Environmental Journalism Spring 2020: Comments from Chicago

CHICAGO– I will never forget the moment I lay on my bed and received the email from our university’s president about the closure of campus. We were given a week to completely move out and travel home. It was hard to express my emotions at the time. A mixture of fear, frustration, and uncertainty consumed me. I had to leave my college friends, roommate, and dorm. I had to leave all in-class instruction and New Orleans. Most of all, I was leaving what had become my new normal. 

The Center for Disease Control’s weekly report documents consistently shows Louisiana as one of the few states with a high level of cases. New Orleans, specifically is one of the most affected cities in this coronavirus pandemic. New Orleans serves as an early hotspot for coronavirus, with the city alone battling upwards of 6,300 cases and 400 coronavirus- related deaths. Cases, unfortunately, continue to grow every day at an alarmingly rapid rate. 

It was extremely difficult to leave the city I have grown to love so much. Going back to Chicago was the last thing I wanted to do. Now, as I see New Orleans suffer from afar, I think back to the times where the city was in full celebration for Mardi Gras just a month before. We have since traded parades filled with eccentric krewes for parades of cars outside makeshift testing sites. Now, even over 900 miles away, I think about the dichotomy between February’s festivities and the now seemingly never-ending fight that New Orleans is now forced to confront. 

This is undoubtedly an unprecedented time for us all. My days are filled with ‘what ifs’, whether it be about the disease itself or about school. I have been required to adjust to online learning, staying within my home, and avoiding many practices that were once normal parts of everyday life. It is clear that life will not ever return to pre-COVID-19 practices. From shaking hands to having large gatherings to seeing friends, we will surely have to live differently than before this pandemic. Our country– and the world as a whole– will have to face new challenges as a result of coronavirus. 

I have been forced to adopt a new routine amidst the chaos of coronavirus. After achieving a new sense of independence once I moved into college, I began embracing the fact that I was granted new freedoms. Yet, I now find myself back in my house surrounded by my family. As the oldest child of three, I had no expectations or examples of what college would look like. I thoroughly enjoyed my newfound liberties, whether it be exploring New Orleans or even being in charge of my schedule. All of that is now gone, as I find myself adjusting to life back at home.

Life back in suburbia (where in the Chicago area?) feels extremely mundane and unexciting when compared to the rich culture and allure of New Orleans. I miss the humidity and ability to wear shorts to class, even in March. My bedroom has since become my classroom, and all my courses are online. The shift has been difficult to adjust to, yet I take solace in knowing that students across the country are all facing the same dilemma. I often grow frustrated being stuck within my house with little else to do besides schoolwork. Not being able to see my friends, both from high school and college, is upsetting. Not having physical contact with anyone besides family members is increasingly aggravating. Not going outside, besides walking my dog, is difficult. But then I remember the reason I am doing this: for all of those who cannot. 

I have long admired the work of nurses and doctors, and now more than ever do I feel grateful for their incredible and selfless acts. Our family has a personal connection to those on the front lines fighting COVID-19, as our close family friend, Dr. Rachel Rubin, works as an emergency room doctor. As coronavirus has ravaged the country, Dr. Rubin is one of the countless doctors who has devoted themselves to helping take care of patients. Dr. Rubin works around the clock, often into the middle of the night in order to care for patients with coronavirus.

“The entire way we practice emergency medicine has changed”, she said. Doctors must take strict precautions as soon as they enter the hospital, which include checking their temperature and answering a series of questions about their health. Once cleared to work, doctors must immediately put on masks and personal protective equipment, all of which must be kept on for the entirety of their shift. Coronavirus has also shifted the way in which doctors communicate with their patients.

“Most physicians use telemedicine to evaluate their patients instead of seeing them in an office to minimize everyone’s exposure to the virus,” Dr. Rubin stated. It is clear that the healthcare system has been greatly affected by coronavirus, both for patients and doctors.

I believe that the hardest challenging part of this virus, for me, is the uncertainty of it all. We have no way of knowing when this virus will be controlled. We are unsure when a virus will be effective, when we can leave our houses, and when we will be able to occupy public spaces. Our economy, education system, and day to day life have been severely impacted. For now, we must sit inside and hope that others follow suit.