Day #44: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Quarantine diaries: Minnesota edition
April 30, 2020
Ah, yes. Springtime is finally here, and what better way to ring in the last leg of the school year than to finish school from home…with a foot of snow outside. My school in Minnesota has been in quarantine since mid-March and things are looking a little different up north.
This quarantine was very shocking to me. I am aware of the severity of a pandemic, but the day before we started online school, I was sick and stayed home from school. (Upset stomach, don’t worry) So now, my gym clothes and shoes are rotting away in a locker for the rest of eternit— I mean quarantine. But if that’s my largest issue, I feel grateful.
The beginning of quarantine was quite nice actually. The weather fluctuated between the high 50s and low 60s. A lot of hammocking ensued. In true Minnesotan fashion, the weather did a 180 and it was snowing less than 24 hours later.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz does not think we will return to school this year, but every single teacher I have is convinced that we will be re-entering for the last two or three weeks.
A typical day as a Minnesotan quarantiner goes like this:
School begins at 9:30. We have block scheduling that alternates every other day. On A days we attend odd numbered class periods and on B days we attend even numbered class periods.
After looking out the window and contemplating why I moved to a snow infested land, I normally grab my school iPad and check my email to see if we have any google meets (a safer version of zoom). Between the first and third period, I normally run downstairs (at a pace that would rival Usain Bolt because we do not have passing periods) to grab some type of food. After heading back upstairs, I attend my class. If I’m being honest this consists of an hour of a teacher lecturing, followed by busy work. Not the most fun, but it’s better than having to give presentations every day. After school ends, I usually still have a good hour of homework to do. After that, it depends on the day. Some days, when I’m feeling particularly productive, I will workout. Other days I will watch Netflix until 2 am. This new “normal” has definitely been an adjustment, but I am happy to be home and safe. As cheesy and overused as it is, April distance brings May existence. STAY HOME!