Unprecedented is the word that keeps coming to my head every time I see the news or look out into the world. Everything happening is truly unprecedented and even as I write this blog I truly cannot believe this is real and the world is truly on fire.
I was in Florida to watch spring training baseball with my dad when the pandemic truly began in the United States. I will never forget sitting in my hotel room after just arriving in Florida when in a 30 minute time frame President Trump announced a travel ban to Europe, Rudy Gobert had tested positive for the Coronavirus and subsequently led to the NBA suspended its season, and actor Tom Hanks testing positive for the virus. All in 30 minutes. It was truly in that timespan when I realized everything was going to change and this was only just the beginning as the virus was beginning to spread across the United States.
The spring training games I arrived in Florida to watch were cancelled the next day as was Penn State classes being moved online and my dad and I thought it best to leave Florida now rather than stick around as the panic and virus continued to spread at an absurd rate. My flight was about half full leaving Tampa, Florida to Newark Airport and during my flight my head just kept spinning, it still hadn’t sunk in that this was all real.
Limit on how much toilet can be bought per household in my area
Since arriving home a curfew has been implemented in the state of New Jersey from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. though this doesn’t apply to me as I was as a delivery driver for the company DoorDash. It has been strange delivering food to homes now with all restaurants shut down besides for take out. Some restaurants won’t even allow me inside and force me to wait outside in the cold and would hand me the order once it was finished cooking. Deliveries have also been largely no-contact at all with customers. People ask for the food to be left on their porches and text once I have left, it’s unlike anything I have ever experienced while working for the company. I have also begun to question whether I should continue working for the company right now. I likely shouldn’t continue to go outside like this because it continues to be and my family at risk as the virus continues to spread worse and worse in my area and across the country.
Store shelves remain empty in my area for basic necessities
As far social distancing goes it’s been rough to say the least. All my friends are home yet they feel so far away. People haven’t really been interacting in person as we try to keep our distance to protect ourselves and the people we love. One of my best friends who was studying abroad in Europe stayed positive for the virus and has been self-questioning himself. He is doing fine as his symptoms are only mild, although it does worry me the fact that someone who I love and care about is fighting the virus right now and I can’t do anything to help him.
If this pandemic has taught me anything it is to always appreciate what you have, because you never know when you could lose it. Though I still have the freedom to walk outside and go somewhere if I choose it no longer feels like freedom. We are all in this together in a fight against an invisible enemy in this unprecedented time of human history.