Isolation before, and now with COVID-19

By Savannah Whisman, Student Submission

I tend to self-isolate a lot, even before. My friends would question why the once-celebrant person became so withdrawn. I’m not depressed or anything like that; I’m simply an introvert who enjoys time to myself. So, as you can see, this quarantine shit is a piece of cake for me.

Or so I thought.

When Delta College shut down and my hours at Coonan’s Irish Hub and the YMCA’s Daycare were decreased, I was not the least bit excited. I’m not scared of the virus; I’m scared of society and how instead of coming together in a time like this, everyone is turning their backs from one another.

However, all of these shutdowns gave me a wide amount of free time, which I barely had before.

During my time off from the real world, I now spend my days doing homework in the morning, working out in my tiny gym in the basement, and reading and studying outside in my backyard. I don’t mind being alone throughout the day, considering I am used to it, but I do regret not spending as much time with the people I love most. 

Photo courtesy of Savannah Whisman

A week before the pandemic spiraled out of control, my Mimi and I went out to eat at MI Table in downtown Bay City, considering that’s the only thing my vegan ass will eat out of the house. After our brunch, we went and snooped around the boutiques and left with succulents and flowers. We decided to make this a weekly hobby for the two of us. But we only went one time before the schools shut down and Mimi decided to self-quarantine.

I now look forward to her text messages on how she is doing, along with the photos she sends of herself and her yellow lab, Ruby.

Before corona, I never had a problem with self-isolating. But now I realize that all the time I spent with myself could have been with the people I love. COVID-19 has so far taught me not to take the people closest to me for granted, because no one knows what might happen in the future.