Spring Break of March 2019 started a whirlwind of changes in my life. Before March 13th, 2019, I was living at school with my best friends, taking five classes, and working part time. As of March 27th, 2019, I am now living at home with three other people, trying to find a balance in my quarantine life.
Figure 1. Infographic showing UMass Lowell, My employer, and My family's adjustment to Covid-19. Created by Julia Ashley using Piktochart.com. “Baker-Polito Administration Makes New Announcement on Childcare, Small Business Tax Relief and Unemployment Insurance Legislation Related to COVID-19.” Mass.gov, 18 Mar. 2020, www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-makes-new-announcements-on-childcare-small-business-tax-relief-and.
Figure 2. Photo of the sky through an airplane window. Photo taken by Julia Ashley. 19 February 2017.
I always valued the time I got to spend with my family during birthday parties, family dinners, and vacations. Being the youngest sibling and cousin, I craved the approval and interaction from my older family members. But now that we are all quarantined in our own homes, everyone wants to video chat multiple times a week. My parents want to complete puzzles and tv shows with my brother and me now that we're home. How do I turn them down during this sensitive, lonely time? How do I find the social and professional balance?
Figure 3. Screenshot of Julia's cousins and the game from family game night. Photo taken by Julia Ashley. 14 April 2020.
Trying to complete schoolwork and make time for more responsibility at work has been stressful. There is no balance between writing essays, completing teacher trainings, and helping my mother with technological woes. There is no schedule or planned time during the day. I find myself going stir crazy completing all my activities in my bedroom, but that is the only place in my home that I know will always be quiet. How am I supposed to continue working on projects, make lesson plans, and spend time with my family if I'm stuck in one place? Where does one begin compartmentalizing a life when stuck inside a house with four other people?
Figure 6. Photo of me and my family taking a walk down Higgins Beach, Maine. Photo taken by Chris Ashley. 27 July 2016.
Figure 7. Distorted selfie created by Julia Ashley on Photoshop. 21 April 2020.
Figure 8. Photo of the Sunset at Lovewell Pond in Fryeburg, Maine. Photo edited through Instagram. 28 April 2020.
It seems like such an easy thing to change; 'find joy'. But this took me a few weeks to wrap my head around. I had to adjust my temperament and attitude around my family, understanding that we are all figuring out this quarantine together. I had to organize my classwork, detailing due dates and setting time aside to complete my assignment. Most importantly, I had to give myself time to relax. I log off of all technology at eight, giving myself permission to watch a movie without anxiety creeping its way through me.
Figure 9. A pink gerbera daisy and a pink rose. Photo taken by Julia Ashley. 19 November 2019.
Some ways that I've been finding joy through this pandemic are as follows,
Figure 10. Photo of me and my friends surprising Maggie on her birthday with a parade. Photo taken by Sally McCartin. 14 April 2020.
Figure 11. Photo of the truck I colored in my coloring book. Photo taken by Julia Ashley. 7 April 2020.
In an attempt to accomplish something new during quarantine, I downloaded an app to start learning Polish. My grandmother was fluent, and she taught me a nursery rhyme in Polish when I was younger. This has been a conversation starter amongst my family, my aunt in Chicago trying to communicate with me through small phrases over the phone.
Figure 12. A screen record video of Julia learning Polish on the app Duolingo. "Learning Polish." YouTube, uploaded by Julia Ashley, 27 April 2020, https://youtu.be/ykP0_McUxvY.
Every individual is going to have different hobbies or activities that bring them joy. What has been beneficial for me during this quarantine and through other anxious parts of my life, has been meditation. For me, this is a very informal event. I set aside a few minutes in the middle of the day to focus on my breathing and quiet my brain. I often visualize a calming scenery, similar to this image of a sunset. As college students, we never have just one activity that needs to be completed during the day, we may have family or work obligations that interrupt our focus. I think individuals at all ages and especially college students can benefit from meditation.
Figure 13. Photo of the sunset on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Taken by Julia Ashley. 13 June 2018.
Now that I have started to find a balance in my quarantine experience, my co-teachers and I are helping our families find a balance at their own homes. The highlight of my day is always logging onto zoom and seeing my children. For thirty minutes, we have some semblance of normal, learning about our colors in spanish and sight words. Parents have been so appreciative of our continued dedication to their children, and it reminds me that we are bigger than this pandemic.
Figure 14. My family on a lookout at the top of Loon Mountain. Taken by Julia Ashley. 14 August 2017.
Normally, hearing my students interrupt a teacher in the middle of a sentence would make me irritated. But at the end of our circle time meeting one morning, one of my students interrupted, telling us she misses us all and wish we didn't have to say goodbye. So now, we don't say goodbye; we end with virtual hugs and a countdown until the next morning meeting.
Figure 15. Photograph of a sign I made for my children at work, reminding them that we all miss them. Taken by Julia Ashley. 27 April 2020.
In this time of mass hysteria, we are forced to stay home and wait. Wait for things to get better, wait for everyday heroes to continue to keep us safe. The more time I spend apart from my family, friends, and co-workers, The more appreciation I gain for them all. I hope at the end of this, we as a society continue to balance our lives the way we did in quarantine. Making time for our family, children, friends, leisure activities, and more. I know at the end of this pandemic, the first thing I'm going to do is hug my extended family and friends, not taking another second for granted.
Figure 16. Photograph of me and my cousins at my grandmother's 90th Birthday Party. Taken by Chris Ashley. 9 April 2016.
Credits:
Created with an image by Anđela Stamenković - "untitled image"