By Conner Tighe
When the pandemic first began, of course, I was shocked, confused, and fearful for the state of the world. I was finishing out my collegiate career (what an odd way to end the college experience) and found myself in an entirely remote/digital learning environment. Searching out employment opportunities after I graduated became more of a challenge, and I found myself having more time on my hands.
I had a mentor, among many, who I closely communicated with during all this mess. She emailed me one day, asking if I’d been journaling during the pandemic. When I thought about it, I hadn’t journaled since my sophomore year of college. The idea had never occurred to me. She explained how documenting this historical moment in American history would be both helpful and interesting. Then it all clicked.
My generation, among others, will remember these fearful years for the rest of their lives. The COVID-19 virus has killed over 16,000 Hoosiers alone. I wouldn’t be surprised if COVID-19 came close or became more dangerous than the Spanish Flu pandemic. Now, as we’re heading into 2022, almost two years into the pandemic so much has happened and is still happening. Where are your thoughts?
Journaling to me was a simple way of detailing the thoughts and feelings of one’s day and life. You hear stories from time to time of grandchildren finding long-lost journals that detail back to the world wars or later. The pandemic is far from over, but yet I had wondered if I had missed my chance to cover perhaps one of the most significant events in world history. The answer depends on your perspective.
Child COVID-19 vaccines have recently been approved, meaning all age groups now have full access to the antibodies. So the dilemma raises many questions: Will the booster be enough? Will people need to acquire a yearly dose? Will COVID-19 continue to evolve and change our tactics? Thinking about all this is overwhelming, but it’s comforting knowing that you’re most likely not alone in these fears.
Who will remember these moments after you are gone? Will America change the way we look at disease, health, and wellness? Starting today, journaling for even 10 minutes can put your mind at ease knowing your thoughts are documented on paper. Usually, I would suggest simply typing up your thoughts on a Word document, but then that takes away the history behind it all. Paper documentation is more authentic and will be more universally understood when the time comes for strangers to read it.
Sources: The Hill
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