How are you feeling right now in the midst of a pandemic?

That is a hard question to answer because I feel like, I guess the best word to describe it is uprooted. I feel like everything that was grounding me pre-pandemic including socializing, being able to visit my favorite local spots, going out the gym, and even being able to rely on things like groceries all kind of has been turned down the heads. So, I’m feeling  very uprooted and anxious. I’ve been feeling very pessimistic about how long this pandemic will subside because right now as of April 2020, we have no vaccine or systemic way to cure the virus. And, people all over the U.S. are protesting because they don’t want shelter in place, and the virus is continuing to spread. Just yesterday, Georgia had 600 new cases. So, it’s hard to see an end to the situation. I know it’s causing almost everyone severe anxiety. I just hope we can get through it.

What do you do to keep yourself sane?

That’s a great question. Well I’ve been basically trying to create kind of a fake schedule for myself. So everyday, I try to wake up at nine; and then I wake up and I go through the  routine of getting ready for the day like I’m going to work somewhere. So I shower, make breakfast, and put on jeans or even a dress. I’ll go sit down at my computer  and try to do work or do personal projects throughout the day. And then in the evening, I exercise — go out for a walk or work out at home — and then I make dinner. At night I have recreational personal time. I think keeping that strict schedule gives structure to my life in some way. So that’s been helping a lot. I’ve been taking this time to reconnect with my friends. I try to talk to a friend on the phone every other day. Cause right now everyone is deprived of in-person social contact. I’ve also been taking personal art projects that I’ve wanted to work on before but I never had the focus to start. I’ve been water painting, reading more, and I’m trying to start a podcast.

Before the COVID-19 affected the U.S, how did you first react to the disease?

So I first really started paying attention to COVID-19 around Chinese New Year — in late January. I remember I was celebrating New Year’s with my boyfriend and his parents. My boyfriend’s dad is actually from Beijing and have family living there so they talked about how concerned they were about the Coronavirus because it had been impacting China for a couple of months at that point. Wuhan had just got to lockdown. I was just shocked, and it was shocking to hear the word, “quarantine” in 2020. Because that word I always associated with either historic pandemics from medieval ages or sci-fi movies or novels. You never think about living in a quarantine — at least, not in the U.S.

I also remember having this sense of security and thought, “Wow, that’s horrible that’s happening in China, but I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about that here.” But, I didn’t think critically how the virus can spread so quickly, and given the globalized economy, how it can spread all over the world. I genuinely didn’t think about [the virus] coming to the U.S. and didn’t prepare for it mentally. I remember back in late February and early March, when it really started spreading in the U.S., there were large numbers in California and Seattle, I became more concerned about it. I remember sitting down with my friends and talking about how we had this ominous feeling about how it’s going to turn bad. And then weeks later there were thousands of cases in the U.S. and a shelter in place order in Georgia. I think for everyone, it’s just been shocking, because we kind of live under a layer of American privilege. And especially for people who were born in the 90s, we haven’t really lived under a pandemic or a wartime that has directly affected our adult lives. It’s just particularly shocking. 

“I think for everyone, it’s just been shocking, because we kind of live under a layer of American privilege.”

What concerns you the most from this experience?

I think I am most concerned how this may have an impact on Chinese Americans and in general Asian people living in the U.S. I think especially in the case of a virus you can’t really point finger to one individual for causing harm — a lot of people like to generalize and say it’s one group of people. I’m just worried that we’re going to see a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. That really concerns me. And I feel like we’re already starting to see that a bit — with language surrounding the virus. I know that the President has been calling it the “Chinese” virus and that China needs to pay, and I really disagree with that language because it encourages people who doesn’t think critically to target their anger and frustration.

On a personal note, I’m really concerned about the impact that it’s going to have on me being able to find a job because I’ve been looking for a job for 10 months now. I’m currently working as a freelancer in public relations. I’ve been looking for a full-time role and the job search was already difficult before the pandemic. But now, the economy is in a strange position — a lot of companies are not hiring and there are so many more people looking for jobs than a month ago. It’s hard for me to visualize the opportunities that I’m going to have — even looking into next two years. As someone who is 25, this is a really important time for my career and for picking a direction in life and to becoming financially sustainable. I’m concerned about the current impact of finding a job and long-term effects on the economy.

Also the third thing that I’m worried about is museums. Because I love going to museums so much, and I’m worried about being able to stay open and receive funding for next few years. Donations are major ways that museums earn their money. Right now, there are other causes that need money —that are healthcare related— also, related to assisting businesses and individuals impacted by the virus. I hope museums can make it to the other side of the world.

What are some things that you have realized from this experience?

I think for me, this has really popped that bubble of security that I thought I had living in the U.S.  I had a sense that I wasn’t going to experience a major disaster anytime near the future or that it will directly impact my life in a miserable way. It has made me really realistic and that life can be difficult and unexpected things can happen. That has been really surprising for me. 

I think another thing I’ve been surprised by is the herd of survival mentality that people immediately adopt in the case of any kind of change to their normal life because within the weeks of shelter in place order, almost all grocery stores in the U.S. experienced shortage of toilet papers because people were hoarding things. I just never thought that I would experience something like a situation which my community members were rushing to the store and hoarding things. That makes me realize that at the end of the day, people protect for themselves — you can’t rely on your community which is kind of scary. 

From a work perspective, it has changed my work industry which is public relations and communications. So typically in this field, when you’re doing PR for a company a lot of the work that you’re doing is promoting a product or an event, but right now, we can’t really do any of that because number one, most people aren’t buying nonessential products. And number two, if you’re creating social media posts or any content that doesn’t acknowledge the pandemic comes across as really insensitive. It’s completely shifted everything that I have to do for work. My job has been  gone from a content-strategy expert to being someone who writes about the company on every available medium; for me that’s really shocking to see how this one event impacts so many of the clients that I work with in different industries — and basically take over the brand narrative of every company in the United States indefinitely. 

On a positive note, while people are hoarding and being really selfish, I think a lot of people are trying to do their best to think about who needs support right now. There has been an increase in donations to nonprofits and a lot of volunteering to make protective equipments for healthcare workers. I think we’re seeing a little bit of Renaissance.

As soon as this is “over,” what do you wish to do immediately?

I just want to go to dinner with my friends. I really miss that. That was my main form of socializing. Before the pandemic hit, once a week, a bunch of my friends in Atlanta would go to a Japanese restaurant and get a bunch of food and drinks and sit hours and just talk. Sometimes, we would do Karaoke or pool. I didn’t know how much I relied on that as a source of happiness. 

What is one advice you have for others?

I just want people to know that you’re not alone.

What do you crave the most right now?

I’m really craving a trip to Sweet Hut where I can get bubble tea and sweet pastries with friends.

What brings you joy especially at times like this?

My cat, Miss Coco. She gives me endless joy — every single day that I wake up. I’m lucky enough to have her in my life. I’m amazed at the fact that she continues to bring me even more joy than the day before. My love for her grows exponentially in a way that I’ve never experienced like anything else. She’s my child.