As I was waiting for my honey barbecue chicken tenders and curly fries at the Lancer’s Loft restaurant at Worcester State University in the early evening hours of Wednesday, March 11, I was one day away from a much-needed spring break away from my schoolwork. At the same time, I got an email from the campus president, Barry Maloney, saying that spring break would be extended an extra week to accommodate the growing coronavirus situation. I was both relieved and concerned. Relieved that I would have more time off with not having to do any work, and concerned for the virus’ impact on our society. I had first heard about the virus impacting China in late January and I didn’t think much of it. Not long after, we had the first confirmed U.S. case in Washington state, then the numbers took off from there. The next day, March 12, was when I thought the world was coming to a standstill. The day coincided with lots of clouds, which produced an eerie feeling where I felt something was not right. That was the day the World Health Organization declared a pandemic for the coronavirus. Throughout that unusual Thursday, I kept getting phone notifications about the number of cases going up nationwide, as well as sporting events being canceled left and right. I’m a sucker for sports, so that was one of the hardest obstacles I had to face with no games. Four days later, president Maloney sent an email saying that the rest of the semester would be fully online. I wasn’t too anxious because two of my classes were already online, and another was partially-online, but the work could be done in a remote setting. My fourth class, digital photography, was not online, so I was unsure how that class would work out. I knew how to work the camera, so I wasn’t too worried. Plus, with the pandemic starting with empty shelves in grocery stores and empty parking lots that should be full, I could document the events for future generations. I had my work lined up for the end of the semester, so I knew what I had ahead of me. I told myself not to get overwhelmed, nor think negatively because I had the resources at home needed to do all of the assignments and projects I had left, and end my final semester with Worcester State on a positive note.
Once the stay-at-home order was put in place, we knew our way of life was shifting from its normal course. My dad was an essential employee for his pharmaceutical company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, so he continued to go to work every day. Other than that, our daily routines and exciting functions were going out of the window. No trips to Worcester State or any place with large crowds, no celebrating Papa’s 80th birthday with a party, and no formal celebration for my graduation. It was very difficult seeing our major family events being canceled and not celebrated the way we enjoy most. I crave a rigid routine and love seeing family and friends for fun and at celebratory events, so I always like having activities like those to which I look forward. To make the most of our time, my family spent a lot more time together. We went for walks; we played cards; we watched old movies such as Jaws and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I loved having more family time because we could all share our thoughts, frustrations, and successes and get all of the support we need. For instance, when I was overwhelmed with accomplishing writing assignments for classes, my parents would always advise me to take breaks, and doing so worked. Going all out for hours on end would wear me out, so taking breaks by listening to music and watching YouTube videos would keep me stimulated.
As far as interacting with family members and friends went, we all communicated with our close loved ones via social media and texting. I would text and send Facebook and Instagram messages to my cousins and friends, and I talked to my grandfather on the phone. We would all share how we were doing with the pandemic, and fill each other on how our lives are going (i.e., work, plans, thoughts on the virus). Having those connections played an intricate role in having people being there for each other at all stages of the pandemic. Giving support is what people need to succeed in all they do, so everyone needs to check in on their family members and friends when they have the opportunity to do so. Having everyone’s back motivated me to do well with my classes, which allowed me to finish with all A’s and graduate with magna cum laude honors. While we couldn’t celebrate my graduation the traditional way on its regularly-scheduled date on May 15, a lot of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and family members came to do a car parade to celebrate my triumphant finish with school. I am so thankful for everyone who came that day to honor my five years of hard work and determination. I can certainly say that the coronavirus pandemic has brought out the best in people to keep an eye on their loved ones, and know that they are there for them at any time of need.
Currently, I’m searching for work now that I have a bachelor’s degree in communication. I’ve applied to a few journalism jobs and tried out Ernst and Young’s neurodiversity Excel and VBA assessment, but nothing has come through. As I wait to hear from hiring managers and look for other jobs to come up on Indeed, I’m looking to do speaking gigs about my journey with autism. I’ve been my speaking to aunt’s college class full of aspiring school administrators for the past four years about my struggles and successes as someone on the spectrum, where I provide insight that autism will not detract from success but can help enhance it. I’ve spent the last few weeks creating a website that highlights the services as an autism awareness speaker, and my mom has helped me mail out flyers to special education boards across New England and the New York metropolitan area. I’m hoping to continue that success with adults who have or work with autistic children by assuring them there is a light and there is no need to panic. If no employment opportunities come my way, I will dedicate my time to helping anyone in need of an autism advocate, by providing talks on any topic, as well as helping out in any way I can. I am grateful for all of the support I got through grade school and college, and I will be responsible that I provide tremendous insight to help those succeed in school, work, and life.
For any child living amid the coronavirus pandemic, he or she might have lots of questions or could be stressed because of not having the set routine to which he or she is accustomed. Strangely, kids cannot do fun activities they love to doing, such as having playdates and going to the playground on a warm, sunny day. To help adults help children cope with uncertainties of the ongoing pandemic, I found an excellent resource from KidsHealth that has a bunch of strategies in different situations. When explaining the coronavirus, parents should tell their children “the virus is a germ and it can make people very sick, especially those with ongoing health issues.” Then, they should say that “many children and adults are doing work from home, and that we are unable to do certain activities and family trips because we don’t want to get others sick, as well as us getting sick from anyone.” Parents should emphasize the significance of the prominent rules to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Those rules are:
Washing hands well and often for at least 20 seconds
Trying not to touch nose, mouth, and eyes
Staying at least six feet away from people not living at home
Wearing a mask or facial veering in public places
Routines are comforting for anyone with autism, so giving kids as many of them will help boost their self-esteem and keep their confidence up. Implementing regular bed and wake-up times, meal and snack times, screen time, and chores are several routines that can help keep kids busy and not have them negatively think about the pandemic’s consequences. With school in session, providing routines for schoolwork, breaks, and exercise can go a long way to help children succeed with their academics. Taking breaks and doing exercise helped me sharpen my focus when I completed my work, and gave me a better outlook for doing ongoing assignments and projects. KidsHealth also discusses making kids in control of certain decisions to help make them feel more at ease with all they’re doing. These decisions include having the child choose what to eat for lunch, or having him or her decide what to do after he or she completes schoolwork. Developing a set routine and clear exceptions will help lower the anxiety that can happen when big changes impact the flow of daily routines. Furthermore, kids with autism who are more anxious may have more challenging behaviors, making the COVID-19 pandemic more difficult for them. Several activities that kids can do to help work their emotions include:
Talking to a parent, sibling, family member, or friend (latter two on the phone/video chat if not in-person)
Doing crafts
Writing exercises
Playing or acting out fears
For any kids nonverbal, using augmented communication devices
If kids get overwhelmed with school or see any upsetting news reports, using calming activities can help ease their feelings. Doing deep breathing, listening to music, and YouTube are a few of several strategies that children can do to ease themselves and take their minds off the stressors. I have had a lot of success with reducing stress by using all of those techniques, and they all have given me a better outlook on myself and life. Stress can come out of the blue on all of us at any time, so staying calm ahead of time will allow anyone to approach the situation calmly and professionally. It is inevitable to avoid stress and anxiety, but knowing the right ways to stay relaxed will allow children and adults to get through any situation without burning themselves out.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed life for every human being on the planet. All of the changes it has brought on more rules and challenges than we normally would find in public. We’re restricted to the number of people with which we gather. We’re mandated to wear masks and keep six feet from others in any public space. We’re limited to how many people can be in school and work simultaneously. We’re required to go in one direction in department and grocery stores while trying to avoid those going the wrong way toward us. These circumstances can make anyone stressed and worried about if this is how life will be forever. That setup won’t be the case for the rest of our existence. We will return to have large gatherings to celebrate birthdays, graduations, Super Bowls, or typical cocktail or dinner parties. We will no longer have to wear masks and social distance when out in public. We will be back in the classroom or office getting the job done. We will go into Target or Walmart and walk in any direction that sets our mood. As the pandemic continues until we find a safe and productive vaccine, all I can say to cure any stress and anxiety is to take it one day at a time. We will make progress in some form as we continue to do testing and research about finding a cure for this awful virus. Until then, all of us should continue to do the activities we have done since the virus took off in March. Whether listening to music or talking to a family member or friend is the most soothing, any approach that makes us at ease will help us feel more relaxed as we move forward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and keeping a positive and calm approach will provide a tranquil sensation when we the light approaches.
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