Drawing inspiration from the New York Times’ “The Pandemic Logs,” we asked Goshen College students, faculty and staff to record a few sentences about the ins and outs of their daily lives within the new protocols of a COVID-19 semester. In this final week, we finish with three student perspectives. Illustrations by Nathan Pauls
Elaina Youngberg is a junior social work major from Goshen, Indiana. Sunday, Nov. 15
I read somewhere, probably on Instagram, that baths help release emotions when empaths gather up too many emotions in their body. So, following good advice, I went home and I took a bath today. It wasn’t just any bath either, I stole the bath bomb I gave my mom like three Christmases ago and used that. I feel better…I think. I know, I may be crazy for believing in all the energy, witchy stuff but honestly why not? Welp, tomorrow all the crazy stress will come right back and I’ll be needing a bath every five minutes but that’s college.
Monday, Nov. 16
Do you ever feel like your body doesn’t want to cooperate with what needs to get done? Today a 10-page research paper needed to get done, and I spent the whole day “working” on it and got maybe one page. It’s OK though because with a lot of coffee tomorrow I can get it done before 2 p.m. when it’s due. I’m learning to be happy with what I can do rather than upset with myself for what I can’t.
Tuesday, Nov. 17
Today was the day to get my paper done. After two large lattes from Starbucks I got eight pages and I was happy. Did I mention I was also supposed to do a presentation on the paper? Yeah, so I wrote up some notes and threw a few slides together. During the presentation, I had to stop three times to gather my thoughts and my breath because I couldn’t think, talk or breathe due to the large amount of caffeine I had consumed.
Andrew Smucker is a first-year business major from Goshen, Indiana.
Thursday, Oct. 15
Today was an odd day. I left my keycard in my dorm room and needed someone to open the door for me.
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Today, I watched a grey and black squirrel wrestle each other and run up the tree.
Friday, Oct. 23
Today was a good day, I played some soccer with my friends.
Saturday, Oct. 24
It’s rainy and muddy outside and everytime I go outside my shoes get wet.
Sunday, Oct. 25
Today was an uneventful day of relaxing in my dorm room and watching leaves fall off the trees outside.
Claire Franz is a junior history and secondary education major from Denver, Colorado.
Thursday, Nov. 12
Almost cried today at the thought of ending my field placement soon. I thought the middle schoolers would tear me apart, but I ended up loving them. When I told them I’d be leaving, one said, “Are you for real?” I think that means they liked me, too.
Friday, Nov. 13
It was busy this morning at work. Took a nap after but didn’t sleep, just thought and thought and thought. I think I’m emotionally tired from this semester.
Saturday, Nov. 14
Made pfeffernüsse today with Kristin. Even though we’re the only two Russian Mennonites in the house, we still managed to disagree about everything in the recipe. Ground anise or whole anise seeds? Chill the dough in the fridge or the freezer?
Monday, Nov. 16
Almost missed my weekly call with my sister because I was making tea. I told her I loved her as much as the triple-strength ibuprofen I got for my wisdom teeth surgery; she was unimpressed.
