Bronwyn Mahon
My COVID-19 experience has been filled with many highs and lows. The last year and a half has been incredibly eye-opening and changed my life in so many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught me to appreciate my time with the people I love, to be more present, and to not take anything for granted. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced the pandemic in good health and with my family by my side. During this time, I have learned to adapt to new situations and pushed myself to get creative when need be. The boredom of lockdowns has allowed me to get back in touch with old passions and hobbies. My love for cooking and baking has taken over, leaving no shortage of carbs in my household! This archive is just a slice of my COVID-19 experience, I hope you enjoy!
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OBJECT IMAGE Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits in Quarantine |
OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND RELATIONSHIP TO COVID-19: This object is a delicious strawberry shortcake biscuit! It felt very appropriate to share these baked treats in the archive, considering I spent the first few months in lockdown on a baking/cooking binge. Near the beginning of lockdown I had discovered Bon Appetit Magazines youtube channel, there was no going back from there. I have always loved being in the kitchen, throughout high school I worked at a cooking school and have admired the culinary industry ever since. The COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the lockdowns, gave me time to get back into my passion for food. At the time (March 2020 and onward) there wasn't much else to do than try out new recipes. Unemployed and stuck at home...the only thing holding me back was the flour shortages at all of my local grocery stores. This photo brings back memories of the beginning of the pandemic, where I spent all my time with my parents, using them as guinea pigs with my kitchen creations!
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PRIMARY SOURCE DESCRIPTION: The primary source I have shared is this silly photo of my boyfriend and I on Christmas Eve 2020. We were on our way home from picking up dinner for his family when we decided to stop and admire the Christmas lights. The park where this photo is taken would normally be filled with families taking photos, skating, or enjoying the live nativity scene. However, when we stopped the park was completely empty. I also selected this photo because we had to use a self-timer to take it. Not just because there was no one there to take the photo, but because of the circumstances of the pandemic. Everyone has been so afraid of spreading germs during the pandemic, asking a stranger to hold your phone and take a picture of you has felt very wrong. Self-timer photoshoots like the image shown are becoming the new normal. I believe this is indicative of the fear most people have had during the pandemic and how distant we have become with strangers. |
PRIMARY SOURCE: Christmas Eve Self-Timer Photoshoot |
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PERSONAL REACTION TO THIS HEADLINE This news headline hits home for me. Throughout the pandemic I have been working in childcare as a nanny. My job originally required me to pick the kids up from school, make them snack, play and prepare dinner. Since elementary school has switched to online, my job changed completely. I went from doing after school care to working full days conducting online kindergarten. The school shut down really put things into perspective for me about it is like being a parent during the pandemic. Thankfully the family I work for has had me to assist them but there are so many parents out there who have had to manage their own jobs, plus their child's education from home. Helping the kids conduct school from online also made me aware of how much they are missing out on. Their lack of socialization with peers and other adults has impacted how they act with each other. |
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Activities and Concerns of Canadian Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic The visualization shown looks at the activities and concerns of Canadian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. I find this visualization very interesting because I fit into the age category being studied. This infographic looks at specific activities youth engaged in for their mental/physical health, this includes: communicating with friends and family, exercise, changing food habits, and meditation. The bottom section looks concerns of youth regarding the impact of COVID-19, the top results include: health of vulnerable people (86.5%), overloading the health system (85.9%), and health of the world population (65.4%). As someone the infographic is describing, I personally agree with the contents being shared. However, it is important to note that this infographic only looks at data from the beginning of the pandemic (March 29th to April 3rd, 2020). The data in this infographic was published by Statistics Canada. |
COVID Q&A
Describe the moment you realized how serious COVID-19 was:
I realized how serious COVID-19 was in March 2020, when the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. At the time I was working at a grocery store, where I could see first hand how panicked customers were. People were buying everything in excess, fearful that the store would sell out. At the time I picked online orders for the store and within a couple weeks of the pandemic announcement, our order numbers tripled. Watching the people around me panick really made me realize how bad things were.
What did you learn about yourself or the people you live with during COVID-19?
Something I learned about myself during COVID-19 was to prioritize myself. I've always been one to go with the flow and do what others are doing for the sake of being easy. However, I had some personal goals I wanted to achieve over the last year and the only way I was able to accomplish them was to really set that time aside for myself, regardless of what others wanted/needed from me. This includes doing home workouts and following a healthy diet (for the most part... my strawberry shortcake biscuits would say otherwise). I also prioritized my health and safety. Throughout the pandemic I have had friends who have been far more lenient about restrictions than myself. I've had to learn to say no to hanging out with them in order to protect my family and the people I live with.
Other than wearing a mask, what was the biggest change you made to your daily life? Do you think this change will remain when all lockdowns are lifted?
The biggest change I've made in my daily life is avoiding public spaces. Pre-pandemic, one of my favourite things to do was go to the farmers market on Saturday mornings with my mom. However, since COVID-19, going out in public spaces like the farmers market or busy parks gives me a lot of anxiety. I think I will continue to feel this way and avoid crowded public spaces until case numbers are continually really low.
Have you learned any new skills during the pandemic?
I have learned a few new skills and definitely improved on some old ones! I have always loved cooking and baking but never had the time. Since COVID-19 I have spent so much time in the kitchen trying new recipes. At one point, I reconsidered my entire degree and thought I should switch to a college culinary program! I can say I am much more confident in the kitchen because of COVID-19 and I am really grateful for that. I also learned how to do digital art. I have always enjoyed drawing and painting but its not something I have ever spent much time on. During the pandemic I learned how to use Procreate on my iPad and made some cool Christmas gifts for my family!
How do you feel about university education in the last year?
University education online had many ups and downs. I must say I have been loving not having to hunt down a parking spot before class! I have however, really missed interacting with my peers and professors. I personally feel really awkward participating in Zoom classes and online lectures which has made online school a bit difficult. It's also been difficult doing school from the same place. I would normally spend hours in the library or going to a coffee shop, which unfortunately has not been permitted. I thankfully don't feel like I've lost out on too much with regards to my education over the last year because my program is fully compatible online. I really feel for students who have had to conduct labs online or lost out on co-op opportunities because of COVID-19. Going back to in-person classes in the fall will be really interesting. I am very curious about how professors will conduct their classes and how strict the rules will be. I am both very excited and very nervous to go back to campus!
List one positive thing and one negative thing you'll take away from 2020:
One positive thing I will take away from 2020 is the time I spent with my parents. Being locked inside with them for months on end was actually a really great experience. We spent a lot of timing playing cards, watching gameshows, and starting new T.V series together. Even though these are things we would have done whether or not COVID-19 happened, the lack of change is what made the experience so positive and comforting. One negative thing I will take away from 2020 was how much time I've spent looking at a screen. Between online school, my TikTok addiction, and binging countless Netflix series, I have spent way too much time online. I found this to be much worse in the colder months when there really wasn't anything else to do. I am looking forward to things opening up and hopefully going back to normal in the near future so I can give my phone a break!
What is the best movie or TV show you've watched, or the best book you've read, in the past 18 months?
The best TV show I watched in the past 18 months has to be Schitts Creek. If you haven't watched it, you must! This show was not only hilarious but extremely wholesome. I loved every single character in the show and could not stop saying "ew David" for months after I finished watching it. I also loved that it was filmed in Ontario, about thirty minutes from where I grew up.
How large of an impact do you think COVID-19 has had on your mental health?
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on my mental health. Last summer I had countless visits wiht my doctor trying to figure out why I was so exhausted all the time. I could barely keep my eyes open throughout the day for months on end. I am normally a very energetic, happy, outgoing person, but I felt like that side of me was completely gone. The constant exhaustion took a toll on my mental health. After months of trial and error, I realized I was suffering from extreme mental burnout. Thankfully it was nothing worse but I had never experienced this before. I think a lot of people went through this due to the pandemic and it isn't something that's addressed nearly enough.
How has technology impacted your life during lockdown?
I feel like technology took over my life during the pandemic! As previously mentioned, I have spent way too much time online the past year. However, I have also really benefitted from technology during lockdown. In Spetember 2020 I bought myself an iPad and Apple pencil for school. Not only have I been able to take really organized awesome notes, I've used my iPad to bring out the creative side in me. Aside from it being on a screen, this new hobby was a great outlet for me.
How has the pandemic brought wider acknowledgement to systemic racism in Canada?
The pandemic has brought wider acknowledgement to systemic racism in Canada in many ways. Over the last couple years, there has been a significant increase in social media coverage regarding social issues like systemic racism. With the amount of time people have spent at home over the last year, social media usage has increased drastically. As a result, media related to social issues has also increased. Social media feeds are currently flooded with posts regarding the Residential Schools in Canada. I strongly believe that the pandemic has given people the time to truly reflect on what is going on in Canada and acknowledge the atrocities that have taken place. I believe the increase in media content related to social justice and systemic racism in Canada is a been one of the positivie outcomes of the pandemic.
In what ways do you envision society changing due to the pandemic?
I believe society will change in so many ways due to the pandemic. I think a lot of people will be socially awkward because of the pandemic. I think of students who were just starting high school and they missed out on making new friends in person. I also think people will be socially awkward because the lack of socialization for the last year and half. I can personally relate to this. I went to an outdoor gathering the other week and flet extremely uncomfortable hanging out with people. Another way that I envision society changing is the wearing of masks. I think now that masks are the new normal, people will be more inclined to wear them when they aren't feeling well. I also envision people being more appreciative of health care workers and other industries that were hit hard by the pandemic. I know I certainly have become more conscious of shopping local and supporting family owned businesses. Overall, though, I think it will take years for society to go back to anything remotely close to what it once was.
Now that you are done with both the course and your additions to the archive, is there anything you'd like to reflect on?
I can't say there is one thing in particular that I would like to reflect on. I personally have found that taking this course has allowed me to reflect on the pandemic in ways that I could not have imagined before. Prior to taking HIST 2170, I thought the pandemic was so new and foreign to everyone. I have now learned that pandemics have been happening globally for hundreds of years. Learning how people suffered in past pandemics made me appreciate and acknowledge how priveleged I am to be living in Canada during this global crisis. This course also allowed me to hear the experiences of other young adults (my classmates). This brought me a lot of comfort knowing I was not alone in the way I've felt during COVID-19. All in all, this course and archive have been a really pleasant experience and I hope that future historians benefit from my experience shared here!