Subways not running overnight, job loss, online schooling, lockdowns—life is very different than before the pandemic. Graphic by Jeffrey Czum from Pexels
Luis Andino spends a lot of time at home these days. He left his job because of the pandemic.
“I was working as a doorman in Manhattan, but I decided to leave it because it was becoming too much for me,” the 22-year-old Brooklyn resident said. Coronavirus made commuting to and from work difficult and potentially dangerous.
The coronavirus pandemic frightened us, changed our work lives, kept us at home, changed the way we study and learn, kept us off subways and buses and made social life difficult. Experts believe that things will get worse before they get better.
With a second wave of COVID-19 underway, Governor Cuomo warns of “COVID fatigue.” He urges New Yorkers to continue to take all precautions to prevent the spread of the virus but many wish to get back to normal life.
“I think we should go back into lockdown for 4-6 weeks. I’m going to go grocery shopping and get a haircut soon just in case we do,” Andino said when asked how he would proceed in order to get back to normal.
While some colleges in the city have returned to in-person learning, CUNY colleges will remain online at least through the Spring 2021 semester.
Emely Alvarez wishes she could return to classes at York College in Queens sooner. “I feel as though I learn better in a school setting. I have less distractions and feel less anxious. I feel more comfortable speaking to a teacher or professor face to face than through a computer screen,” the 18-year-old said.
She, like others, misses the social aspects of college.
“After not having anything to end off high school like prom or a physical graduation, I’d like to actually see what it’s like having the college experience. It’s possible that I’ll be having the college experience late into my college life,” Alvarez said.
For others, a simple ride on a subway seems like a dangerous trip. On December 7th this year, ridership declined 70.5% from the same day last year. Luis Andino left his job because he worried about traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back, especially at night.
“I knew the situation was getting worse so that was in the back of my mind. I analyzed the situation with COVID, what I was doing at my job and my commute. With the trains stopping service at 1 a.m. I would have to plan my time carefully so I wouldn’t miss the last train home,” Andino said.
“There is a need for bold action to fight this pandemic,” President-Elect Joe Biden said last month in Delaware. “We’re still facing a very dark winter.” But the possibility of a coronavirus vaccine offers some hope. In early December, Governor Cuomo laid out his COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for the entire state. The promise of a vaccine does make looking at the future a lot easier.
“I would love to get this pandemic under control so we could look forward to enjoying 2021,” Andino said.
Alvarez agrees. “Getting this under control would certainly be the highlight of everyone’s year,” she said.
