This page contains responses from the community about daily life in the time of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Stories Responses
#SMCStrong
“I was sad to miss my first official Board meeting for the Museum, but am impressed by their resilient community outreach. It is amazing how we can continue to run the city and county from remote locations. I love the posters left all over town that show everyone we will be strong and when business is open we will be back…Grateful for our capable city staff and my colleagues on Burlingame City council who are forward thinking, responsive and caring during this crisis. #SMCStrong – let’s do this!
Burlingame Councilmember and Museum Board Member – Donna Colson
Photo courtesy of Bryan Beck
“I’m happy with my chickens.”
The following is an excerpt from a larger journal entry/story by Audrey.
“I used to have two dogs and zero chickens. But look at me now. I have three chickens, so I guess my life is good. My life has changed since I’ve had chickens because I have been getting my homework done quicker. I’ve been getting my homework done quicker because the chicken came so now I can do my homework with her. She is kind of like a tutor to me. She helps me concentrate even though she is kind of loud, but she still helps me concentrate. What I like best about having chickens is probably that I have somebody to hang out with every day because usually I don’t. My family has to work and I get my work done quicker. I can’t play with my friend because of the Corona. So this little guy helps me play, so I like it.”
“That day will come soon.”
The following is an excerpt from a larger journal entry/story by Siddhanth.
“…I long for the lockdown to end. The coronavirus is disrupting what I would normally do, like accompany my family on Costco trips, play soccer with my teammates, and generally having the freedom to do whatever I want….I imagine the day I leave my house for the first time because social distancing measures have been lifted. The sun is shining, and it is a beautiful day. A bird sings, and no cars are roaring. That day will come soon.”
Photo courtesy of Bryan Beck
WW2 Memory
The following is an excerpt from a longer essay by Bob Wilkinson
“I suppose all of us try to think of anything in our memory that could possibly be compared to the present crisis of covid-19 virus. For first – hand experience I can hoist up from the deep well of memory only something triggered by the recent required wearing of masks, and of their earlier shortage of supply….During the darkest days of the war volunteers were solicited and assembled at the local school in our rural East Bay community to be designated block wardens whose responsibility would be to look out for and report enemy war planes. I, as a naive 15 year old volunteer, was self impressed with the status of being a warden, officially denoted by an arm band, a flash light and a gas mask – circa WWI. I tried wearing the mask, but it was uncomfortable and when glimpsed in the mirror was definitely off -putting, so I never wore it. But, if people were to resurrect those masks now they would, by their ugly and alien appearance definitely, without question, create an atmosphere around them of social distancing.”
Photo courtesy of Annie Tsai
“…how much COVID19 is affecting us”
The following is a journal entry from Maxwell.
“Today is a Saturday. You might think that since it’s a Saturday, COVID won’t affect me that much, But it does. For example, we can’t go to the park like we regularly do and so we are just trying to go out into our parking lot to play more. Another thing that we can’t do. Another thing is there is a parking lot across the street and we can’t go there either but it is a really good place to play. That has been my personal perspective on how this day has been going. I hope now that you have read my journal entry, you understand how much COVID19 is affecting us.”
Photo courtesy of Annie Tsai
“VERY tired”
The following is an excerpt from a journal entry (author unnamed).
“This is energy-sapping, and by the end of the week, we are tired. VERY tired. On Saturday, we work for our grandmother and mow the lawn, edge the edge of the lawn, rake under the bushes, and blow the leaves and on the grass for the mower to mulch up. Sunday I bake with my grandmother in Washington over video chat. By the end of the week, I have baked two or three baked goods, but I give some of it to my aunt who lives down the street, and my grandma. I enjoy baking during the week, but most of the time I bake on the weekend.”
Photo courtesy of Dana Neitzel
Zoom Cocktail Parties
The following is an excerpt from a longer journal entry by Dee.
“We have attended numerous virtual cocktail parties with friends on Zoom. It’s a fun way to catch up with everyone without the physical contact. Although being together in person is always better I didn’t have to clean house before the party. There have been as many as 18 of us at a time at our “party” and you can see 9 people on the screen at one time. Try it! It feels good to visit with friends.”
Photo courtesy of Bryan Beck
Homework
The following is an excerpt from a longer response by Jacob.
“Since the stay a home order was said in March of 2020, we had to close school until next year which made kids happy at first because they though that there is no homework. After, a day later they were not happy because they heard that there is homework to do that made everyone sad. And now all my friends at home is doing online Distance Learning. And since we were doing a website call google classroom, a lot of people were sending e-mails and our teacher and making our teacher very stress of all the e-mails and things that they need help on.”
