Keeping up with the news enrages me, so The Kid and I climb on bikes to ride through Prospect Park; Brooklynites seem withdrawn, more dour. The Kid gets her first online middle-school assignments; The Girlfriend packs up her son's New Jersey dorm room; and as the city empties out, we begin to hear birdsong and sirens.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We've officially crossed over the 100 day mark! And still no hair cut for our son. We did venture out to a local toy store as we had officially ran out of puzzles. It was our first outing and we actually went into the toy store as a family. We all wore masks and did not touch anything during our time there. We were the only family in the store. It was definitely eerie but felt wonderful to be out and doing something normal. It also felt nice to support a local business owner that has undoubtedly struggled during this pandemic due to loss of business. We picked out two dinosaur puzzles. I'm certain we will be back for more puzzles soon.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. It was dad's turn for a photo with the completed puzzle! These two had a lot of fun completing this puzzle together and did this in just one afternoon. Dad recently got his "summer cut" from his sister, a former hair stylist, that we live with. Our son continues to refuse to allow us to cut his hair. It is getting so long! Tomorrow we will have sheltered-in-place for 100 days. 100 DAYS. This was supposed to last 14 days. How much longer will this be our reality?

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We had a major puzzle mishap! Our daughter spilled an entire cup of water on the puzzle. We tried to dry the pieces but it did not work. The pieces completely disintegrated! While we were disappointed that we could not finish the puzzle, we did learn to keep liquids away from puzzles. Also, check out his hair! Although he has easy access to a hair cut as we live with his aunt who used to be a hair stylist, he refuses to get his hair cut. There are so many people out there wanting a hair cut that they cannot get. And here he is refusing a hair cut he can get! Note the presence of a mask on our table. We ordered a few different styles for the kids to try on to make sure they are successfully able to wear them as our county begins to open back up.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We chose a collection of puzzles to complete together today. My son's hair is starting to grow again. I wonder if he'll be open to another hair cut soon. 2 hair cuts in quarantine? It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. This image also clearly captures "Gary the Octopus" a special project that we completed as part of my son's remote learning curriculum.

This series of emails from March through May of 2020 details the measures taken by Starkey, a Wichita, Kansas, adult special needs community living program, to safeguard their vulnerable residents from infection. Among the topics covered in this set are protective measures, social distancing, day program closures, containment of COVID outbreaks in the residencies, and Starkey's phased plan for gradually returning their community members (known as "persons-served" in the documents) to a semblance of normalcy. Moreover, these emails provide a glimpse into how individual businesses and essential services reacted and adjusted to Kansas's statewide directives.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. Immediately after he finished his first ever 1000 piece puzzle, he asked to do another one! He took a much more active role in sorting the pieces for this puzzle. It is so fun to lose ourselves in puzzling. It takes our minds off of the gravity of the world in which we live. Just looking at this photo, it is hard to believe that we are living in the middle of a pandemic.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. After completing a number of 300 piece puzzles on his own, our son decided he was ready to move up and asked to do a 1000 piece puzzle! He let mom and dad help a lot more with this puzzle but primarily only to sort pieces. He never gave up and I am very impressed by his ability to work on a puzzle over multiple days without ever getting frustrated.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. In this image, a glimpse of our family remote learning schedule and some school work are seen in the background. The presence of his "lovey" in hand is also a reminder to remember how young he is to be living during something as big as a pandemic.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. He is easily completing 300 piece puzzles on his own! It's quite the feat for a child his age.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. I love how this photo marks the passage of time for our son. We are sheltering-in-place with his aunt, who happens to cut hair. While all of the hair salons in our area are currently closed, he scored a fresh cut thanks to her!

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.

The Coronavirus outbreak confirmed as pendemic or a disease that is spreading in multiple countries around the world at the same time. Including in Indonesia. President Joko Widodo annouces two positive Indonesian citizens on Monday [March 2,2020]. Then President Joko Widodo on Sunday [March 15, 2020] urged to all Indonesian to just stay at home also practicing what is called “Social Distancing” to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The situation has prompted a new outbreak in our community, likes anti-china ; hoaxes about Covid 19 ; Stigma & Discrimination and many more. Social media is more scarry than Covid 19. Another problem is our community have limited knowledge about the virus. They have learned from media or social media. So why many people are still going out and congregating in groups despite coronavirus pandemic. Based on this, me and my team “CCFrontier” take the initiative to fight against corona.

I'm keeping a Plague Journal, here is today's entry: I struggle to file my unemployment claim in an overwhelmed system; Trumpians trot out a racist description of Covid-19; I work to grasp the virus's severity with everything from face touching to pants buying; and The Girlfriend and I walk and jog through Bed-Stuy.

I think how this pandemic has managed to empty even the most crowded city in the states, and how we were all nervous about what future holds is something no one has ever experienced. Everyone will remember how the world stopped in 2020.

The Smithsonian National Postal Museum has historically collected postal material from times of crisis, including 9/11 (https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_2002.2002.12) and the Anthrax attacks (https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_2002.2003.3). During this pandemic, postal workers are essential employees. There's been a resurgence in the public's use of mail (including letters to thank postal workers), the census was conducted by mail, and local elections have been conducted by mail. The National Postal Museum will review and accession material once staff is able to return to the building. In addition, we hope to collect oral histories from front-line, postal workers.

"The coronavirus museum: how historians are documenting the pandemic. The New-York Historical Society has started collecting artifacts for a collection aimed at teaching future generations about the current crisis .."

Clorox is a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a close friend that works for Clorox and they shared this interview with me. The interview captures the realities that COVID-19 is having on Clorox and its employees. The interview highlights the experience of Larry Wheeler, a senior packaging operator who has worked for the company for 29 years. Clorox employees are playing an essential role in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Wheeler's dedication and commitment to working as hard as possible for the common good is commendable.

My niece was on the path to braces right before California's shelter-in-place orders were issued mid-March. This is her first time in braces, she is one of the first in her grade to get braces, and a handful of her older cousins have braces. The excitement and anticipation were at an all time high for her. And then she had to wait, and wait, and wait. Her orthodontist recently reopened and she was one of the first patients seen. My niece was thrilled to finally get her braces! I am impressed by the dental practice's adaptability and ability to make sure their young patients feel at ease even given the newness of the COVID-19 world. The first photo in this series shows my niece waiting outside. Patients are now required to wait in/by their cars and text the practice upon arrival. They are waved in when it is their turn to enter the office. The second photo shows my niece getting her braces from her orthodontist who is in full PPE. The third photo shows her with a complete set of braces and you can feel the joy radiating from her. The final photos are of her wonderful orthodontist that is taking every possible precaution to ensure that everyone is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In terms of music, the future is very uncertain. For everyone in my band, and friends who play music and survive on it, their livelihood has been turned off at the switch. It's a really weird feeling for society. Everyone in the industry knows how to hustle and change up their thing, but it’s just so uncertain. Many artists have no plans and no clear road ahead. I just started a relationship with someone a couple of months ago. Two weeks later, we went into lockdown. But it’s been really awesome. Having a good person in my life has been really important. When there’s no plans to be made, there’s a sort of a freedom when you can just focus on the day. It is nice to make everything small like that - focusing on the 14-16 waking hours and not expecting too much out of them. Simplicity has been getting me through this. The pot plants are getting a fair amount of attention...” Instagram post on Simon, musician, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“My social life has become non-existent, but my relationships are still quite strong. Isolation has forced me to be a better friend because it has required me to check up on people in ways that I never did before. For me this feels a bit like a break from the constant rat-race of life (but not a vacation). Everything feels slower, which I kind of like. I’m no longer forced to go to events or go out. I'm an introvert, so I love spending time at home. Life feels simple, and slow, and more intentional now. I’ve been able to catch up on lots of reading. I am also enjoying being able to walk down the street and not be harassed. I expected something like this to happen sooner or later. I always had the sense that the pace at which this city runs is not sustainable, so pretty soon it will collapse. I've been mentally and emotionally prepared for this to happen. Everyday people are dying, suffering, and in the depths of misery, which I feel is the norm of the human condition. Peace is the exception. I think that’s why I’m mentally not so affected by the pandemic, because I don't have hopeful expectations for humanity. If we all agreed on the basics that homelessness and suffering is unnecessary, then we could get rid of all of this in a couple of months and save the future of humanity. There’s a lot we can do to prevent this, I just don't think we will do it.” Instagram post on Bobo Matjila, podcast host & writer, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“My work is very much in the community, having face to face conversations. So right now I am having lots of phone calls and zoom sessions. Forming new relationships using technology is hard, especially when everyone is dealing with their own personal stuff at this time. The government will be focused on jobs in getting the economy back to usual, so the environment is potentially going to be put on the backburner. We’re all really concerned about the future of the environment in terms of development and logging. The environment won't be of great priority in economic recovery. I was on holiday when lockdown started. Coming back to Melbourne was pretty shocking, and I was initially grieving the way things used to be. We’ve been doing lots of checking in with each other and touching base, which is really important but also exhausting. We were talking about Covid non-stop for 2-3 weeks. I'm getting better at not talking about it. I feel lucky to have a home, a great relationship with my partner and a job. We need to remember to have gratitude whilst dealing with everything else going on.” Instagram post on Fiona Blandford, community organizer of BirdLife Australia, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“COVID19 has had a huge impact on the film industry, in fact it wipes it out completely. Pretty much every production has stopped right now, which is massive, almost like the airline industry with all the planes lined up on the tarmac. Many people are doing development work to fill the time and adjusting some projects to make them simpler. Content is like fast food at the moment, people are devouring it and are addicted to it. It is likely that simpler movies, with fewer characters, will be shot sooner. This situation will also create innovation, many people are coming up with ways to direct remotely and we could see a lot more animation and visual effects. For me, films are always ahead of reality. There are so many movies about COVID19 already, look at Contagion, almost bizarrely similar - it's crazy! This event may inspire people to connect more to the story they are telling. Some of the greatest art has come from moments of trauma and difficulty. Sometimes such circumstances can push out really inventive, amazing things. This virus is a dress rehearsal for what is really coming, one of the offspring of our journey to the elephant in the room, which is global warming. We do have the capacity to act as one people and work together globally. There is hope - but we need to get ahead of this, not be reactionary.” Instagram post on Garth Davis, film director, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“People are often saying that it sounds so nice and relaxing working from home, but I've been finding the opposite. It’s really exhausting, more so than a day at the office. I think it's because you’re fighting so many distractions, both consciously and unconsciously, all day. For me, art is often mental health focused. The reason that I do the art is for my personal mental health, it's a really good outlet for me to feel calm and understand my feelings and thoughts. But I also make the art to share it with others and build a community of people that can support each other and feel reassured by relating to others’ feelings. I love that people are turning to art as an outlet during this time. I'm a big believer that creativity can help people to reach a state of mindfulness and act as a preventative measure to mental health issues. I’ve noticed that people are being so generous and compassionate. As I go for walks, I notice that people have got baskets out on the nature-strip, offering their things, and sending letters to each other. It’s really wholesome. COVID19 has made me realize that there are so many things we do everyday that contribute to the decay of earth, but are completely unnecessary.” Instagram post on Montana, illustrator, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“COVID19 hasn’t really made a huge difference to my life. I was working full time up until last year, then I quit my job to go back to writing full time. I live alone, and my office is in my home, so I already spend most of my time socially isolated. I'm not sure yet how the pandemic will impact on my writing. I am using this time to do a large amount of reading and take in many ideas. Weirdly, the novel that I published last year is actually an apt one for a pandemic. A big part of the novel takes place in Paris in 1940 as the narrator, who is Jewish, waits for the Nazis to invade France; he is largely stuck in his flat and there’s a curfew going on. So in a way, my novel reflects the current reality. Sometimes a silver lining doesn’t justify the damage caused by the thunderstorm. But I hope that this pandemic will lead to a recalibration of our priorities, away from a fantasy happiness bubble living beyond our needs. I hope the return to scarcity will be accompanied by a return to cooperation, mutual assistance, empathy. Some of those values that we associate with helping each other through tough times I've been making a concerted effort to not rely too much on technology. I’ve made a deliberate decision to read more and I hope this quarantine will lead to a revival in interesting reading for all. I've been reading a book that was written almost 100 years ago. The main message I've taken from the book is that you’re never going to get used to this. The only thing you can do is get used to not getting used to it.” Instagram post on Alex Landragin, writer, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“Tutoring online is kind of bizarre. I'm used to having lots of two-way communication, and using body language to gauge students’ interests, and that's all very different on zoom. Cameras are often turned off and muted, so you just have to assume that people are alive and with you. I’ve really had to back myself and keep going. And you can’t crack jokes because there’s no one to laugh along with you, or you have to laugh at your own jokes Many tutors are certainly feeling disconnected towards students, university and the faculty as a whole. It is making us realise how important physical presence is in terms of forging purpose. Although we assume we are superior to the natural world, COVID19 is forcing people to realise the fragility of our systems. The shut down of certain supply chains has revealed how interconnected everything is. It has also forced us to understand what we need to live, rather than what we want to live - it has made us all question what our actual basic necessities are versus our learned needs. People's behaviour has become more environmental by accident. We just need to hope that there is not a slingshot back to old habits.” Instagram post on Kate, university tutor, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“It’s strange having all this time to myself at home. I'm not necessarily someone who spends a lot of time at home alone doing my own thing in normal circumstances. The first few weeks were very funny to sit back and think ‘What are my interests? What am I into?’ I’ve been trying to do things that keep my brain active, like Boggle, practising my French, and learning some Spanish. Coming back a few months ago from exchange in France has given me some perspective on COVID19. I’ve got a few friends over there who are completely locked in their apartment. Here, we’re lucky to still have the freedom to walk and bike ride at our leisure. I’ve been doing both of them a lot. Earlier in the pandemic, everyone was talking about ‘social distancing’. My mum pointed out that the better term is ‘physical distancing’. You don't want to be socially distant, you want to be socially connected, with a distance - something that me and my friends have maintained. I’ve been feeding off the creativity of some of my friends: weekly Zoom live music; a home-made magazine; a friend is making Vino Quarantino. So there are a few things that have been happening amongst my close circle that keep us all talking, interested and connected. We’ll definitely carry the habit of diligent handwashing into the future, and a greater consideration for general hygiene. The pandemic has definitely sparked that in my house. I get bouts of cabin fever from time to time, but am trying to keep busy and active.” Instagram post on Hugo Ling, student, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“I live on a cattle farm in the bush, so isolation is nothing new for me. I swore that I would never live here, but then I fell in love with a beautiful woman. The big thing for me at the moment is that I'm about to publish my memoir, Untethered. It's a very exciting time. COVID-19 has had very little impact on us. We live quite isolated lives; I could go for weeks without seeing anyone. So it’s kind of funny to see city friends who are usually very busy suddenly wanting to do Zooms and Whatsapps. It’s nice, but I’ve lived like this for so long. The biggest difference for me is actually positive. I feel a sense of being accompanied at this time, as everyone is now living as I have been living. Often, over the years, I have felt quite lonely and struggled with the isolation, as do so many people. Now we are all in this. Adjusting to isolation is a deeply personal process. We all need to find what delights us and add it to our days. As I have compromised immunity, I have to wear a mask when going out. It feels very strange going to the supermarket and not being able to connect with anyone. I’ve been dealing with ovarian cancer treatment, so there is an uncertainty to my future. At this time, when the whole world is dealing with anxiety and uncertainty, there’s a universality to this shared experience. I find this intriguing at one level, and also feel incredibly lucky to be where I am. What most interests me is what we will put back into the world after this. My life won't change significantly. But in terms of our fragile planet, what will people do to take care of it?” Instagram post on Hayley Katzen, author, and their experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“I'm still working here at the supermarket 3-4 times a week. It’s been way busier and at times quite overwhelming. When the whole toilet paper saga was happening, it was hard to get enough products in. My other job is at a skatepark, but that’s been put on hold I'm glad to have employment at this time. I’ve been working here for five months now and I love it. Although sitting on my couch is always good, I would much rather come here and work with these guys and get paid. And definitely for my mental state I would rather be here. The skate park that I have been going to for 10 years is closed. I miss that a little bit. But I’m still skating when I can. I’m looking forward to being able to see my mates. Zoom calls are not the same. It’s weird, you never would have thought you’d appreciate it so much.” Instagram post on James, store clerk, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

A Campolindo HS photography class assignment was to take photos of some nearby location that tells a story. My senior decided to procrastinate and ended up needing to complete the assignment during the early days of quarantine. A trip to a normally very busy Broadway Plaza shopping center in Walnut Creek on a Saturday turned out to be the perfect location. The only people we saw out there was a man and his son riding bikes past this center fountain area. In one of the pictures, you'll see the Apple store in the distance, completely dark and vacant. It looks like a ghost town. It's not this vacant even on holidays recognized by retail stores.

“My life was so different to how it is now. I had a very good hourly job and social life. I really want it back like that. The distance is so hard and awkward. I miss my lovely clients whose house I clean. It has totally changed my life. I do a lot of charity work with the Singapore community to occupy my time without work. We help each other with whatever we can. We give food to people who need it on a continuous basis. Many people aren’t earning money right now, but a way to survive is by helping each other. I hope that my family is safe over in Indonesia. Indonesia is one of the worst Asian countries for COVID19. It is very serious. I really want to shout out to my people “this is the worst thing and listen to the government’s warnings!”. I always remind my family: stay at home. Don't worry about food or money, I will provide. Just don’t step outside the house. I really appreciate the Australian Government, they are doing the best. The cases have slowed down, and there has been a good response and togetherness from all of the people. We must always be aware of what the government is saying. Always listen and do it, it’s not that hard. This is not a holiday, lock down is lock down. I have to go outside to make money. The rest are very lucky to work from home.” Instagram post on Suzy Suzet, cleaner, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

As a parent of young kids I find myself feeling very guilty that my kids are missing their friends and all the activities they were supposed to be doing. We seem to be compensating a bit with extra desserts! However we try to make more of a fun game of it and enjoy the time together as a family. We bought 5 different types of m&m’s for Father’s Day and we did a fun taste test to see what we liked best and worst. The kids enjoyed it and it will remind me of the creative sugar fun we had while we spend so much time at home!!

“There has certainly been an increase in waste due to the pandemic. A lot of people became used to reusable coffee cups, plates, cutlery and straws. But because of COVID19 we have seen cafes not being able to take them, and people are forced to use disposable cups. On campus, we had to close the Choose to Reuse program pretty early on due to fear of contamination. It’s pretty sad to see all your hard work get shut down, and especially from a behaviour change perspective it's very disappointing. On the other hand, COVID19 has brought some opportunity for sustainability. There is less pollution on the roads; more people are beginning to see that they can work from home; and people are appreciating nature more. There are many things people can do to improve their sustainability at home. For example, plants are really positive not only for health and wellbeing, but also for the environment and brightening the workspace. Either people will gain a really strong appreciation for nature, and an awareness that we are not invincible. Or people will not connect the links between COVID-19 and the environment, and continue taking earth for granted. If we don't learn from our mistakes about how to be kind to the earth, we’re just going to face the same issues again.” Instagram post on Raveena Grace, Sustainability Engagement Officer, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

The country had many protests in June. Some were violent, but most were peaceful. There has never been such a large civil rights movement in our history. One particularly touching story is the story of a man who admired his girlfriend's commitment and action so much, he knew that he wanted to marry her. I guess he was considering marriage because he happened to have a ring in his pocket. So he got down on one knee and asked the big question. She said yes behind her face mask. She is pregnant and they call their child "Baby Batman" and plan to marry in September 2021.

Since COVID-19 was an unprecedented event, people tried hard to understand its cause. Many conspiracy theories cropped up. This one claimed that the virus was predicted by the movie Captain America. Here he is shown in Times Square, New York, with a bottle of Corona beer in lights and what could be seen as an atom of the virus. These two elements "prove" that the virus was released into the population. Of course, the virus has nothing whatsoever to do with the beer--it was named corona due to the halo surrounding each virion.

A "mask war" developed in June 2020. Many states mandated that people must wear masks at all times to protect people around you in case you are infected with COVID-19. Some people took that as an assault on their civil liberties, refused to put a mask on, and made an issue out of it. Wearing a mask became politicized, with many Trump supporters and conservatives coming out against mask-wearing. Here is one conservative activist purposely defying the mask rule on American Airlines. He got kicked off the flight, which is what he seems to have wanted to happen.

“Pretty early we shutdown the synagogue, and my family and I made the decision to go into isolation, as I am immune-compromised due to recovering from cancer. Since then we have been lucky to be able to launch a virtual congregation, and that’s been quite amazing. We have daily activities, prayer services and events. We are finding that people are engaging in our program now more than ever before because they are looking for content and, in isolation, are recognising the beauty that community brings to their lives. Things have been brought from the periphery to the centre of our consciousness, including the importance of relationships, value of community, sense of connectedness - many things that we take for granted until they are taken away. As a rabbi, my tradition is a great source of comfort to me, inspiring me to find paths to continue, rather than to stop Jewish life, just as past leaders have done over our long 4,000 year history. The synagogue may be shut, but our community never closes. We accept the need for social distancing but reject any possibility for social isolation. This year we added a paper clip to the Passover seder plate as a symbol of life right now. COVID-19 has required from us immense flexibility: the ability to bend and turn, but like the paper clip, the capacity to hold us together. The colour of the traditional paper clip, silver, is also symbolic, representing that even in this chaos there are silver linings, such as time, awakenings, valuable lessons, great blessings.” Instagram post on Gersh Lazarow, Rabbi, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“We make freshly baked scones for farmers markets and small events. Everything is made fresh on premises. We have been doing this for 9 years. We have been massively impacted by COVID-19. In about 2 weeks we probably lost about 80% of our markets, everything fell away from under our feet. However, we have found another way - we have tapped into social media in order to offer free delivery in our suburb, it has been hugely successful, we did not anticipate this. On saturday, there was a small market, then we did 30 deliveries in one afternoon! At the beginning, we were anxious about the uncertainty and we did not know if we could continue with the business at all. The uncertainty was the worst. Also the timeframe was challenging, we were supposed to be working at a market in the Dandenongs for 30 days continuously. But that was cancelled. So all our business calculations were thrown out. All my family is in Germany, which is quite tough at the moment. There’s a lot that I'm missing out on. Sometimes life throws you curveballs, and you just have to deal with it.” Instagram post on Anja & Michael, scones food truck, and their experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“I’ve wanted to be a flight attendant since I was a little girl. I have now been a flight attendant at Virgin for 8 years. At first, we were all a bit naive with the severity of the virus in Australia. Once borders started shutting, that’s when I realised this is it for aviation travel. That was a bit scary, especially as Crew, because we are mixing with many different people everyday. Of-course we’re worried for our jobs, and it is scary to realise that aviation wont go back to normal for a really long time. The fear of flying and spreading the virus will be around for a while. I did not anticipate Virgin’s administration, I was hopeful that someone would help. I understand why the Government said no to a bail out. They are doing what they can, but it was disappointing from a staff perspective to not see help come through. The culture at Virgin is something I've never experienced before. It is different from other airlines. We’ve all come together and really supported each other, which has helped with the mental health of many staff. Everyone is very optimistic, and our CEO is confident we will be able to get out of this. There’s a real never giving up attitude. I never thought I would live to see something like this. You have days when you get upset, ‘a selfish moment’, when you think about your life and how it has changed. But I try to educate myself about what else is going on around the world, and it makes me appreciate where we are. I love flying, but I've stuck it out for 8 years because of who I work for. I think it would be a huge culture shock moving airlines, and it won’t happen anytime soon. But who knows, maybe one day - aviation is in your blood.” Instagram post on Taliah Bulesic, flight attendant, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“I lost my job as a cook straight away. Since then I've been able to do heaps more work in the garden. We make our own bread, and wine, and now we are experimenting with making stuff that we didn’t have time for before. If we could perhaps not rush back into resuming where we left off that would be fantastic. We have reset back to things that are a little more basic, like human interaction. We don't need a lot of external, materialistic things. This pandemic has shown that we can shut the world down if we need to, which in regards to climate change, was apparently a thing that was too hard. This situation has totally reaffirmed the importance of gardening and self-sufficiency. We have been able to provide for others around us. We have a chance to take a breath in history. Hopefully it can be a turning point that where we were going isn’t the way we had to go and we can look back and say ‘Wow, we actually changed the direction we were heading’”. Instagram post on Tracy Barnes, cook & gardener, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“At the moment, the news industries are scraping just to find stuff! There isn’t much happening. A lot of my shifts have been ‘Go down to Bondi and see if there’s social distancing happening’, which isn’t really an inventive role, and I stand there scratching my head. I wonder when people will stop wanting to see those images. On the other hand, if we didn’t have the media the pandemic could have been a lot worse, they scared a lot of people into staying home (but also scared a lot of people into panic buying). I’d like to think that next pandemic we have, because there will certainly be more, the government will be more active in the beginning, and have everything ready to go. Also, I hope that people will stop panic buying and being so selfish. The scenes of people fighting over toilet paper are horrible. I’m lucky to be in photojournalism though because a lot of other freelance photographers are really suffering at the moment. I used to do lots of portrait shots, but haven’t done one in a while.” Instagram post on Adam Yip, photojournalist, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“Last year I went overseas to work in Turkey. After my return, I was diagnosed with cancer so I couldn't go back to work. Since last year, my life has basically been under lockdown, so nothing very new to me. I just do home things most of the time, such as research, reading, art and walks. I’m really looking forward to being free again. As painful as this pandemic is for many people, we needed this. Everyone is becoming very selfish. Everything has become about the dollar and money, rather than looking around and appreciating life around them. But at the end, they will be miserable because they didn’t really enjoy life. Overseas is like another world, especially in poor countries. But no one stops to think about how these people are surviving. Ramaddan is in a few days' time. There is a mixture of excitement and nervousness. It will be hard because we can’t visit friends and family, or have meals together with lots of people. But a lot of people are working on keeping it positive. This year we can pray just with our family, and it is still rewarding. As hard as this time is, we are going to be part of history!” Instagram post on Sumeyya, student, blogger & model, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“Hospitality was one of the first industries to be affected by the pandemic. Outside of financial pressures, what has been challenging is overcoming the hurdle of being stationary. Whether you are a chef or sommelier, we are used to working really long hours, then staying out late going for drinks. I'm not at home for long - ever. Most of us from the company have been stood down, but we have been given the option of JobKeeper. I’m trying to keep mentally stimulated, positive and active during this time. We don't know how long it will be. All my colleagues and I have kept in touch. I love our team, and we love our industry. We are all missing it alot. In hospitality, you form very tight friendships and bonds, you go out with these people, work with these people - they become your family. It’s a massive blow because our whole industry is about bringing people together, creating culture and stories that will last forever. You can’t do that when you’re by yourself at home.” Instagram post on Alice Diffey, restaurant manager, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“Many of the programs that we run are face-to-face and in schools. So it has been challenging to see many of our programs booked for Term 2 being postponed and there are many unknowns. COVID-19 has also impacted the business financially, our facilitators do not have opportunity to work, and for myself financially it has been tough. I’ve definitely gone through waves. At the beginning, I had this amped up energy of excitement to get creative, thinking of ways to deliver online. Then I hit a down stage. Now I'm able to be more patient with myself and am taking it one step at a time. For teenage girls, school is often seen as an escape from home life and family. It's a different world for them, and so not having that outlet and freedom is difficult. Also in your teenage years, your friendship group is like your bloodline, so lack of physical connection is definitely having an impact. It is ok to ride different emotions at this strange time. I realize that even I am on social media so much more! This, combined with having more alone time, can amplify people’s thoughts about body image and friendships. There is pressure to be constantly posting and being relatable. A huge thing people are learning is to be grateful for the small things. This period is enabling a space to develop intentional communication, rather than quick, rushed conversation. It is fostering deeper connections.” Instagram post on Mandy Dante, CEO & Founder of Flourish Girl, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

As a new-coming highschool student, I was really expecting to have a good fresh year and new beginnings. While we all got new beginnings, it was definitely not good ones. Instead of enjoying my first year of highschool in a normal daily setting, I was strapped to eyeing my laptop from my bed at all times, checking notifications for new work to be completed and having video conferences with my teachers. As it was all so rushed and sudden, for me it was quite an overwhelming experience. At some points I really began to stress from all the overdue and uncompleted work. It seems many people in the world think that we are all suddenly care-free with nothing to do because of this virus, but for cases like mine, that isn't true at all. The message I've put in the letter is to not take things too carelessly, because that's what I think many people in the world are doing right now. It's an important message because you never know what might happen if you don't take a little caution to things.

“I’m excited to do everything that I can’t do now because of corona. I hate coronavirus, it’s annoying. School on the computer is boring. I can’t see my friends. Now that I think of it, I do miss school. People need to stop doing what the police tell them not to do. I saw two teenagers get told off by police for kissing in the park, and also people sunbaking. I'm going to appreciate seeing my friends more once this is over.” Instagram post on Zev, a student, and their experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“The hardest part of this pandemic has been that I have had to put on hold many initial psychological assessments of kids, as they cannot be done online. Families wait a long time to get into see a psychologist and get an assessment, so it leaves a lot of parents worried about what might be going on for their child, which is really tricky. Some of the kids that I see have social anxiety or are on the autism spectrum, and I have found that telehealth actually removes a lot of the anxiety for them. These kids have difficulty being one on one with someone else, and therapeutic environments can be stressful. They’re a bit more relaxed when on screen because they’re slightly removed from me, which is really interesting. Everyone is being responsive to the difficulty of working at home. I'm trying to see my clients in the time when Teddy is sleeping. We’ve all had to learn to adapt. I am very concerned about the general mental health of people in society. People have lost connection, their social interaction, their daily scheduling, and also financial stress and uncertainty. As a society, it’s important to reach out. We need to take care of one another during this time.” Instagram post on Gemma Gringlas, clinical psychologist, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I remember the atmosphere of war time, but that was not the same. And we had the polio epidemic seventy years ago, which had dire consequences for children. That caused some panic but nothing like the widespread shut downs and health controls we are seeing today. Of course, the role of the media was completely different then. I live in an aged-care nursing home. We are completely shut down from physical contact with the outside world. We can arrange to talk through the fence. COVID doesn’t really make as much as a difference to my life as it does to younger people, who are used to being out and about. I’m actually having more communication now with family and friends than I had previously. Maybe the exceptional circumstances mean people want to reach out; could be having more time on one’s hands. Mobile phones are having a huge impact on people’s lives. I feel quite healthy. I survived a haematoma a couple of years ago. All going well, I turn 100 in about six weeks. The world has changed so very greatly over the century of my life.” Instagram post on Ron Taft, retired Professor of Social Psychology & nearly centenarian, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.

This is important because this tells my true feelings about what is happening in the world currently.

I created a video about how to make a face mask out of paper towels and hair bands.