CoviDiaries

During this historic time, I’ve heard we are supposed to be writing about what we are doing and how we are keeping sane during this time. So we have something to look back on and remember later in life. Lots of people are talking about how this will be in future history books. And not just the virus but the reactions, the way our leaders handled it, and how our economy survived it.

However, I am not here to talk about our leaders or our economy because I think people are probably sick of reading about those things. I am here to talk about myself and what life is like on a personal level. I don’t think I have properly introduced myself. Hi. I am Katherine. I am an 18-year-old female living in America during these crazy times.

I was born in Germany. My parents work for the military and birthed all four of their children in Germany. I lived there my entire life, but I do have an American passport. I have a lot of family and friends scattered around America. My family visited America usually every three years to see aunts and uncles and cousins and old friends. And the years in between those three years we would visit England because that is where my dad's family is. Oh. Did I mention I am also English?

Anyways, I graduated high school on June 5th, 2019. After that, I moved to America to go to college. I currently go to James Madison University in Virginia. This is also the same school my mom went to. According to my siblings, this makes me a kiss-ass. During all this craziness, I wasn’t able to fly home so I am currently still in America living with my “aunt.” By “aunt” I mean one of my mom's best friends from college that she is still best friends with. The point I am trying to make is I am an American, stuck in America, even though I really should be in Germany. Oh and on top of that, I am also a type one diabetic. Which means I am immunocompromised during the worst time to be immunocompromised.

I am so used to being on a campus where I was constantly walking around and always doing something. I also had consistent food that was already made and it was pretty much everywhere. Before quarantine, I hadn’t made a meal since January! And now, four out of seven days I have to fend for myself. Drink normal coffee, make homecooked meals, and just do everything in one place. Now, I can complain all day about not having my Dunkin’ coffee and my D-Hall pasta. But honestly, this hasn’t been too bad. I enjoy going outside and seeing my friends, but being stuck inside and having access to all the things I need access too really hasn't been a big deal. My aunt even said she was happy that I am so okay being stuck in the house because some people have kids that can’t do it and are breaking the rules because they need constant contact with people other than their family.

One of my biggest pet peeves during this whole pandemic is people complaining about being with their family. I would give ANYTHING to be stuck with my family right now. Knowing they are an 8-hour plane flight away but I can’t really fly is like knowing there is ice cream in the freezer but my blood sugar is too high to eat it. Not a very fair comparison but the point is that it’s just in my reach yet I can’t get to it. I talk to my parents and siblings almost every day but it isn’t the same as being able to sit on the couch and watch horror movies with my dad or watch RuPaul's Drag Race with my mom or listen to my sister ramble on and on about the Avengers while I curl her hair or sit upstairs with my other sibling and play Super Smash Bros.

I think the point of my crazy rambling is that we should take this time to really cherish the people around us. As much as we get annoyed by our family and want to be anywhere else but at home, there are people that wish they could be with their family, even if that meant being constantly ignored by them. I’d take fighting with my siblings over not seeing them at all. And there are people out there losing their family members. So I can’t even complain about it too much because at least my family members are alive. Take advantage of this time. Learn who your little sister is crushing on, work out with your dad, cook with your mom, play board games with the whole family. Use this time to make amazing memories so it doesn’t seem as bad as it is when you look back on it.

I don’t want anyone to feel like I am scolding them or anything, these are just thoughts I have had while being stuck inside and watching The Avengers: Endgame for the fifth time because it’s such an amazing movie. I will also come back and write more about other topics because I wholeheartedly enjoy writing and everything that comes with writing. Did I mention I am an English major?

Anyways, stay safe everyone!

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