What does your day look like in the midst of COVID-19?

Well, currently I’ve been trying to get up early to maintain a sense of normalcy. I wake up, check emails, which I usually don’t have any because not only is my life disrupted by the pandemic, but my colleagues and bosses’ lives have been disrupted so I don’t think a lot of people are being productive at the moment.  Most days I try to stay calm as much as possible by listening to music, watching tv, spending some time with my family— any way to distract myself. 

Before the pandemic reached America, how did you first react to the disease?

When I first heard about it, it was something that I was concerned about because people were getting sick, but  I didn’t think it would affect me or the United States that dramatically. I knew that there were other epidemics in the past, such as Ebola and swine flu, that eventually were resolved and that it will be okay because we would all live through it. COVID-19 wasn’t something that I thought about frequently until we got more cases in the United States. Especially after hearing about the cases and number of people infected and people dying, I was concerned for others and now, all of us.

Has your perspective on life, people, and the world changed since the pandemic? 

I guess, at first, it would be hard to deny that I had little faith in who we were as a society. I’m also a little guilty in this situation because I didn’t think COVID was going to affect me, but as it got worse and I followed social distancing recommendations, it was hard to see that a lot of people are selfish and don’t value other people’s lives by continuing to be around others, which made me very angry. After staying home for an extended amount of time and spending time with family, it made me value my family more and I am more thankful that we are all safe. The fact that I have a roof over my head and food on the table, I know that I am very fortunate, as many people have lost their jobs and lost loved ones. It taught me to count my blessings and remind myself to be grateful for the things I have. And also, while there are many people who do not follow the rules of social distancing, there are a lot of people who do great things like all the healthcare workers, janitors who clean for us, and volunteers who provide food for others. Those people restored my faith in humanity.

What do you do to keep yourself sane during this time?

Well, I would say as of now, I’m not doing the best at that — I’m still learning new ways to keep myself sane. I feel like we’ve done social distancing for awhile but the reality is that it hasn’t been that long. I’ve been trying to incorporate new things to keep myself mentally and physically healthy— by waking up early, stretching, exercising in the morning, and yoga — and trying to have more conversations with my friends and family members to keep myself distracted from the media. 

What has been helpful to you during this time?

I would say one thing that has helped me a lot is FaceTiming and phone calls with my friends— like those who are close to me or reconnecting with people I haven’t spoken to in a while. Being connected with people through social interactions and having conversations, it’s been helpful in processing my emotions and handling things. It helps to remind me that all of my feelings and emotions are valid — being able to process emotions with people — that has been super helpful.

“And also, while there are many people who do not follow the rules of social distancing, there are a lot of people who do great things like all the healthcare workers, janitors who clean for us, and volunteers who provide food for others. Those people restored my faith in humanity.”

After this is “over,” what do you wish to do immediately?

I look forward to seeing my friends in person — being away from them has made me appreciate them and our interactions with them. Interacting with people in person is something I will try and not take for granted after this is over. 

As an Earth scientist, what concerns you the most from the crisis?

From what I’m seeing from — I guess, to start, I saw a recent article about our current administration using this pandemic as an excuse to say that corporations don’t have to follow EPA and regulations for the environment. Because businesses are losing a lot of money because of the pandemic, they are allowing companies to hurt the environment. We also need to see what corporations and representatives are doing behind the scene. For example, in the past few weeks, officials in West Virginia, South Dakota, and I believe Kentucky, have made it a felony to protest against oil pipelines, which is horrible. So our environment is still being threatened despite everyone being indoors. That is definitely something that I’m concerned about. It’s very hard to say what the state of the environment will look like after this is over. Another funny thing is that while I have been watching the news and late night talk shows, I’ve heard discussions about how conservatives are saying that the elderly are willing to die of COVID-19, if that means the good economy will be preserved for their grandchildren. It’s funny to me because climate scientists have been saying for years that if we don’t save the environment, the earth will not be viable for your grandchildren. So when there’s a pandemic and the economy is being hurt, they are willing to do something. To make money, they are willing to act, but not for the environment. 

What is one advice you have for others?

That’s hard because everyone responds differently, but I guess what has helped me and might help others is talking to people — brainstorming ways to spend time and process emotions. While social distancing can make it easy for people to feel isolated and alone, talking to people about your emotions and feelings will help us process what we’re going through right now.

If you are writing a book about your experience from COVID-19, what would you include?

The first thing that comes to my mind — that’s really tough  [laughs] — to go off of what I’ve said previously, while COVID is the focus of the media, I would talk about what’s happening behind the scenes, within politics and on a community level. It would focus on the American perspective on the pandemic, but also how other countries have handled the situation because China and Korea have been a lot better in handling this. This could lead to a discussion on how we can better prepare for future health crises. Another important thing to include would be what was also going on in America besides COVID — like unemployment, lack of employment security, the weaknesses in our healthcare system, and climate change.

What brings you joy especially at times like this?

Listening to music for sure. Also, watching animals and pet compilation videos on Youtube or social media— it makes me smile and brings me joy. Talking to my friends and my family has made this manageable. Being able to talk to them has been a blessing.