Coping During The First Month of a Pandemic

Did you know this post was part of a series? Check out all of my WFH recaps here!

I went to Kroger at 9pm last night to stock up on my emergency coronavirus supplies which, for me, meant Saint Pellegrino water, juice and canned peaches. Today, I cleaned my entire apartment and washed all blankets and sheets. I’ve been doing laundry since this morning with no end in sight. I can’t wait to get my water bill next month… And as I wait for my pizza bagels to bake in my toaster oven, and my dog Rosie snoozes contently beside me, I write this blog post without any idea of what I actually want to write about. I worry about my students and how they’re coping with everything. I worry about my parents too. And while I feel fairly calm now, my anxiety is increasing steadily with each passing hour and with each new email or news alert about the virus. Honestly, this is exactly why I don’t watch movies like Contagion because I feel like we’ve just been asking for this shit to happen. Now we just need to wait for the robots and computers to take over.

Note to self: When the pizza bagel box says to wait 1 minute before eating, you should listen.

My mind is consumed by the pandemic because everything I see and everyone I talk to is consumed by it. That’s not healthy. It’s good to be prepared and to stay informed but to do nothing but read and watch the news is going to cause an entirely different pandemic – severe anxiety and panic. So, I’m going to eat my pizza bagels and watch Castlevania on Netflix. I’m going to cuddle with my dog and enjoy my evening. I’m going to check in with my friends and colleagues, to make sure they’re doing alright. I’m going to try my best to keep my spirits up and my worry at bay. Because at the end of the day, all I can do is be prepared.

I hope you’re doing well.

Sincerely,

Danielle