Jacklyn Lee Heaton from Professor Hu Ying's "Fantastic Fictions" course shares how living through the pandemic has given her new perspectives on the human race as well as herself.
By Jacklyn Lee HeatonDear Future Generations,
This may seem like a small part of your history lesson, but for me sitting here living through it, it is reality. In my short time on this Earth I never thought I would be living through a pandemic. We have all seen movies and read books and stories about pandemics, even read about a pandemic that happened just a few hundred years ago before my time in the year 2020.
In all honesty, staying home was never a problem for me. I have always been an introvert, able to stay home for days at a time. And when this pandemic closes its chapter I am sure that will not change much. BUT, I will definitely be taking more time to appreciate what is around me and visit the outdoors much more often. Maybe I won't cancel plans as much when I feel down or lazy. It has made me realize how much I enjoy human interaction.. My homebody nature may not disappear, but I will definitely enjoy being able to go outside just for the sake of going outside.
During the start of this pandemic I was hopeful that it would be under control before it got worse, and for a little while, it seemed like it would be, at least in Orange County, California where I lived at the time. (I probably don't live here anymore when you're reading this, but that's beside the point.) I knew that this virus attacks the lungs pretty horribly, so when it began to spread more and more, it worried me. I was born with asthma and a weakened immune system. I always had trouble just breathing normally as a child and my asthma has nearly killed me on multiple occasions. I remember watching testimony from a COVID-19 survivor who said it felt like your lungs worked at only 20%. That hit home with me, since my lungs at 100% barely work at all, and it made me wonder if I would even survive if I caught the virus. On top of that, watching my mother and partner risk their lives daily at work because of their status as essential workers began to take a toll on my mental health. I began slacking in school, which had been moved to online. I admit, not having to leave bed for classes seemed like a joy at first, but even an introvert like me began to start missing going to campus. It seems like my motivation is higher when I am physically on the college campus.
One thing the pandemic has shown me is how interesting the human race is, and how backward we are as a species. We have witnessed people panic-buying toilet paper of all things. Why, you may ask? The answer beats me, and I will probably never understand why people started acting so uncivilized and almost animalistic during this pandemic. There were terrible fights in grocery stores, people fighting over paper towels and toilet paper and bulk-buying everything to the point that there was barely anything left on the shelves.
Buying up food so that those who need it can’t get it is only one example of how selfish we can be when we only worry about ourselves: protesting social distancing practices is incredibly selfish too. This pandemic can get worse if people do not follow orders and go outside in a crowd of people to demand that hair salons open and beaches open because they "want a haircut" or "need a tan.” And what do they do? They do exactly that; they go outside and protest for their own selfish needs. And to those of us who have abided by the social distancing rule, it seems our efforts have been for nothing. Some states, as well as other countries, have decided to reopen some of their facilities and all with different regulations. In a way, it feels like our efforts to flatten the curve have been in vain. Most of us desire a sense of normalcy in our lives again. This pandemic really gives us a new perspective on being thankful for all that we have, including the freedom to leave our homes at any time without the constant fear of catching a virus or spreading it further. If I could give you any advice, future generation, it is to try your best not to take your life for granted. Oh, and of course, stay sanitary. WASH YOUR HANDS AND COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH. Don't be that jerk who spreads a sickness. Oh, and DO NOT justify a virus as an excuse to display unnecessary comments or commit racist acts. It's not funny and it doesn't prevent you any more than the next person from catching it. And for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT BUY IN BULK. Buy what you need, there are other people around you who need to eat too.
Love,
Jackie