Story Teller: Daniel Leon
Josh is currently 19 years old and lives in Saginaw, Michigan while studying at Saginaw Valley State University during the weekdays however, he goes back to his hometown of Midland, Michigan on the weekends to visit his family. His main area of responsibility as of right now is focusing on getting his college degree of nursing however, he works with the Salvation Army during the summer at youth camps. Josh first heard of COVID-19 in one of his classes during his senior year in High School. He says everyone made jokes about the pandemic at the time and nobody really took it that seriously. In the beginning he enjoyed having a nice break from school, other responsibilities, and enjoyed playing video games online with his friends who were also quarantining at the same time. Once restrictions started to ease off, he would meet up with close friends who had also been quarantining and enjoyed doing outdoor activities with them.
Josh mentions however, that the quarantine got extremely repetitive very quickly and especially in the last few months of 2020, was very draining and mentally taxing. When asked if there was anything he feels like he gained or lost, he states that missing out on senior prom, sporting events and other ceremonies was a disappointment, especially being a senior at the time he will not get another chance to relive these memories. With this said however, he thinks he gained a better outlook on life and does not take simple things for granted as he did pre-pandemic.
Josh has noticed differences in social interactions with everyone wearing masks like not being able to read people as easily or making faces underneath the mask that he believes will be a hard habit to knock once masks are not mandatory. To wrap things up with Josh’s interview, his biggest take away from the pandemic so far is to not take things for granted and be easier going with most things because you never really know when your life can be flipped upside down in the matter of a few months.
MIPandemicStory 