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2020-07-05
HIST30060
This illustration represents the importance of reaching out to people in times of need. I chose this because it was sent to me by my sister as I suffer from severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and during COVID my mental health measurably deteriorated.
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2020-06-19
HIST30060.
This is a screenshot of anti-tourism postcards that were published when Melbourne went back into stage 3 lockdown. Their purpose was to deter Melbournians from travelling to regional Victoria. I selected this source as I believed this campaign was promoting the wrong behaviour of which we should all treat each other. During COVID, being caring, kind and empathetic to one another is needed in order to get through each day, and I felt these postcards were seeking to do the opposite of what we needed.
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2020-11-08
These cards were sent to the Phoenix Police Department by children to thank them for keeping their community safe. Its nice to see that there is still a lot of support for officers. Law Enforcement is a hard job and sometimes it can be hard to remember that people still care about and support those who protect and serve.
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2020
This is a small article I came across while browsing on Facebook. All to common these days are depressing, sad, aggravating messages and stories, so coming across a positive story was particularly exciting. Thank you to all those officers who provided help and comfort to that little boy!
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2020-08-15
It shows that COVID is real and that it is serious. My roommate was infected with the virus and she got really sick. In the picture she was on the bathroom floor and this is because she was very nauseous and if she wasn't in the bathroom, the whole apartment would've been a mess. We checked up on her constantly to ensure she was okay and we would cook for her. She had to quarantine in her room for 2 weeks since she moved in before us so we didn't have to quarantine as long as her but it was still not a fun time. She is seen smiling in the picture but that is just because we tried to lift up her spirits so she wasn't miserable the entire illness.
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2020-07-03T11:54
In my small suburban town of West Chester, Pennslyvania, the effects of COVID-19 were abundantly evident. People of all ages were impacted in significant ways. High school graduates were forced to stay home under Governor Wolfe's stay at home advisory during a time sacred to spending time with peers before college takes us our ways. The elderly worried about the safety of doing basic tasks like grocery shopping, most likely contemplating if this basic need will be an ill-made or possibly fatal decision. Another major event to be noted was the shortages of food and other necessities in the supply chain. This was a real wake-up call for many families in my town. Anxiety and panic definitely could be seen in everyday homes. I recall my one friend racing to Costco after hearing a small supply of toilet paper was in stock. He ended up spending a couple of thousand dollars, filling five carts to the brim with essentials. The sight of many bare shelves triggered this spontaneous decision to hoard. Many families acted similarly in my area, believing that the only option was to prepare to outlast a complete shutdown.
While many businesses were forced to shut down, a local dairy farm called Bailey's Farm took advantage of the situation. It proposed a unique solution to the food shortage. Bailey's Farm began to increase its food output by collaborating with local farms across West Chester and Kennett Square. This agreement lessened competition among farms, allowing farms to focus on producing goods that they are most efficient at producing. Bernards Orchard grew a variety of fruits. Baileys Farm increased its milk and cheese production by adding more cows to their grassland. Northbrooke farms sold local pies, bread, pastries, and their famous apple cider donuts. Many other farms contributed to this network; however, these were the farms that I primarily worked with. These farms began to deliver goods to the doorstep of families. This solution relieved families from worrying about contracting COVID-19 in grocery stores, running out of food during a shortage, and simultaneously supported local farms. At the beginning of summer, I had hours of free time; I was advised to stay home and limit interactions with my friends. To utilize my time wisely, I began to look for work to have savings for college. Jobs were scarce because of the many closed businesses. I was beyond grateful when Bailey's Farm reached out and hired me as their new milkman to drive their refrigerated truck. Yes, I occupied the small niche of a milkman during a Global Pandemic.
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2020-11-07
This moment is an important moment in American history, as it marks the end of a tyrant. However, it's important to me because it will hopefully represent a shift in the handling of this pandemic, meaning we can get back to a regular life sooner. Donald Trump has not handled this pandemic very well, giving our country the highest one-day increase of any country and the deaths of nearly 250,000 people. I hope that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's inauguration will America get back on the right track. Their current plan for handling the pandemic looks very promising, and I cannot wait for them to work I also think that its really cool that my sister now has a role model that she can look up to in the White House, and while Ms. Harris may be the first, I am sure that she won't be the last.
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11/07/2020
Miguel Ramirez, a St. Mary's University student, shares his remote learning experiences.
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2020-10
I don't know where I would be without my cats, Alvin and Cornelia. This year as been stressful on all of us, people dying, not being able to leave the house, unemployment, schoolwork, the list goes on and on. Without them and their cute, furry faces I'm sure I would have broken down a lot more often than I already have. Alvin (orange) is about 4 years old and is the most talkative cat I know, he's always meowing at us for pets and love. Cornelia (brown) is incredibly anxious, but that doesn't stop her from demanding cuddles when we're about to go to bed. They are a constant in my life, something I am so incredibly grateful for. They don't even know how they make my life better, they just offer the love and want some in return. They are truly the unsung heroes of this pandemic, at least for me.
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2020-05
A lot of people tell you about imposter syndrome when you enter graduate school. I certainly have experienced that, most of the time I'm afraid that someone is going to realize that I don't have any idea what I'm talking about and kick me out. However, I never really heard about not being able to feel proud of the work you have accomplished. I look at the work that my classmates are doing and I often feel as though I am nowhere near as qualified as they are. It doesn't matter what I've done in the past I don't feel like I measure up.
That's why I have my undergraduate degree on the wall right by my desk. If I get to feeling bad about myself, feeling afraid to be proud of myself, I look at my diploma and realize that I have done things a younger me wouldn't have dreamed of. It's okay if you aren't the smartest person in the world. You're allowed to feel proud of yourself, I hope that this reminder helps me when I need it most.
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2020-11-08
This year has been an experience to say the least. After graduating from the University of Texas at San Antonio I began to prepare for my masters program in Public History at St. Mary's University. I wasn't sure how my first year of grad school would go but I certainly never expected it to be like this. I haven't met most of my professors or classmates and I've had to be a lot more flexible and focused than I normally would be.
However, I can't help but think about how lucky I am to be able to go grad school at all, let alone during a pandemic. I am extremely grateful for my program and those in it, they have been so supportive and kind. I feel bad for students whose professors don't have as much empathy or kindness when it comes to turning in assignments or having questions. Without the endless support from my colleagues I wouldn't be here today and I can't wait to continue learning with them, even if it is through online learning and not in-person. I think this will make any time we have in person special and memorable.
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2020-11-08
The map shows how serious this pandemic is in the United States and how widespread COVID-19 really is. This is important to me because it will remind me of the time living during this pandemic.
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2020-07-16
The following is a reflection on my experience in COVID-19 testing and self-isolation, after returning to my home country Bahrain from Australia, where I am a student.
Upon arriving in Bahrain International Airport, travellers are taken aboard buses into a giant white tent-structure. Here, my temperature was taken. Then, I was escorted to one of the desks (mostly staffed by young volunteers) where I give my personal details, including where I intend to spend my 10 days of self-isolation (the Government of Bahrain had only recently reduced the requirement from 14 days).
After that, I had the COVID-19 PCR test taken (quick but unpleasant nose swab). The results are published via the “Be Aware” app within 24 hours. It was, thankfully, negative.
I was also given an electronic bracelet that acts as a tracker, to ensure that I am where I say I would be.
I am driven from the airport by my brother, it was decided that he would pick me up because he had recently caught the virus himself, and so, supposedly he would have developed some immunity.
Spending 10 days in one’s bedroom was as boring as one might expect. My main source of entertainment would be, as it turned out, Ancient Rome. I was still taking a university subject, which was moved online the week prior due to renewed restrictions in Melbourne after COVID-19 infections spiked in the State of Victoria. I did however have to get up at 3:00 in the morning to attend classes!
I did, moreover, end up gaining about 2 kilograms of weight in those 10 days.
The whole experience of travel and self-isolation in the age of COVID-19 is just one example of how simple aspects of our lives (travel, privacy, education, exercise, social life etc.) were changed so drastically by the pandemic. Everything would somehow be more complicated.
This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.
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2020-03-17
When Australia first got hit with news of how devastating Covid-19, many people went onto a panic-buying frenzy, stockpiling non-perishable essential items. This is a photo taken at my local Woolworths with the pasta shelves completely gutted. Toilet paper, rice, hand sanitizer, yeast and hand soap were equally cleared out. Some stores went as far as to post signs out the front of their stores stating "NO TOILET PAPER AVAILABLE". As a young person who lives away from home, my regular diet consists of a lot of pasta (also because pasta is delicious). During this time I ended up eating a lot more vegetable soups, because ironically fresh fruit and vegetables supplies weren't particularly affected by the virus or panic buying as they wouldn't last in an impending apocalypse. It took about a month for grocery stores to re-configure their supplies, and the for the panic to die down slightly. When this first happened, the essential items were piled high front and centre at the entrance of the store: I walked in to this same Woolworths one day with a tower of 24-pack toilet pack stacked as tall as I was. This object shows how crowds can react in unexpected and instinctually self-defensive ways when threatened with a large and sweeping danger. HIST30060.
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2020-07-23
This was an email sent to my brother, who is a third year Doctor of Optometry student at the University of Melbourne. One of his classmates had tested positive for Covid-19, and he had been in the same lab room doing practicals together during this time. His whole class was asked to self-isolate for a two-week period, and his exams for the semester were pushed back as well. Although he does no directly deal with Covid-19 related patients, as a healthcare worker, he must come in close contact with people on a greater basis than almost any other profession. He isolated for the required period and was tested twice, thankfully with a negative result both times. Each test required 1-2 days turnaround. This object shows the steps organisations are taking to ensure proper contact tracing and in taking care both their patients and students. It also shows how healthcare workers, who come in close physical contact with others, are inherently at high risk and need to be extra careful not to catch or spread diseases. HIST30060.
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2020-07-15
If you would like to know why I was travelling, please see this journal:
https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive/item/30217
Travelling at the best of times can induce stress and anxiety. In the times of Covid-19, it is a whole different experience.
I am dropped off at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. The departure screen, usually filled with flight information, now only has a handful of flights on display.
Incoming flights into Melbourne have been suspended entirely.
My destination is Bahrain via Dubai International Airport.
Emirates Airlines EK409 is flying at about a third of its capacity (the Melbourne-Dubai route is, at normal times, a very popular one and flights are usually almost full).
The extra room is welcome, allowing many travellers to lay down and enjoy a little comfort in these uncomfortable times.
Masks as well as gloves are required throughout the flight. A hygiene kit is provided.
I sleep for most of the flight. When I arrive in Dubai, sitting in the terminal building waiting for my connection (which is in 10 hours because of reduced flights frequency), and as a way of passing the time, I join one of my online University classes.
Three months later, in October 2020, when this journal was written, travel is still a very complicated affair. This is the worst crisis to hit the industry since the attacks of September the 11th 2001.
I will not take travel for granted ever again.
This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne.
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2020-03-17T18:07
The story of the photograph is one that many small businesses will no doubt have experienced. That is one of a thriving business faced with the threat of shutdown. The photograph is one of a small business being forced to face the threat of impending financial threat.
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2020-09-16
During Rosh Hashanah Victoria remained in lockdown, and so Chabad on Carlisle - Russian Jewish Centre organised for volunteers to deliver "Challahs, meals, candles and honey cake to seniors in honour of Rosh Hashana".
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2020-09-27
Over 60% of Nevada's revenue comes from Gaming Taxes and Sales Taxes so when everything was shutdown because of the virus our revenue became unstable so large budget cuts were made to education as well as other areas. The education cuts are what concern me the most; not only am I directly affected but so is my community. Nevada is 45th in the U.S. for education so it shows that we will only be going down from that point. Those large breaks in education are significantly impactful for younger children whose brains are still developing.
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2020-10-01
Chabad on Carlisle - Jewish Russian Centre organised a fundraiser for Sukkos: "In a talk which he delivered on Erev Sukkos, the Rebbe described Yud Daled Tishrei as a day when Jews should literally splurge in giving tzedoka. This year, the call for generosity is so much greater due to the impact of Covid, and the funds you donate will be distributed to alleviate financial hardship and enable the celebration of Succos with true joy and peace of mind."
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2020-11-07
I've lived in Las Vegas for almost my entire life, and this picture is extremely shocking to me because of how barren it is. Las Vegas is known for the Strip, and both tourists and locals know that this place is always hustling and bustling. There's always flashing lights, traffic, and tons of people everywhere, so seeing this place looking like a ghost town is unbelievable.
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2020-05-30
While looking at this photo it reminds me of how even in disaster people are brought together. This photo resembles how society has began to change, you see the masks which wasn’t a norm until the pandemic had occurred. The people have come together in order to change a fault within the government. In order for the government to change what is wrong they need to hear the voices of the people and create laws to prevent the action from happening again. Records are kept in many ways but photos have been the best way, photos have given major representation and gives the audience a chance to interpret the picture and understand the time period. Due to the pandemic many people have had to been quarantined but during this quarantine many were able to access the internet and news spread like a wildfire. Everyone was able to understand the injustices that were occurring and were able to make a change. The photo to me, represents bravery and dedication despite any and all conflicts.
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2020-10
Simchat Torah occurred during lockdown, and so Chabad on Carlisle-Jewish Russian Centre provided resources for their community to observe Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah at home
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10/28/2020
This is an oral history interview conducted with narrator Professor Mona Lopez of St. Mary's University by interviewer Christopher Hohman on October 28, 2020. The narrator discusses the challenges and benefits of online teaching and how the COVID19 pandemic necessitated changes in her teaching style.
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2020-03-13
At the beginning of Victoria's lockdown in March, Sam Loff delivered a drash for parshat Ki Tisa
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2020-03-20
Melbourne went into lockdown in March, and shortly after, Josh Blode delivered this drash at the shabbat service for Parshat Vayakhel Pekudei
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2020-04-03
Pesach in 2020/5780 came at the beginning of Melbourne's lockdown, and services were held online. Tal Cohen delivered a drash during Kehilat Kolenu's services.
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2020-09-19
Kehilat Kolenu had an online service for Rosh Hashanah, due to Melbourne's lockdown, and Leah Justin delivered the drash
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2020-11-07
This image is not the most extravagant or inspiring, yet the implications that someone having troubles with travel plans due to COVID-19 affects my life enough says wonders on how everything is changing and we as people need to adapt. I am a blooming adult like many college students and like a college student I have my fees and tuition and books that need paying. Fortunately, I have a loving mother who tries to support me as best as she can, and that involves helping me pay for thoses fees and other living expenses which I can never be more grateful for. Unfortunately, my mother works as a maid for the local Four Seasons Hotel, and is a damn good one at that, but due to COVID-19 hotels closed or have limited staff including limited bookings and guests. People cannot or will not travel due to essential factors caused by COVID-19, the hotel is closed or has limited capacities or has regulations that a surprisingly amount of people do not want to conform too. This makes people lose jobs, this had my mother laid off for months but luckily there are still people who travel and hotels are starting to reopen, so hopefully things can get to a place where no one has to get laid off and depend on government money.
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2020-09-27
Kehilat Kolenu ran services online for the High Holy Days, and shared the drash that was delivered by Alice Chipkin for Kol Nidre
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2020-09-18
For Rosh Hashanah, Caulfield Shule's Rabbi Ralph Genende pre-recorded a sermon and a short video celebrating apples and honey
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2020-09-20
While synagogues were closed under lockdown for Rosh Hashanah, Caulfield Shule provided a 'Rosh Hashanah highlights' service online before Rosh Hashanah started, as well as a standalone video of the Chazzan singing a "Rosh Hashanah Highlights Medley" with a choir in Israel
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2020-09-28
Due to the lockdown, Caulfield Shule was unable to have a Yom Kippur service. Instead, they pre-recorded abridged Kol Nidre and Yizkor services, and livestreamed an abridged Neilah service after Yom Kippur had ended.
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2020-09-29
Caulfield Shule was locked down and unable to hold a Yom Kippur service in person, so as part of their online content they posted a video of "Chazan Dov Farkas and Kolot Min Hashamayim singing Avinu Malkeinu. Dov was recorded in Melbourne, the choir recorded in Israel, which was all blended together with the help of technology!"
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2020-09-29
A video as part of the online programming for Sukkot from Caulfield Shule: "Batmitzvah girls Shaylee Klinger and Hanna Sion teach you how to make Sukkot decorations"
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2020-10-08
"Go online with Caulfield Shule's Rabbi Ralph and Chazzan Dov Farkas this Yom Tov for a Pre-Shmini Atzeret “Abridged Yizkor Service”
Thursday Night, 8th of October, 8.00–8.20pm"
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2020-11-05
This picture depicts voters in Las Vegas voting with their masks on, which is what I had to do as well when I went to vote in person. This is an achievable idea for healthy Americans who can leave their houses because they aren’t afraid of getting the Coronavirus, but for a lot of older and immuno-compromised people, it is not likely. This resulted in many people using mail-in ballots to vote, like my grandparents had to, but we find out that some of the mail-in ballots are being “lost” or are being rejected. This is not how America should be run, we are amidst a pandemic with many people who can’t take the risk of getting sick right now to go vote and be in a closed space with many other people. It is our right, and it is our duty as Americans to cast our vote to decide who runs our country, it is unfair that people who voted in a perfectly legal way are being refused to be heard just because they don’t want to/can’t be around other people during a global pandemic.
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2020-10-06
Organised by a range of Jewish organisations, including Project High Holy Day, a virtual Sukkot party was held online.
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2020-03-07
HIST30060
I was on exchange in Edinburgh when Covid broke out. My fellow Australian friends were very unsure of what decision to take in reaction to the outbreak. Most if not all of us underestimated the magnitude of the pandemic and thought that life would go on, albeit with news broadcasts talking more about Coronavirus than Brexit. Most of us hoped we could "ride it out" in Scotland and still have the holidays we had planned. There was some discussion of renting an apartment and living their together, though this was mostly just talk. Eventually, some of our Austrian friends decided to go home because they worried the borer would close and they would not be able to get back into Austria. This brought home the severity of the pandemic, and everyone was rather glum for a time. However, beer is a wonderful thing. Our Austrian friends left, and us Australians started to have serious thoughts about going home but no one wanted to be the first to say they would go because they feared this would be the straw that broke the Camel's back and their departure would precipitate our decisions to return home. I decided I would go home if one of three conditions was met, Australia announced they were going to close the border, everything in Edinburgh shut due to lockdown, or classes and student events ceased to run. Soon most student societies, of their own accord, elected to cease in-person events without official prohibition. Australia also announced a 14-day quarantine for new arrivals. Two friends said they had decided to return home, I called my mum, we both agreed there was no sensible reason for staying in Edinburgh no matter how much I might wish to stay. I thought I would leave within a week because there was much admin to be done, but the threat of their being no more flights into Australia meant my departure date became as soon as a flight could be found. One the day I went to fly home, my flight from Edinburgh to Munich was cancelled and I had to train from Edinburgh to Manchester and from there begin my airborne journey back home. Manchester Airport was the grimmest wait for boarding in my life. When I arrived in Munich nothing in the airport was open. My next flight was to Tokyo. Everything in the airport was open. I got Sushi whilst I waited. I got a lot, I was flush in the funds with 4 months worth of holiday money was no longer going to spend. I then flew to Sydney. And after that to Melbourne. Mum picked me up, drove me home and I got to see my Dog for the first time in three and a half months. This sort of but didn't quite make up for my exchange ending early. The 14 days in quarantine sucked.
The documents I have attached consists of all the emails I received from the University of Melbourne regarding Coronavirus and students currently on exchange. I have submitted them because they document the way in which Covid has most effected my 2020. Fortunately, I have not suffered as have others. The phenomena of students being on exchange when a pandemic breaks out, seems one which is unlikely to have occurred before, let alone on such a grand scale. I have also attached a screenshot documenting a Twitter exchange with Melbourne uni addressing the fact that their international number was not working.
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2020-10-07
Melbourne was still in lockdown during Chol Hamoed Sukkot, so Caulfield Shule organised treats for their congregation, encouraging people to come down and pick them up.
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2020
Amongst its other fundraising efforts, Bialik College launched a special 'Covid-19 Relief' fundraiser: "Our goal is to ensure no child leaves Bialik College as a result of financial hardship caused by COVID-19. Help us make this a reality and support a family in need. We are all in this together."
They also launched a fundraiser to create new outdoor spaces: "Help us transform our outdoor amphitheatre into a flexible event space. With current social distancing measures in place as a result of COVID-19, we need to think creatively to look for alternative ways to gather as a school community."
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2020-10
This collection of photographs were all taken during Melbourne's second-wave of Covid-19, towards or right at the end of our severe lockdown. After a fairly miserable winter and hundreds of cases each day, the light at the end of the tunnel was often pretty hard to see - but when the announcement finally came that it was safe to start opening up, it coincided with some of the most beautiful spring weather we'd seen. The local shops on the Mornington Peninsula started sharing a countdown until we could visit them again and it felt a bit like being a kid at Christmas.
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2020-04
When the pandemic caused Melbourne to more-or-less shut in March, my year 12 brother who attends a boarding school, and I, who lived in the city to be closer to university, had to move home to the Mornington Peninsula with our parents. All four of us, and our two dogs, celebrated our birthdays in lockdown - and not just any birthdays; my mum turned 60, my brother turned 18, and I turned 21. We had high hopes for grand celebrations which were obviously not possible under the government restrictions, so instead we did what we could from home and the celebrations were very special. Even though we didn't have access to some of the things we normally do for birthdays (e.g. dinners out at restaurants, movie tickets etc.) it was so nice to see the effort we put in to make each other's day special.
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2020-03-17
When faced with boredom, you either figure out a way to do something, or you rot away in peril. During the early stages of the pandemic, Italy was one of the hardest-hit countries in the world, the Italians would have to figure out how to do something when faced with the attached boredom. The residents in an unnamed neighborhood would innovate with this boredom in a fanatisic way. One of the residents happened to be a DJ and set up his rig to play to the whole block.
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2020-11-07
This photo screenshot is from a clip of the LAs Vegas Strip taken on March 30th of 2020, by Michael Quine.
When this photo was first released on social media, I could feel my heart sink. This is the photo that made me realize how serious COVID was getting. My city. The city that never sleeps. Being silent. Out of the seven years that I’ve lived in Las Vegas, this was the first time where I had seen a street completely empty. When I look at this photo today, it reminds me of the day all of our lives changed, but I also think of how this is now considered the norm. Everyone wears masks and hand sanitizers every way you look.
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2020-04-01
This is a TikTok video created and uploaded by user @faunhub. TikTok seemed to become massively popular over lockdown, globally, with people using it make light of what was a very strange situation for everyone, as well as share useful tips and 'hacks' as such related to the pandemic. This particular video encapsulates how bizarre TikToks can get; user @faunhub is dancing tp a speech by Scott Morrison announcing the closure of recreational facilities, placed over a backing track, and making light of his mispronunciation of the word 'barre'. For me, this video and others like it helped to soften the blow of the multiple announcements of restrictions varying in severity and showed how comedy as a coping mechanism was applied in the context of this pandemic.
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2020-11-07
My first steps to contact the VA for Voc Rehab benefits started in the summer of 2019, I was denied, – even with 6 hours to finish my undergrad the councilor wanted me to start construction education and career. If it wasn’t for my new VA representative at St. Mary’s University that showed me much interest, I would not have perused the program again. This email comes after my initial conversations with the StMU VA office back in late April of 2020. Realizing that this email was from another state, I worried if the counselors would be “just” to me being located in Texas. Covid-19 was making things almost impossible to complete quickly, and now I am emailing with people across the country. How long will the process take?
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2020-08
I spent lockdown on the Mornington Peninsula; when the 5km radius restriction was put in place my family and I couldn't help but laugh - most of our 5km was in the water...While there were absolutely days where I felt that my world had shrunk immensely, I was always so appreciative to have the ocean less than a ten minute walk away. I probably visited the back beach four or five times a week, finding that the enormity of the ocean put things in perspective for me and helped me to ground myself when things were overwhelming.
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2020-08
During isolation, myself and many others turned to baking as a way to pass time and enjoy a treat that didn't require anyone to leave the house. Perhaps more than this though, I felt that whatever I was baking was something that I had complete control over, so long as I followed the recipe, and in 'these unprecedented times' as the tag-line goes, this little bit of certainty was precious.
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2020-11-07
Upon receiving this letter, I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement. 30 years in the military sacrificing time with family, friends, and myself have offered me an opportunity to complete and extend my education. Something that I have always wanted to accomplish but could not because of career choices and defending our country. The attachment to this email is the “Decision Letter” that explains the criteria of how the VA has determined my grant into the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Benefits. It was great news receiving this letter, but receiving it comes after my summer registration and start of class.