Shut Downs and Anxieties: How Covid-19 Has Effected Daily Life

By Dalton Johnson, Staff Writer

To say that our lives have somewhat changed because of the coronavirus would be an understatement. With the mandatory shut down of schools, restaurants, and movie theaters among other things; all one has to do is look around to see that all of our lives have been impacted by this virus.

            Just like everyone else, my life has been changed in several ways. One way life has changed is increased anxiety. My dad is an ER doctor for hospitals around northwest Iowa and my sister is a nurse in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Because they are on the front lines of the virus, I am anxious about them getting the virus. Especially since my dad is older and my sister is pregnant; this makes them more vulnerable to the virus than most. Having grown up in a medical family almost all my life, I was used to my dad and sister going to work and not thinking that their lives could be in danger. This has changed because of the pandemic. Also, since my dad, mom, brother, and I live under the same roof, if my dad treats someone with the virus, he could end up infecting all of us with the virus.

            Another way life has changed is through online schooling. Because I was homeschooled, I am used to doing school at home, but it is still weird to be doing college classes at home. For instance, giving a speech on Monday over zoom instead of giving it face to face, was awkward.  Another example is a print media class where the professor chats with us online through Canvas. This is really strange since I am not used to chatting online with a professor.

            Church is the same way, because of the restrictions in place in regards to people gathering, my family can no longer attend church in person. Thankfully, the church provides a live stream of the service. Attending church via live stream felt strange.            

Covid-19 has turned American lives upside down. Who knows when this virus will end, but when it does, we will all be more grateful for everyday things, such as going to a movie theater and attending face to face college classes. Most importantly, however, is the peace that will come from knowing that our loved ones will be safe

Picture of what Covid-19 looks like. Photo credits: Nature.com