Crownvirus
Do you know the beginning of those apocalyptic viral/bacterial horror movies where the main character is just living life while the evil bacteria/virus is either very small or not even existent? And then all of a sudden the main character hears that this epidemic is just getting worse and worse, and the main character is just trying to survive? That’s how I feel right now with this COVID-19 pandemic. These past few weeks have been very hectic with this viral pandemic:
WEEK 1: 2 Weeks before Spring Break:
COVID-19 had just broken out and causing some mild panic in China and I, the best main character, is just under the weather. Sick with something (which still to this day was never diagnosed) that took the energy out of me. I was planning on going with Chile with the choir, I was sure I would be healthy by the time my sickness has gone away. COVID-19 was just a small flu-like virus that just broke out into the world. I did not pay any mind to it, I was just focused on my schoolwork and just living my life. COVID-19 soon started to spread more. It caused some panic within our campus but I continued to focus on my schoolwork. I didn’t believe that this outbreak would be big enough to cause problems in my schedules.
WEEK 2: Week before Spring Break:
COVID-19 started to spread through the United States and caused some panic within the campus. I started talking to my fellow choir friends about the future of the Chile trip for us. Talks of quarantine at the airport, the uncertainty of itinerary for the Chile Trip, and getting over my sickness did not make me any more confident in this trip and this virus. It didn’t take multiple talks with my friends and my mom helped me see. I ended up stepping down from the Chile Trip, just for it to be officially canceled later that night. I decided to stay on campus, I figured that with the last-minute change in spring break plans I could stay at Juniata to work and get work done.
Week 3: Spring Break (pt. 1)
Spring Break has started and my roommate and I were so ready to work. More me than him since I had only worked two different events this entire year. I was stoked to be back in the theater! I enjoyed working with different performers. We were working with the local Huntingdon Dance Academy to produce their small show of three different fairy tales: The Three Little Pigs, Peter, and the Wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood. The spread of COVID-19 continues to spread around the United States to the point of closure. Our job was canceled for the rest of the semester, all non-essential businesses had closed and we were stuck on campus. We had nothing to do other than watch Netflix and Hulu and just stay in our dorm. Most of our friends were off-campus because of the break. We felt that we were going to go crazy, and it was only a week into the break, who knew what would happen week three when we had classes starting.
Week 4: Week after Original Spring Break/Extended Spring Break
My roommate and I were definitely feeling Cabin Fever being stuck in our dorm. Just watching Hulu and Netflix while we waited for our teachers to give us information about what was going to happen with our classes felt like a lifetime. Then, because of Corona, the worst-case scenario happened on campus: Juniata closed for the semester. I was really hoping it wasn’t going to happen but when it did, both my roommate and I were in overdrive figuring out what to do about moving out. We both lived over 500 miles outside campus so it wasn’t easy for us to move out. I was calling my mom and my sister and texting a few other classmates to figure out what I needed to do.
Week 5: Now
What really got me mad was the fact that not only did PA had less than 500 cases, but they were forcing us to move out and some of us lived in states and cities where it was more prevalent. My roommate lived in Chicago and I lived in New Jersey, where it was very prevalent where there were more than 500 cases and counting. I did not want to go back to somewhere where it was more prevalent, but I couldn’t stay on campus. Within a few days, we both were able to make arrangements to get off-campus. I was able to get my stuff stored near campus and was able to figure out how to fly out home. Although I am from New Jersey, I was figuring out how to fly out to Florida because my mother lived there. After talking to my family we had figured out a temporary plan: My sister driving up to pick me up and crashing at her place until I fly out to Florida. Between classes starting and figuring out a flight AND trying to avoid being quarantined, it was not fun balancing it all. Also including the fact that there were over 100 confirmed cases being added every day. I was scared that I was going to be stuck in New Jersey for weeks. To add insult to injury, Florida was talking about shutting down some airports as well as quarantining flights out of New York and New Jersey. The main character needed to get out of the infected state as soon as possible…
He found a solution called the Philly International Airport. The airport was in Philly (obviously) which was in Pennsylvania, so I didn’t have to worry about getting quarantined when I arrived in Florida. After figuring out a flight, I packed as fast as I could (might have left a few things) and headed straight to the airport. This is when the main character notices how severe this actual pandemic is. When my sister and I pulled up to the Philly airport, it was the EMPTIEST I have ever seen. We drove through 4 terminals and probably saw less than 10 cars. This airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and it was close to empty. Normally check-in and security take almost an hour. I was at my gate, eating Crabfries from Chickie’s and Pete’s on Zoom for class in under 10 minutes. Not only that, but we also boarded and was in the sky within 30 minutes. CRAZY!! The one-time Coronavirus had made things easier: flying during a pandemic is fun. Now, what is next for our hero? We will find out soon!
