During Coronavirus Darkness, Newfound Family Time Brings Light

By Rylie Geraci

In March, the coronavirus threw the U.S. into a state of panic. Schools closed, businesses moved to remote operation and everyone found themselves stuck in their homes.

Everyone has faced their own set of challenges. But throughout these obstacles, people have found a new appreciation for family.

Clemson University student Bailey Rice was living in her college dorm before the coronavirus. Her daily routine consisted of attending classes, working on school assignments and hanging out with her friends.

Now she finds herself back in her hometown of Kennesaw, GA with her mom, dad and brother. Rather than waking up to get ready for her lecture classes, she wakes up to turn on her laptop for online classes.

But Rice tries to make the best of her situation. She’s been spending time with her family by playing ping pong and going on walks throughout the neighborhood.

“My family relationships have improved because we are spending so much time together. We’re constantly trying to find fun things we can do at home,” she said.

Fourth grade teacher Jessica Nardecchia used to greet her students every morning as they walked through her classroom door. She now finds herself greeting them through a screen.

But Nardecchia faces an even bigger challenge than online teaching during this pandemic. She is 19 weeks pregnant.

Nardecchia said her current situation has made things difficult and that being pregnant “is like another level of isolation.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it is not known whether pregnant people have a greater chance of contracting the coronavirus than the general public, but they do know that pregnant people experience changes that can increase their risk of certain infections. The CDC recommends that pregnant people take extra precautions to prevent any risks of infection.

Isolation has been the worst part of quarantine for Nardecchia. She misses the face-to-face interaction with her students, teachers and friends. But she has taken this isolation time to reflect on how thankful she is for her husband.

“It’s always just been the two of us. This time has made us realize that although we sometimes annoy each other, we’re still really glad we’re here for each other,” said Nardecchia.

Computer programmer Ruth LeBlanc finds herself working from home along with her husband and three children. Their normal life is usually filled with baseball practice, lacrosse practice, band practice and numerous errands. But their new daily routine is much more laid back, although there are still some challenges.

“Keeping Emma [LeBlanc’s youngest child] focused on her schoolwork while trying to do my own work has been one of the biggest challenges,” said LeBlanc.

Even though getting work done has been difficult for everyone, LeBlanc said that they’ve been taking this time to spend more time together as a family.

She said that they’ve been playing card games and riding bikes together as a family, and “Emma and the boys have been playing together more as well.”

This quarantine has been difficult for everyone. Although the coronavirus has thrown the world into the darkness, newfound time with family has helped people find some light.