largest vaccination drive and in hopes to get at least 300 million of the population vaccinated by August. This is the approximate size of the United States. 30 million healthcare workers will the first to receive it followed by 270 million that are over 60 or that have an illness making them a risk for getting the COVID-19

My name is Delanie Cencelewski, I am 20, I live in Kingman, Arizona and I work for a private fiduciary office and deal with a lot of elderly clients. Before getting my vaccine, I really was not nervous at all and did not really feel any particular way about it. When I received the vaccine, I was in Bullhead City, Arizona at a local pharmacy called DeeFLat Pharmacy with one of my coworkers. It was only two people in the pharmacy, one administering the vaccine and one working the counter. The lady asked for my I.D. and insurance card, then I sat in a chair and got the shot. I had to wait in the pharmacy for 15 minutes so they could monitor me and make sure there were no symptoms. I am not sure which vaccine I received. I felt fine getting the vaccine, it did not hurt at all and was pretty quick. Later that day, I developed pain in the area of my right arm where I got the shot and a headache and fatigue, but other than that I was fine. I got the shot on Saturday, 1/16/2021, and am still experiencing fatigue and pain in the arm. I got the vaccine partly due to work because I come into contact with many elderly people in my community and because I have diabetes, so I fall into the 1b category for the vaccinations in Arizona.

My name is Cassidy, I have lived in northern Utah for the last six years. I’m originally from Mesa Arizona. I am twenty- three years old. I currently work at a hospital in northern Utah. I’m a certified nursing assistant. I have worked on the Covid-19 unit and helped many patients who have had Covid in the beginning of the pandemic. I currently live with my parents. My parents are considered high risk. My dad is 76 with COPD, emphysema and cancer. My mom is 65 with an auto immune disorder. At first I didn’t want the vaccine, I was super weary of it since it was manufactured so quickly. I honestly thought it was just over hyped. But working with the Covid -19 patients I realized it affected everyone differently. Even though I personally wasn’t worried if I got Covid-19 . I was worried about catching it and giving it to someone who couldn’t fight it off, especially a loved one. And then I realized everyone has a loved one. And that’s when I decided to get the vaccine. On December 22, 2020 i received my first dose of the moderna Covid 19 vaccine at the hospital I work at, Ogden regional medical center. At first I didn’t even feel the shot. After I received the vaccine I had to wait 15 minutes to make sure I would have no side effects. I was fine then I left the hospital and headed to school and did my certification for my class. The next morning I woke up and my left arm was super sore and I had a really hard time moving it, since it was so stiff and painful. I experienced some chills but other than that I was fine. And today January 18th 2021, I went back to the hospital I work for and I received my 2nd dose of moderna Covid -19 vaccination. I felt the shot this time, the serum was a thicker consistency. My arm is tender and I feel a general feeling of malaise. I was told by the nursing supervisor at work to take Tylenol before my vaccine and to take it following the vaccine, and to make sure to get the vaccine on a day where I won’t be working or doing anything the next day. Unfortunately I work and go to school full time. So tomorrow I have school but I’ve been keeping up on taking Tylenol. I received this vaccine not for myself but rather for others, because I would hate if my parents caught it and didn’t make it. And everyone has a family member that could possibly not make it if they caught Covid-19.

I had stared virtual learning with a good mindset... I would get to be home all day, have no homework, and do whatever I wanted to. I very quickly realized that was not the case, I was occupied with siblings and pets all day, had at least double the work, and spent most of my day on a device. Honestly online school has been horrible. I resorted to social media as my only distraction, I would scroll through TikTok for hours; I related to a lot of creators which brought me some hope that I wasn't the only one with the feeling of drifting away from society, but the second I put my phone down it all came fooding back. Eventually this new lifestyle was normalized and I was numb. If I had to name this chapter of my childhood, it would be loop. Every single day was the exact same pointless routine, I was wasting my life almost. I have learned a lot learning remotely, and am in a way grateful, but also disappointed, yet still very confused about my final take on things. I changed a lot, but I think for the better. Lost and made friendships. Cried and laughed both a great amount of times. Felt nothing. Felt everything.

The first Korean space blockbuster is set to release soon. Korean film and media and culture truly have advanced during the past 5 years of my life and it is good to see parts of my culture be spread far.

With the re-release of Plastic Love onto Spotify, I have been listening to it on repeat for hours on end to help through the melancholic times of the monotony known as these wretched times. This art resonated with me, so thus I submit it along with other art that I feel encapsulates the soul of creative thinkers during this time.

This piece of art was done by a Japanese artist during the pandemic. It is of various Furbies in various monochrome settings.

The picture I submitted shows how I have dealt with the pandemic in order to pass my time during the quarantine. I have started to play more board games with family and friends in order to pass the time and keep my mind active. All of us who play truly have started to enjoy playing the board game Risk as it allows for us to strategize, enjoy each other’s company, and to increase our mental activity. This game is fun as well because it allows us to catch up with one another over this long and fun board game.

The picture that I am sharing is that of our newest family member, Petey. He is a Catahoula Leopard Dog who has webbed feet and was bred to go into the bogs. My husband and I found him online from an animal rescue in which we found out he had been abused which made us love him evermore. We have been wanting to get a new puppy for a while in order for our other two fur babies to have a playmate. As a result of the pandemic, we thought now would be the best time since I am working from home and it affords me to be able to train and work with a puppy. This is important to me because he has become a vital part of our homemaking. We keep our sense of humor, even more, bringing new adventures, and allowing for us to make a home for a dog that had not seen love before. To say the least, Petey has fit into our household great and is now part of the pack.

For 24 hours I felt something weird on my arm but the doctor told me to move it around so I can get into my body. The area of the shot felt sore, just like any other vaccine. After a week it barely felt like anything. It just felt like any other vaccine.

At the end of last year, after some motivation from my friends, I began to stream on the gaming stream platform Twitch. It had always been a wish of mine to do something along those lines, but my timidness limited my capabilities. Considering how much of my time in quarantine was spent gaming, my friends encouraged me to start streaming, while I still had the opportunity. I can't wait to continue in the new year, especially with the support of my friends, so that I can have a small following in the future!

Over quarantine, with so much more free time, my friends and I found ourselves becoming invested into a fun mobile game called Dragon Raja, where we customized characters and created friends from around the country/world. The game had events scheduled at specific times every day, which allowed us to keep track of the days as the months dragged on, giving us something to look forward to when there wasn't much that we could do together.

This past Thanksgiving, I was unable to return home for the holidays. Despite being a busy university student, usually I take the Flix bus from Tempe, AZ to Tucson, AZ so that I can spend the short break with my family before returning to school for finals. However, despite all the precautions that I and my roommates had taken, my father still recommended that I stay at my apartment, seeing that he is a first responder and goes outside almost every day. That, combined with a recent COVID-19 scare on my end meant that for Thanksgiving, I decided that it was my first holidays spent alone.

My story and photographs talk about the beauty and power of nature and how spending time in nature can help us get through the pandemic.

The essay I've submitted demonstrates the societal issues that the pandemic has helped to unmask as well as serving as a personal documentation of my own journey.

This submission is a description of the five favorite things I have used to help me get through the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as I have had to transition to working from home.

If I had to recommend some pandemic hacks for people 100 years in the future, I would say: -Stock up on sweatpants, hoodies, and fuzzy socks! Since you will more than likely be working from home, comfort is a must. -Set your Zoom video setting Touch Up Your Appearance to 100%. It will compensate for not wearing makeup on Zoom calls. -Stop watching the news. It will only stress you out. Your friends and family will definitely be updating you anyway on the latest stories. -Edit your social media to avoid the negative nellies, conspiracy theorists, and political debates. -Create a weekly dinner menu and schedule grocery deliveries once a week. So much better than going to the grocery store. -Go on regular walks to get out of the house and get some fresh air. -Read books with a cup of steaming hot tea next to you while bundling up in a soft blanket. -Forgive yourself for gaining quarantine weight! -Naps. Take a lot of naps!

As of January 12, 2021, I began my final semester as an undergraduate at Arizona State University. Four wonderful years consisting of academic rigor, late-nights, and wrestling with the not so smooth transition to online courses. Admittedly, I still have reservations about online instruction; though, I am warming up to the idea and have had success so far in staying engaged and enthusiastic about learning. With that being said, my immediate goal for the year 2021 is to continue my education and pursue a Master's in History here at ASU. At this crucial juncture in my academic career, I have spoken about it over the past year to my close friends, family, and personal mentors, that the idea of not applying would be a step in the wrong direction. I believe I am ready for all the challenges and opportunities that come with an advanced degree. And so, over the coming months, I will continue to establish vital connections, build upon my existing support groups, and plan on starting Fall 2021 at ASU as a graduate student. Thinking of a future after 2021 has also frequently crossed my mind. I have two prospective PhD programs in mind, but I hope to add more to the list. -Solidarity

Although the pandemic has been rough, there are several activities that help keep me sane during our time at home. We all have to make the best of it, right? The following are five things we did to make the best of this crazy time: 1. We Facetime'd with our children and grandchildren two to three times weekly. Nana and Papa quickly got into a fun routine to help virtually put the granddaughters to bed. 2. We established Friday afternoon Zoom happy hours with friends. It turned out to be way more fun than we anticipated. 3. My husband I found some great Netflix shows that we binge watched together. 4. We took advantage of our extra free time to cook and eat together as family almost every night rather than a couple of nights a week due to busy schedules. 5. We love how restaurants and other establishments who previously did not deliver started using DoorDash. My family has definitely taken advantage of Baskin Robbins ice cream deliveries! This past year has definitely been an interesting and probably much needed social experiment for our family!

Our family holidays consist of fun get togethers full of traditions we enjoy. Thanksgiving is loud, full of chaos and laughter. Christmas means the entire family at my house. We make a ton of food, eat, and open presents, have a Secret Santa and white elephant exchanges, which again are fun, loud and chaotic. At the end of the night we take a huge family selfie in front of the tree. This year it was just my husband, daughter and myself, no siblings, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. We didn't quite know what to do with ourselves after we opened presents so we watched movies all day then ate leftovers for dinner. My parents spent it alone for the first time since 1964. They were sad but they enjoyed reminiscing about their first Christmas as newlyweds. Although it was still a nice day, it wasn't the same. Once more, it reminded me never to take seeing family for granted. It is a precious gift. I hope and pray that this will be the only year we deviate from our family traditions.

Awww poor rich, self-absorbed people. In the past week we surpassed 2 million global deaths from COVID. Our nation’s capitol was attacked by domestic terrorists led by an insane person who thinks he is king. Families have lost jobs, been evicted, and can’t feed their kids. Social injustice runs rampant. Yet this is breaking news on Yahoo. Stop it. Just stop it!

My story deals with how I had to change my gift giving approach for my son in the 2020 holiday season. I chose not to shop in stores for his gifts, to reduce my exposure to the virus and avoid passing on a virus from myself to others. Instead, I gave him gift certificates. This change reduced the holiday joy for me, as I greatly enjoy shopping for just the right gifts for him by directly engaging in the shopping experience in a physical location, and he appreciates the effort and the unique gifts I always found for him. This is a response to the #pandemicprompt on the holidays for Arizona State University, HST 580.

This documents are important to me because they show what I do to help me deal with the pandemic. They are also important to me because reveal a unique perspective and way of interpreting events that I believe will be valuable for the archive. Description of Images: An abandoned glove and mask in a parking lot. Such sights became as common as other forms of litter. A shield hat to protect against Corona. I never dreamed these existed. This tag shows store associates that this item (which was returned to the store) is officially sanitized and can be put back on the sales floor. This is not a tag shoppers were supposed to see, but it must have been missed.

As if the mounting deaths aren’t enough I’ve read stories of mortuaries having to turn loved ones away. It’s hard enough to lose someone, made worse by not being able to be with them, and then finding that you can’t even plan their memorial. I’ve noticed the obituaries section in the paper growing. When I saw this one it just made me so sad. I have such empathy for what families must be going through. So thankful that I am not experiencing the same.

These documents tell the story of my COVID-19 Holidays. It is important to me because it shows what changes I experienced in my holiday plans and offers a unique perspective. Description of images: 4th of July Concert at the Dell Diamond Baseball Park in Round Rock TX. Note the 4-person "Pods" on the grass indicated by the blankets. The blankets were brought by people who had purchased a Pod. Google Santa Tracker Dec. 24th, 2020.

2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all of us and caused so many different changes that everyone has had to adapt to and overcome. However, 2021 is a new year and the potential for great things is huge! In my New Year, I am aiming to: 1. Finish my senior year strong: I have only 2 semesters left until I graduate from ASU and I would love to do this in person! I miss being on campus and I am looking forward to finishing! 2. Having family gatherings again: I really miss being able to be with my family (there are so many of us and I miss seeing them in person)! Seeing the people you love over a call is fine, but it is not the same as being able to hug and kiss them 3. Starting law courses: I am looking to go to law school after graduation and am so excited to start the courses! I would like to take them in person and in the valley (I am trapped at home) and having the ability to study with people and go for food!

Due to COVID-19, some of my holidays looked a little different this year. Thanksgiving this year looked extremely different for my family. Every year, my immediate and extended family go camping together and over the years it has grown to over 50 people. Due to COVID-19 and the fact that my mother and I have diabetes, my immediate family and I decided not to go this year. Instead, we chose to stay home and cook for just the 5 of us that live in my house. We still had the turkey and ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the other goodies we usually eat. It was kind of sad that I couldn’t see my family this year and have fun camping, but it still turned out to be just as nice with only those that I live with!

For this new year I have many goals and aspirations. One of them being that COVID goes away (I know that is not how it works). I want to go back to regular life and be able to see everyone’s smiles. I do not want to be shamed for going out to get food instead of staying home 24/7. I do not want to have to take my temperature three times before going to work. Something else I want to change, is that I want to stop living through historical events. I am a history major and I prefer to read history books, not live through them. It seems that in 2020, if it wasn't something that was going wrong, it was another. I will be graduating in May and one of my biggest goals, although I do not have control over it, is to have a ceremony. I am a first generation graduate and I know my family and friends have been waiting for this day. I also want to get into graduate school and continue my education journey and continue to grow. This year I seem to have a lot more goals and resolutions than I have in the years past.

One of my favorite things that has kept my sane during the pandemic is my roller skates. They are hot pink with light up wheels and the best investment I have made in quite some time. For awhile I would go on long walks with my dog, but after so many days of trying to find new places to walk I was tired of that being my only activity outside the house. After I got my roller skates everything changed. I fell a lot learning how to ride them, but after some time and practice I got the hang of it. I would go to different parks, try different paths and see different views. Plus it was good exercise too.

These are 5 of my favorite things to do and use during this pandemic to facilitate some self-care and stimulate my brain while being stuck at home.

Christmas was different for me this year. I grew up with a big catholic family so we have many traditions around the holidays. Christmas eve we all dress up, have a nice dinner, and go to mass. Then on christmas day we dress more casual, open gifts, and have a buffet style dinner. With COVID being a factor, I didn't get to see much of my family for the holidays. I spent the actual day with just my siblings and dad. Christmas Eve I didn’t get to see anyone or do anything, I just stayed home and took pictures with my dog in our matching Christmas pajamas (target has everything). I had to trade gifts with all my cousins and other relatives individually in an outdoor setting. Some of the gifts I dropped off and rang the doorbell. Other family members I would meet with in their front yard from a distance. This year was a bit lonely and we all agreed that when COVID is over (hopefully by next year) we will have a huge celebration.

While being in the pandemic I've had to rely on a few activities to keep myself centered as I've been surviving through COVID. The first thing that's been a lifesaver for me is video games. I've always enjoyed playing video games but during COVID old games that I've played in the past became familiar comforts during this crisis. Plus I was able to use online servers to play video games with friends. The second thing that's been my favorite thing throughout the pandemic is actually Zoom. While I initially hated the program it's been a godsend for me to be able to spend time with friends and safely connect with people. The third thing I've used has been painting. I've found that an artistic activity has been helpful for me to be able to express myself and be creative while staying safe. The fourth thing for me has been my car. Whenever I need a chance to clear my head I always go on a drive and my car has begun to feel like a safe place and sometimes I'll just sit in my car when things become too overwhelming.

Starting off this year I was dogsitting for a friend. 2020 was hard on me as it was for everyone else in the world but there was something peaceful about ending a year with comforting a bed hog of a dog that was scared of fireworks. Waking up the next day to feed her and go about my first day of 2021 I felt at peace, almost like perhaps this year would be drastically different for me. I'm about to graduate college, we have a new governmental administration that I hope will be more favorable to me, and COVID vaccines are on their way. Then we had an insurrection and I refused to open canvas for the first week of school because every time I tried I was gripped with terror at the thought that this would be my last semester in college meaning that I had to be a real adult soon. There is no functional difference that the exchange from 2020 to 2021 brought to my physical or emotional state. Like everyone else, I'm excited for COVID to be over but I know that the changes I need have to come from myself and won't be ushered in by a new year new me mentality. Throughout 2020 I spent time trying to reach out for help with my mental health and other things I had been struggling with. I think the thing I'm most excited about in 2021 is continuing the work I've started in a world that isn't so hard to be in. I want 2021 to be a year that I am able to spend working on myself and building into a fully functioning member of society.

2020 was rough. I don’t want 2021 to be a repeat. This is my hope for 2021. This is what I hope to accomplish this year to keep myself motivated.

I found this self-help video from one of my favorite historians, GCP Grey, and I found it particularly helpful...and true...and helpful when he was right about the core of Spaceship Me failing from time-to-time. Just as Grey describes in the video, keeping the four prescribed areas of my life in order has been a perpetual and impossible challenge, with a major part of that being because most of my personal focus since March 2020 has been my academic life and success. In that time, I've taken 40 credit hours (6 in my graduate program) in 14 months with a 4.2 GPA. That much success certainly demands the other areas of my life have suffered. To that end, It's time to stop typing and go be a husband, son, and brother for a few hours. Maybe even get a workout in before resuming this academic affair with my digital mistress. Oh, the delays, ciao for now.

This is a brief entry describing some of my favorite personal things to come about from the pandemic. There were many difficulties faced, but still, experiences to enjoy and appreciate.