A chocolate pecan matzo cake for Passover; Source: Sam Lightfoot
For the past few weeks, contact with the outside world has been minimal.
Yesterday, my mother and I went to the post office with a box to ship off to an acquaintance. When I met the gaze of other clients of the United States Postal Service, they sneered when not a month before some may have waved. We entered the queue, some six or so feet behind the last, waiting. Slowly, we crept up to the next room, wherein the postmen hid behind a wooden counter and plastic shielding. Once it was our turn, a brief transaction resulted in my mother’s wallet getting smaller, and the box being sent on its way to Seattle. Rushing out of the building, we sanitized our hands, removed our masks, and breathed the sweet air pumping through my ‘96 Corolla before pulling out of the lot and heading back home.
We were safe.
For now.
Quarantine is never a fun experience for anyone. Not only does one have to watch his or her own movements, but now the movements of others, with a safe distance of six feet or more.
Some honest opinions of MVs in quarantine include:
“I hate that I have to put my Hazmat suit on just to go to Kroger and see they’re out of flour.” —Duncan Murphy
“It affects practicing.” —Andrew Coyle
“Zoom lags, so no one can tell if I’m slowing down or if Zoom is glitching when I perform.” —Anonymous
“I’m sad now that I can’t see the homies.” —Jonathan Perry
There is just reasoning to this behavior: Avoid others to decrease the chance of spreading an undiagnosed condition that is contagious while laying dormant—and this is only based on what we know so far of the virus, with daily updates rolling out to change your behavior. An important thing to remember is that while this may be a pain, this is also a unique experience, one that will soon end.
But what can you do during a pandemic?
“Lola” cookies: Pecans, Coconut, Chocolate, and oatmeal; Source: Sam Lightfoot
Marching Virginians stuck at home, like myself, take it upon ourselves to not only complete our coursework, but also fight boredom on the side. While I have continued my hobby of baking, one other amazing avenue of relief is the Internet, where meme groups like Zoom Memes for Self Quaranteens on Facebook help students from across the country connect over the mutual loneliness we feel.
Zoom Memes for Self Quaranteens; Source: Facebook
Other groups like the hip new sorority Zeta Omicron Omicron Mu help build networks across the country, allowing people to develop their careers and taste in memes.
Zeta Omicron Omicron Mu; Source: Facebook
Some Marching Virginians happen to be living together during this trying time. One example is the proud duality of Artesia, on which resident Alana Hassett comments “Artesia has been chillin’ but it’s not the same.” Her, her roommates, and their neighbors are still able to do their work, hang out, and celebrate birthdays, yet the feeling that was present beforehand with bustling visitors and mischief is absent now that quarantine is in place.
The cure that drumline has sought is to change the platform for our weekly get-togethers to Zoom, aptly named Zoomie Thursdays. At each week’s end, we talk about our weeks, what we’re looking forward to, and what we should do next: Games.
So remember to stay at home; wash your hands; and invest in Zoom, be it through memes, friends, or Bitcoin.
God bless the Internet.