Worried to see people, worried to run into unfriendly faces, worried about the virus, worried about my family, worried about everything. When the virus first started to hit our world, China and Italy to be exact, I was not as worried because thankfully none of my family and friends live in those places or were aboard anywhere that they could contract the virus of COVID-19. It then started to hit college campuses; Ohio state extended break and so did many other well-known colleges that my friends go to, which then I began to worry. 

Worry about them not being at college and how that was going on for them; worried that they did not have enough clothing home to last longer than expected. I never thought this whole virus would get to the point of campuses shutting down due to the students going home to higher risk states and there could be a chance of a student being a carrier of this virus and bringing it back. More and more colleges began to extend their spring breaks but also started to close campuses slowly; Delaware was one of the last.

Delaware stayed virus free until March 11. It was during my placement for my major, so figure around 5:30, my phone started going off like crazy. I am a very anxious person so I stepped out to see what was going on outside this class. My friends texting me, family, all of them saying “… professor at UD has been tested positive…” I immediately started to panic. Being at an elementary school during the outbreak of this news was not eventful. Nobody could focus and we could obviously not speak of it because we did not want to scare the little elementary students. When we returned to campus, everyone was in a panic mode. Texting parents left and right figuring out how to get home, packing up the majority of the dorms, and saying goodbye to our friends thinking it was the day before a break. Little did everyone know we would be heading back a few days later due to campus shutting all residence halls. 

I returned home Thursday from an older friend driving me, her mom is a doctor so we saw her and she said: “hospitals are scary, doing rounds you always need to be safe and I always wear protective gear into the rooms to be safe…”; my friend’s mom really put the anxiety on now since I was home. I began to worry not only about my immediate family but my grandparents due to the fact that older people are more at risk than people my age.

Going home I did not expect my house to be as chaotic as it is. My parents both balancing their work on top of taking care of me and my brother. Then, my brother has to keep occupied or be on top of this school work. I knew I had to take control of the 2-week spring break I had and help out my family.

It has all been crazy at my house but when the weather is nice we do take advantage and go sit outside on our deck, of course, six feet apart or more from our neighbors, and we enjoy the sunshine and the fresh air. The picture I chosed to attach to this blog post represent the emotional state that most people are at during the time of this pandemic. Everyone is worrying about where to go for food, medicine, and when life will return to normal. People are by certain anxious about what to expect in the future. Their brains can not comprehend what this virus is truly doing so they are just confused and doing whatever the parents say to do. 

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane during this time and remember to always stay inside so we can help flatten the curve!

Alexis Lichten