What it is like being a college student living with COVID-19
Hi! My name is Lidia and I want to talk about my experience with CoronaVirus.
As everyone else, it was quite a shock when the news went around that the world was in a middle of a pandemic. I was confused on what to do, especially being a college student. What would happen to my classes? Will I be able to attend school still? What about my job, that I had lost due to Corona, that was helping me pay my tuition? All these questions raced through my head. I felt lost and in search for answers!
I had spent the following few months taking my courses at home. Staying inside as much as possible, and constantly keeping my distance from others. It got lonely at times not being able to visit friends, but talking virtually was the best option for our safety. I had continued to work my best in student organizations, like with Phi Tau, and school, ending the spring semester strong and ready to tackle on the summer semester. At this time cases began to increase locally and I was too afraid to go out, unless if it was for essentials. I always had a mask on wherever I went, as well as hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial soap in my purse. There was no way I wanted to catch this virus, or bring it into my household with my family. The days seemed to pass by so quickly and next thing you know, it was finals week. I have always had this problem of stressing myself out so much over finals, that I would end up feeling sick. And you guessed it, it did not miss this finals week! I woke up the first day of finals feeling completely exhausted and definitely not ready to take any exams. I thought this was normal and it would go away, but that was until the second day came around...
I had woke up with a fever and so much fatigue. I was hoping it would go away and everything would be okay. I went to tell my family about my symptoms, just to find out my dad had not been feeling well too. This is where we all started to worry. We kept to ourselves in our separate rooms just to make sure that if we did indeed have the virus, that we would not infect another family member. My family decided to get tested, just to be safe. What happened next was a surprise to us all.
I was diagnosed with COVID-19 this year in early July. I had no idea where or how I could have contacted Corona. I was always at home, stayed to myself and followed all the safety precautions. I was disappointed to find out my father and brother had also tested positive for COVID-19. A part of me felt at blame for it, and I wasn't sure why. CoronaVirus definitely took a toll on me both physically and mentally. I lost contact with friends and kept to myself, I barely completed my exams since I felt too ill to get up and I lost weight since I could not eat. Having Corona was a very difficult process to go through by myself. Yes, I did have family who were experiencing the same illness, but we mostly stayed to ourselves to speed up our recoveries. I had rested for a full month before I felt any better again. Everyday consisted of Netflix binges and many naps. I felt very lonely during this time, and wish I had someone to talk or relate to about my situation. This is when I brought it to the rest of Phi Tau's attention to do something about it.
Phi Tau has been aware on the stigma that COVID-19 has created. If you are someone who has contacted the virus, you may be viewed at as irresponsible. For me and many others, that was not the case. Even following precautions, you can be at risk for the illness. It has been our goal to raise awareness of breaking the stigma of COVID-19. We created this blog as a safe space to tell your stories and experiences with CoronaVirus. We'd love to use this platform as a support group for all to express themselves freely. You are not alone in this battle, and we are here to listen to you and provide you support!
We will get through this together! Phi Tau wants you to know that we see you! #ISeeYou
Here are pictures from when I got tested! It's a scary process to endure, but it's better to know! #PhiTau is here for you!