A First Medium Story at the Time of a Pandemic
Well, I guess this is my very first story (um… maybe essay might be a better term). But anyway, I guess some self-introduction would probably be best to start things out. Please let me know in the comments if there are any improvements that should be made in my writing. I take criticism to heart since that helps me improve.
Hello, I’m Ruth and I’m an ABC (American Born Chinese) who speaks fluent Mandarin as if I was born in China, which I am very grateful to my parents for. I’m currently a graduate student finishing up my masters, focusing on Alzheimer's research, which is a fun adventure for me since I really enjoy neuroscience and lab work. Until the lockdown occurred. And now I’m a sitting duck, unable to do any hands-on lab experiments. So here I am, trying to keep my usual happy self.
Okay, well, I guess that was generic… also, you can see my name since you, as a reader, have clicked on this just to read and entertain yourselves because of the lockdown that’s happening in the US currently.
It’s still been a productive one month in lockdown (nor have I left this confined space…) since I’m focusing more on classes, as well as trying to be a bit more social through phone calls with friends, which is a nice experience for me, since most of my friends these days text, and never call. Like many people, I started doing a dating app (also since I’ve never dated before and its a new and foreign thing to me). I’ve made a new friend online, had some guy state that I was catfishing them(which I finally learned what that meant…) since I didn’t feel like giving out my number to the guy… we didn’t really talk a lot and he just straight up asked for my number, and now I’m talking to (texting) someone who I’m currently interested in since they took the time to get to know me! (Wow. I guess online dating is a game of patience.) The guy and I have also exchanged numbers and texted a little bit every day (just a “good morning”, “good night”/”sleepytime for me”, “study hard/work hard”, etc), since we’re both busy with studies or work. He’s very sweet and seems kind. (I feel like his picture is quite handsome too!) But it’s only through texting. I don’t feel confident yet to make a phone call (also since one of my close friends, when he checks on me, he always makes the statement “Ruth, you’re so awkward when I talk to you on the phone, compared to in-person”).
Um…
I hear a lot about first date chemistry from my friends, so… I guess we’ll see what happens… if COVID19 stops soon… that is if everyone is properly practicing social distancing…
I tend to be an introvert. A shy and quiet person, unless I start talking about brains, science, and fencing (yes, the sport where you poke/stab or slash people and get points! No, I didn’t start fencing because of Star Wars). Also, in some settings, I prefer writing over talking… but I guess that goes for a lot of people too.
Since I’ve placed myself into this dating social setting, I’m still trying to figure out how to communicate. When I told my parents that I was doing a dating app (since I usually talk to them about everything), well… that wasn’t the best decision on my part…
My parents are kind of “tiger parents” although they never admit it, (but, they never chose a path for me, I chose my path myself!). They kind of said along the lines of “You won’t ever meet anyone on the dating app. You find potential people in real life. not online. It’s dangerous and people lie!” Okay… I guess they have a point (to an extent)… but also… some people are able to find their significant other online. So I’m curious as to what will happen, especially with the guy that I am currently talking to. But… it’s been almost a month since we’ve texted every day, back and forth, but it's nice. Especially since I’m basically isolated in my dorm complex without a roommate (and human contact… and I miss seeing familiar faces in my day-to-day life). I had refused to go home since I was under the assumption of “hey, I can still go to the labs and work on proteins and brain cells!” But… I guess I was wrong. At least… if I was asymptomatic, I wouldn’t have spread it to my parents, since I’m alone. Also, I’m able to focus on my studies without my parents constantly nagging me to “Do this!” or “Why aren’t you doing this?” or “When are you doing…” (It feels like an endless list…)
I’m not sure what will happen with this current situation. We’re finding more and more cases daily, but also it seems that there are numbers that can’t be accounted for due to lack of testing kits as well as symptoms that appear late or people who are asymptomatic. But what I’m really interested in is the pathology of the virus. I just want to sit down and study it for a bit and understand why it's making so many people sick. It’s heartbreaking to me, looking and listening to the people who don’t make it, and the doctors who risk their own safety for the health and recovery of the patients who contract this disease. Maybe we would have to take a personalized medicine approach since some patients react differently from others from the virus… Also, vaccines take time to make (normal timeline will take 10 years…) but I’m just a student, so I still have a lot to learn and am probably not making any sense with this thought process…
As for my other half of life as a fencer… well… let’s just say I’ve put that on halt for the time being (maybe a story for another day). I miss it a lot, but I have other things that need more attention. Especially not going stir-crazy or letting emotions get the best of me.
