Two weeks ago, Loyola University Chicago announced that in-person classes were suspended for the rest of the semester and that dorms would be shut down due to coronavirus. Two days later, I moved out of my building and left campus to move back to my hometown in Ohio. It has been quite a ride.
It has definitely been an adjustment living in Ohio again. I am the oldest of four children, so I've gone from having only one roommate to having five, along with a dog. All of my siblings' schools have also transitioned to online classes and my dad is working from home, so the five of us are trying to find ways to deal with each other all day. My mom is a social worker, so she is considered "essential personnel" under Ohio's "Stay At Home" order, so she is still going into her office but works from home when she can, so there are definitely days when we all get on each other's nerves.
Even though it has been somewhat difficult adjusting to living with my family again, it has been nice getting to spend some more time with them. We have been trying to keep ourselves occupied with different activities besides just watching Netflix all day, so board games have become a new favorite in our household.
I've gone back to working my old summer job at a hospital bookstore/gift shop, as many of the staff are in the high-risk population for COVID-19 and cannot come into work. I thought it might close when our governor, Mike DeWine, announced Ohio's "Stay At Home" order, but it has remained open because the store sells food, so it is considered an essential business. The streets are eerily empty when I drive to work. It's a strange atmosphere.
The hospital the store is located in has adopted a policy that requires everyone inside the building to wear a facemask. I received mine on Monday. I'm supposed to keep it in a paper bag when I'm not wearing it and reuse it for as long as possible.
Right before starting my second shift wearing my mask. I'm still not totally used to it yet.
I feel a little strange wearing my mask. I keep seeing reports of health workers who do not have enough personal protective equipment to keep themselves safe while treating patients, but I, a retail worker, have access to a mask. Even though I definitely feel safer during my shifts with everyone having one, it's a weird feeling.
The hospital has also implemented a "no visitors" policy, so the majority of the customers I see are hospital staff and health workers. Many of them are appreciative of the fact that the store is still open so they can have some sense of normalcy in their day. The store has started stocking more grocery items as well, such as pasta noodles and half gallons of milk, so that they don't have to stop at the grocery store on their way home from work.
This whole experience is one of the strangest I've had in my life. I am someone who does well with structure and a routine, and being off of my normal schedule of going to class and being in Chicago has thrown me for a loop. I have been trying to create daily schedules for myself to follow so that I don't get into the mindset of being on a break from school, so that is definitely helping.
I am a little scared right now. The entire world has been upended by coronavirus and everyone is in uncharted territory, even the world leaders we mostly expect to know what to do. I'm nervous about the people in my life who are elderly or immunocompromised and could get very sick. However, the pandemic has brought out some of the good in humanity, which is neat to see. Please remember to practice social distancing, wash your hands, and stay home as much as you can.
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