Corona Collective - Sophie Levit

Corona Collective

STAYING IN HOW TO COMBATE QUARANTINE WHILE FINDING A SENSE OF SELF

COVID & MENTAL HEALTH THE ASTRONOMICAL EFFECTS COVID-19 HAS HAD ON MENTAL HEALTH $7.9 9U S / CA N

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CORONA COLLECTIVE April 2021 X

Editor’s Letter 1

Chapter 1

The beginning of what felt like the end

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Covid-19 and Mental Health

A brief introduction

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Cyberchondria How the internet takes a toll on us

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Submergence

The creeping feelings of isolation during Covid-19

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Beyond Borders

Navigating Covid-19 in the US and Canada

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Draining Technology

The unhealthy relationships we have with technology

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Why the f*ck are people still going out?

Continued to next page

CORONA COLLECTIVE April 2021

LOST IN THOUGHT

Model Avery wearing a Brandy Melville tank top and a thrifted corset top, reminiscing about better days.

37 Covid Unmasked People express their most stressful moments of the pandemic

51 Chapter 2 Hope on the Horizon

53 One Big Middle Finger

How those partying during the pandemic affect those who cannot

57 On Trend

Staying in is Sexy

65 Seeking Help The benefits of getting help

71 Party? In a Pandemic

Stay safe at home with themed household parties

85 Take Care of

Corona Collective April 2021

Yourself

Ways to keep your mental health in good shape when things get tough

99 Some Good News

87 Another Day

How music can bring people together to find hope

93 Dressing Up to Nowhere

Dressing up to do the mundane

Cover Look Masked Up Model Sophie Linden wears a Free People bralette and a Kitsch Face Mask. Model Megan McMurray wears a SavagexFenty Corset Top and a SavagexFenty Face Mask. Details, see in On Trend.

Wear a Mask.

When it comes to leaving the house, don’t be stupid. Mask up and help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Pictured Above: Old Navy Mask set of 5 Variety Pack ($12.50); oldnavy.gap.com

Letter from the Editor This is a time of drastic change for everyone.

When Covid-19 first hit, every day was a drag. Days felt long and exhausting. I would wake up and watch the sun go up and back down, feeling no better than when I first woke up.

It was difficult for me to find the courage and motivation to get out of bed and even do the most basic tasks. Yet, I was not alone in this feeling.

Covid-19 has not been kind to us. It has pushed us to our limits, mentally and physically.

It has taken things from us: family, friendships, sanity. It has created divides and barriers between us, separating us and causing us to adapt our own individualistic mindsets for survival. All community has been lost.

At one point, Covid-19 became a counting game. Each morning the news would announce how many lives were lost, how many were sick, how fast the

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Corona Collective April 2021

virus was spreading. Each day I would count the hours I’ve been spending inside, time wasted, time taken from me.

Each day I would pray for things to get better so that I could leave my house again, see my friends, even just occupy a coffee shop.

It was hard watching those around me be productive and accomplish new things, like crafting, cooking, exercising, etc. How could they possibly have so much motivation to do

all this, when I couldn’t even get out of bed?

I often felt like a failure.

It helped to know that I was not alone in feeling unproductive and drained, and that many of my friends were feeling the pandemic fatigue as well.

Nobody seems to be talking about the ways that Covid has impacted the mental health of young adults and students, until now.

The Corona Collective is a glimpse into the emotional and mental health during a global pandemic, and how the two overlap. The Corona Collective is a magazine that provides firsthand experiences of how Covid-19 has impacted mental health through photographs and written work. It offers resources to those struggling now, from hotlines and advice to ways to have fun while being stuck inside.

The Corona Collective tells the

story of those struggling during a pandemic, from their lowest moments to learning to appreciate the small things that they may have previously taken for granted. Through struggle and isolation, they were able to find themselves and keep one another safe.

I aimed to create a magazine that brings people together in a divisive time to talk about their mental health and to normalize the stigma surrounding it.

This is an open invitation to discuss mental health, no strings attached.

How you are feeling now will pass, and you are not alone.

If you or a loved one are feeling in need of help, please reach out (see page 6 for resources).

Sophie Levit

Chapter 1

H W F O G N I N N I G E B E H T

D N E E H T E K I L T L E F T A H

Covid-19 and Mental Health A Brief Introduction

DEPRESSION

LONELINESS

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FATIGUE

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O IS

Y ET XI Y AN ET

N O DEPRESSION I T A L FATIGUE O N IO T IS A LONELINESS Flash back to May 2020.

Where were you? What were you doing? Were you part of the population that leaped out of bed, excited to continue working on the newest craft you had started, or finish reading the book that had been on your bucket list for years?

Or, were you part of the population that woke up dreading the day and not having any motivation

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to get out of bed -the day felt daunting and pointless.

What was the point in getting out of bed if we were living through such an uncertain time and could not see our loved ones?

For many, the latter was the reality of living through a pandemic. Each day was long, some just praying that good news would be told amongst the chaos and roar of the local

news. It is easy to blame yourself for how you felt.

I’m sure most of us blamed ourselves for the inability to get out of bed, inability to feel productive and inability to even feel at ease.

However, these feelings were all common. Many of us did not realize the physical and mental toll that the pandemic had on us. To say that Covid-19 affected mental health and well-being would be an understatement.

Covid-19 has played a huge role in affecting mental health due to the immense stress and anxiety that comes with living during a global pandemic. Research has shown that Covid-19 has had an astronomical impact on the mental well-being and emotional states of everyone, especially in young adults. Young adults are more likely to have feelings of anxiety, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD,

increased self-blame and thoughts of suicide1.

Additionally, those with previously diagnosed mental conditions can have their previous symptoms become more aggravated due to the pandemic. Researchers claim that the exposure level to Covid-19 does not even matter, and that regardless of how often someone is exposed to it individuals can still experience anxiety that comes with feeling guilty, helpless, blaming themselves for getting someone else sick, and the fear of getting sick and of Covid-192. There is a huge stigma surrounding the virus that causes a whole slew of emotions, ranging from anger to resentment to shame and guilt. Individuals often experience distrust of those around them, suspicious that they may be carrying the virus and could possibly spread it.

1 Ho, Cyrus SH, et al. “Mental Health Strategies to Combat the Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Beyond Paranoia and Panic.” Mental Health Strategies in COVID-19, vol. 49, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 155–160.

2 Ho, Cyrus SH, et al. “Mental Health Strategies to Combat the Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Beyond Paranoia and Panic.” Mental Health Strategies in COVID-19, vol. 49, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 155–160.

Coronaphobia (the fear of Covid-19) as a whole is responsible for triggering psychological symptoms in many people. For some, just mentioning Covid-19 can trigger a negative emotional response. Researcher Sherman Lee conducted a study about whether the fear of Covid-19 could actually predict psychological stress. The results of his study showed that a significant amount of participants had an increased level of psychological distress due to coronaphobia that was associated with symptoms such as depression, rate of infection, neuroticism, reassurance-seeking behavior and general anxiety3.

To many, the term coronaphobia had never been a realized fear. Coronaphobia is an incredibly real and valid fear and those who struggle with it should know that they are not alone in their fear. While some may not think they are afraid of Covid-19, bringing up feelings and symptoms that come with Covid may

help individuals realize their underlying feelings and help to begin to understand what they are feeling. It is normal to have fear and nobody is alone in their fear. Highlighting the normalcy in emotional responses to Covid-19 such as fear and the psychological symptoms associated with it should be pushed and normalized. It is more than okay to have fear during these times.

In times like these, it is more important than ever to place an emphasis on mental health and take steps to identify those in need of help. Many of us are going through difficult yet similar experiences, and we must create a community that supports one another and aims to help each other. By destigmatizing mental health and the virus, we can encourage those vulnerable to seek the help that they need.

3. Lee, Sherman A. “Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: A Brief Mental Health Screener for COVID-19 Related Anxiety.” Death Studies, vol. 44, no. 7, 2020, pp. 393–401., doi:10.1080/07481187.2020.1748481.

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Corona Collective April 2021

You Are Not Alone.

If you or a loved one have been struggling during these times, please reach out.

National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433) National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1- 800-799-7233 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Crisis Text Line: Text “DESERVE” TO 741-741 Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online live messaging): https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)

You wake up one morning with a cough and a runny nose, maybe an itchy throat.

It could be a cold, but it could also be something else.

But, what else?

Maybe you have an odd symptom, your ears are ringing, your face is swelling.

Suddenly, you have no idea what’s wrong. Where do you go for answers?

Do you call a doctor?

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For the majority of people, the Internet is the answer.

Approximately 70% of adult Americans rely on the Internet to give them answers about their medical conditions and health1. Sometimes, users can find useful information that actually grants them relief and peace of mind. For the majority of others, however, they are not so lucky.

Most people may assume that looking to the Internet for information regarding medical well-being will ease their anxieties about certain illnesses, yet it in fact does the opposite.

Users of the Internet looking for answers will actually have their anxiety and distress about their health exacerbated, in an effect known as cyberchondria.

Cyberchondria is when an

individual constantly uses the Internet as a health guide in searching for answers. By using the Internet to search for medical information and having access to numerous sources and responses, users are put in more distress as they begin to fall down a rabbit hole of various conclusions and misinformation.

By scavenging the Internet for conclusions, anxiety-levels can rise to unhealthy and severe levels.

Cyberchondria, coined by a British newspaper in the early 2000s, is a play on the word hypochondria which refers to increased concern and anxieties about one’s health2. However, cyberchondria becomes incredibly prevalent in today’s day and age, due to the massive amount of information and use of the Internet. The Inter-

net provides many resources to those looking for answers about their health, whether accurate or inaccurate.

More often than not, the Internet provides personal anecdotes and experiences over research-driven results.

Additionally, companies can promote fake information for users to feel the need to purchase one of their products to relieve their symptoms.

Even websites that do aim to provide accurate information have their flaws as they are not specific to the person looking for answers.

While cyberchondria existed before Covid-19, the global pandemic heightened medical anxieties due to its unprecedented nature.

Having never experienced Covid-19 before, many people used the Internet as an outlet to seek reassurance.

1. Cyberchondria. (2017, November 28). https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/ cyberchondria#:~:text=Cyberchondria%20refers%20to%20a%20person’s,involves%20excessive%20anxiety%20about%20health.

2. Cyberchondria. (2017, November 28). https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/ cyberchondria#:~:text=Cyberchondria%20refers%20to%20a%20person’s,involves%20excessive%20anxiety%20about%20health.

Stephanie Jungmann conducted research on the correlation between cyberchondria and Covid-19, and found a significant increase in anxiety and distress since the virus started due to the Internet playing a large role in pandemic behavior1.

Those using the Internet for answers in an attempt to fix their problems can have their distress increased by the lack of viable information, too much information (overwhelming excess), and can increase distrust of real healthcare providers.

Because cyberchondria increases stress levels, these psychological symptoms are then translated into physical symptoms which, in turn, trigger more anxiety.

Stress can lead to headaches, higher blood pressure, and a weakened immune system.

It is a consistent cycle of fear and uncertainty as the mind affects the body and then

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the body affects the mind, causing more concern and craving reassurance from the Internet.

Using the Internet allows users a sense of control over their symptoms and medical illnesses as there is a vast array of information, and users can pick and choose what they click on. Users can spare themselves more or less extreme outcomes when searching for what they want to hear. On the other hand, seeing a medical professional typically provides only one conclusion, and a person cannot control what a doctor tells them.

Recently, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, seeking answers and reassurance has been a constant and common thing. While it may seem helpful at first, it causes more distress in the long run.

However, there are ways to combat cyberchon-

dria: First, acknowledge your feelings and that it is valid to be feeling fearful, concerned, and anxious during these times. Then, take a break from the Internet and allow yourself to be reassured in the fact that the Internet holds a lot of information that will be there even after you take time away from it. It is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Take some deep breaths. Get some rest and nutrition and contact your doctor and trust in their professional advice.

A lot of what you find on the Internet is not from a professional, and should be taken with a grain of salt as it may be meant to scare you.

Ask your doctor about how to spot credible sources of information on the Internet if you truly cannot pull away, and talk to someone close to you about how you’re feeling.

Instead of relying on the Internet, get tested often if you are concerned about the Covid-19 virus and remember to get enough rest, nutrients, and exercise.

Contact your doctor with any questions you have.

While the Internet may be good for other things, it is not a reliable tool for selfdiagnosing.

3 Jungmann, S. M., & Witthöft, M. (2020, May 20). Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors are related to coronavirus anxiety? Journal of anxiety disorders. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC7239023/.

SINKING SUBMERGENCE

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Corona Collective April 2021

MODEL AVERY APOSTLE

“It was hard to go so long without seeing her in person. We could text each other how much we missed the other all day, but it was definitely not the same. I felt like I was sinking some days- I was so sad and alone. I didn’t know what I should’ve been doing. I felt incomplete without her.

I would be swimming up to shore, feeling better, and then the water would take me down and drown me again.

I just felt like I was sinking.”

Avery

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It doesn’t have to be a losing battle.

Protect yourself and those around you.

Use hand sanitizer. kills 99.9% of all germs and bacteria.

17 Corona Collective April 2021

Mask Up. Don’t leave the house empty-handed. Stop the spread of Covid-19 and mask up.

Pictured Above: Kitsch Face Mask ($12.00); mykitsch.com

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Beyond Borders: Navigating Covid-19 To many, figuring out how to navigate Covid-19 in one country is enough, but college student Loni Feffer describes the varying differences of mentalities she has faced in dealing with the pandemic in Canada and the United States.

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When I sit down with Loni she has a piping hot cup of tea in her hands. She wears a thick cream knit sweater and is sitting by a window, letting the sun hit her as she speaks.

[Covid-19] but I’m going to be anxious anyway. I may as well know the truth, or at least what I consider to be truth. But it’s really hard to determine.”

but if I ask a doctor I just have to trust them.” She goes on, “If you talk to a doctor, what other choice do you have other than to trust what they say? Whereas the Internet is 90 billion opinions at once and you can choose what you want to hear.”

I ask her if she’s ever heard of She tells me how worried she the term cyberchondria and she was when Covid started apshakes her head no. I explain pearing in the news, about the it to her, how people think “How was your mental health possibilities of it beaffected as the pancoming widespread. demic went on?” I She talks about her ask her.

“The problem lies when there are perfect school life in Canada, pathways. That’s why we’re in a global panspecifically on Victoria She sighs and looks demic, because there’s all these super fast Island, and how little out the window as she pathways to get everywhere in the world. cases there are. I ask discusses the insomBut if we have systems with a little bit of her about the news nia she developed, slow pace and a bit of uselessness, it’s good.” and if it even had an claiming she hasn’t effect on her being in truly slept from March an area so secluded until August. from the rest of the world. they are relieving themselves “I couldn’t ever really sleep of their distress by seeking through the night, which is not “The news is funny for me, answers on the Internet, but normal for me. I typically sleep because it’s sort of paradoxin reality it just causes more like a baby. It was just so much ical, where I need to know anxiety. chaotic anxiety.” what’s happening because it makes me less anxious. But “It sounds like a control thing.

Loni wasn’t the only person to the more I know, the more I’m Like I can control what I’m lookdevelop insomnia during the freaking out.” She continues, ing for and what sources I click pandemic and as I tell her this “I’m so anxious because of it on to find an answer I want, she seems a bit relieved.

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“It’s just all this uncertainty, and the possibility that I could give it to someone and they can die. That really freaks me out.”

From there we speak more about her quarantine, and how her different locations affected her. We chat about the varying government restrictions

“In America, you really see the individualism.” in Canada, where she is currently based, to the ones in the States. Loni tells me about the 3 cases her small island has had and how privileged she is to be in a community that takes it so seriously. When I ask her about how different her experiences were between living in Canada and the States, her eyes widen with excitement.

She smiles and says, “Oh I’ve been waiting to talk about this.”

“My experience in Canada really illuminated some strong differences between the atti-

21 Corona Collective April 2021

tudes of Americans and Canadians. In Canada, there is so much more community effort to keep people safe. We took preventative measures before we had cases, whereas in the States, people actively chose not to take preventative measures… In America, you really see the individualism. Here, there were a lot more community safety nets. There was always free testing for anyone, even if you’re a foreigner. It just felt a lot safer in Canada.”

The word safe felt odd to hear, especially because I feel as though I haven’t felt safe in a long time. She then discusses her hesitations in coming home to Chicago, knowing the situation was going to be worse.

“I didn’t want it to be awkward.

It’s just difficult to impose rules on people because it’s not normal.”

She was referring to her friends at home and how some of them were dealing with the pandemic. She touches on how they were disregarding rules and still

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Some images taken from Loni’s sketchbook

going out, forcing more barriers up between her and the ones she thought she was close with.

major, Loni dives into the ways a system in nature works. She argues that every system needs a bit of redundancy.

“While I was in quarantine at home, I just kept thinking about how messed up our world is.

Just the people and the environment and how we interact with it.” Being an environmental studies and anthropology

“The problem lies when there are perfect pathways. That’s why we’re in a global pandemic, because there’s all these super fast pathways to get everywhere in the world. But if we have systems with a little

23 Corona Collective April 2021

bit of slow pace and a bit of uselessness, it’s good.”

She pauses, then begins speaking again, more passionately.

“The fact that this pandemic is a political issue is so angering to me because if it wasn’t so polarized and so reinforced by the Trump administration that masks are political or that the

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pandemic is a sham we could have literally saved so many lives. We’re all connected to each other.”

Her hands are on the desk now, balled up into fists.

“Thats the most evil thing you can do: politicize a pandemic.”

We talk more about her anger and frustrations, about how we just want it to be over. She brings up her current mental health, and how some of the few good things the pandemic has given her was realizations about her current lifestyle. Loni picks up a book nearby, her sketchbook, and flips through the pages for me to see. She talks me through how Covid has shown her how to do things for self, not simply because of other people.

“Covid has been a big reality check. Looking back at it, I feel like I trusted myself and made the right, safe choices. It made me think about my parents a lot more, like wow you guys

can really get sick at any moment and die. So I wanted to spend more time with them.

But I always need to remember to do that.”

Now, Loni tells me her mental health has gotten better from where it was in the beginning.

She says she has been desensitized to it all, which at this rate seems far from uncommon.

“Thats the most evil thing you can do: politicize a pandemic.”

We discuss plans for once Covid blows over and what’s one of the first things she’ll do.

“I want to go out and go crazy, but also hug my dad. I haven’t hugged him in so long.”

I can tell Loni is tired of talking about Covid. At this point though, who isn’t?

finishing her second cup of tea while I check the time.

“Last question,” I ask her. “Any advice to those struggling with their mental health now during these times?”

She looks at me again and drums her fingertips on the desk thinking.

“Try not to focus on the big picture while you’re in quarantine.

It’s just a little bit too big for that space for that time. Focus on your own, localized act, just like what you can control.” She pauses and then continues.

“Do fun exercise like yoga, but fun yoga. My roommate would dance. This is embarrassing, but almost every night I have a dance party in the bathroom by myself. It feels good to just let go. There’s actually no one there, no one is watching.

Might as well do it.”

We begin to wind down, Loni

Effects

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25 Corona Collective April 2021

It doesn’t have to be a losing battle.

Protect yourself and those around you.

Wash your hands.

Draining Technology

Maggie Innis talks about the highs and lows relationship many of us When Maggie sat down with me to chat in my kitchen, she was holding a large cup of coffee at the ripe hour of 8 pm.

If there was one thing Maggie loved, it was a piping hot cup of coffee in the evening.

As Maggie stood up to water a plant, I asked her where she was when Corona first began taking its toll.

Maggie transferred to the University of Michigan last year and the start of her second semester was when Covid-19 began spreading. She was surrounded by roommates whom she had only just met.

“When Corona hit, I was experiencing a good amount of burnout. The fact that I was going to be sitting at home doing school or not doing school

27 Corona Collective April 2021

as things got postponed was a bit of selfish relief for me. And honestly, it was totally okay to be selfish with the mental state was in.”

Maggie continues to talk about the ways the pandemic felt surreal, as if she was living in an alternate universe. Maggie talked about the constant state of loneliness as she watched all of her roommates go home to their families or even travel.

“It was really lonely. I felt very stuck. I called my mom 5 times a day- everyone was worried for me!”

Maggie sips her coffee and we move into speaking about the news. I ask her if it was ever a great stressor or if it had an affect on her.

“I woke up every single morning and I just looked at the numbers on the New York

of the pandemic, speaking to the unhealthy s have with technology.

Times app on my phone. I looked at graphs and got myself into a panic and would

proceed to call my family and make them panic too. That was every single day. Just waking up and the first thing you do is looking at how bad everything is and eventually I just had to stop because it was making my existence horrible, you know?

And I think a lot of people were doing that same thing. It was how I started my day, it was how I ended my day.”

The feeling of panic and dread was not an unfamiliar feeling to many. Without prompting, Maggie continues to state the way she has become desensitized to it all now, even though the presence of the virus has grown exponentially since the beginning.

“I think that everyone, in order to not feel scared all the time and not hate their existence,

desensitized themselves a bit…

We can only do our best to stop it and take care of ourselves and of the people we love. But after that, it’s not worth the outrage, not worth the feeling. I’m just tired of talking about it.”

I know the world was tired of talking about Covid. But, what else was there to talk about?

How do we keep ourselves distracted enough to forget what is going on?

We move on to speak about her mental health and how it was affected by the pandemic.

“I think the reason my mental health got so bad was that the only interaction I had with the world was through the media and through my phone or computer. The anxiety of the world was just projecting off of me

and I began fueling that too…

It was the fact that I became so dependent on that noise [the media] to keep me occupied because I had nothing else to do.”

couldn’t see my friends. Especially early on I tried to find answers, but it faded away. It was just this weird impulse where

“Did you ever find yourself looking to the Internet for answers?” I ask her.

“I think I was trying to find answers.”

She started. “I was wanting to find good news and wanting for someone to say it would be over soon.

But, I think that the impulse was just an impulse. It was just a zombie-like behavior that I just kept doing over and over again.

I think that I didn’t really know what else to do. I didn’t have people to talk to, I couldn’t go anywhere and do anything, I

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The impulse to be checking your phone, constantly checking the media, was a common practice for many. Everyone was looking for answers, and the Internet could only provide so many. The media had a large hold on everyone during the pandemic, making people hungry for answers.

Maggie continues to speak to how she felt the need to have her phone with her at all times, from eating breakfast to taking a shower.

I felt like I needed to go on my phone for 10 hours a day or something stupid like that.”

“I couldn’t afford to miss anything, how sick is that?” Since then, Maggie has tried to distance herself from her phone, fully aware of the dependency she had on technology.

“The one positive of quarantine was it exposed my unhealthy relationship with media and technology. Having it go to that extreme made it so now I try not to look at my phone all day… I don’t wake up in the morning and watch the news, it makes me feel horrible.”

more intentional and whole because I got to see and aimed to bypass the bad stuff. This whole thing and how divisive our country is and the political climate made me feel much more of an urge to grab the people I love and pull them closer to me.”

way that people are protecting and holding one another. I get really annoyed by people who like to frame it as if they are being oppressed. It’s horrible, just keep other people safe!

Show some empathy and don’t complain about it. We’re all trying our best.”

In terms of communication, Maggie has really strived to communicate with people in a one-on-one fashion, rather than opting for an occasional performative gesture on social media. She discusses the ways of communicating with others in a much more intentional way and giving them a call, rather than commenting on their Instagram. The intention is just to express an emotion, not as a means to further communication. Maggie keeps going.

“I’ve noticed the way my relationships with people have changed. Remote virtual communication has been so much

Without the pandemic, as dreary as it sounds, would we have realized all the people and relationships we had been taking advantage of? Seeing who is worth reaching out to and preserving in a relationship?

Maggie sips her coffee again and we begin to wind the interview down.

In speaking about her relationships, Maggie discusses those who are doing their best to abide by social distancing rules, wearing a mask, and doing their best to be safe are evidence of an interesting act of love and care.

“I think it’s really special the

“Is there anything you would tell yourself before Covid hit?”

I ask.

Maggie closes her eyes, as if envisioning herself in the past. She sets a scene for me: attending every concert, standing in crowds, taking pictures.

She concludes by telling me to enjoy being flexible.

Present day, Maggie’s mental health is doing a lot better.

She is grateful for her environment, her roommates, friends, her job. The pandemic is just something she has learned to live with and is “no longer taking space in my brain.”

“I still feel anxious but I’m mostly excited to feel a bit of relief. In the end, it’s going to be okay. It’s

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just a waiting game and waiting isn’t always very easy.”

To conclude, I ask Maggie for some advice to those having trouble in quarantine and living through the pandemic.

“Put your phone away! Reach out to people- It’s so cool to reconnect with people even if it is on a digital platform. It’s

such a good time to reconnect with people. It’s a good time to reach out. Also, make sure you’re really taking care of yourself and your body. Just keep taking care.”

With this, Maggie gets up as if to finalize her statement and continues to water her plant. I watch the water drain out of the bottom of the potted plant and Maggie sighs. She settles it down gently and waves goodbye as she enters her room and I hear the soft lull of a Joanna Newsom song begin.

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If you or a loved one are feeling this way, please reach out.

1. Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling

2. Dial 1-888-535-6136 and press 8 to speak to a Michigan Stay Well counselor

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Corona Collective April 2021

“I just kept asking... why were people still going out?

Why were they risking their lives and other peoples? Why?”

MODELS SOPHIE LINDEN MEGAN MCMURRAY

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“What was the most stressful mo

“When I had to lockdown because my house got Covid there was the thought that this could be the end of my life. Now I’m dead inside so it still sucks.”

“I felt really forced back into the closet staying home with my parents. Both literally, because I’m in a same-sex relationship, and all across the board. I felt like I had to dress a certain way, hide my emotions, and hide who I was.”

“I couldn’t get myself out of bed most mornings, that was so hard. I didn’t feel like I had a purpose anymore when I felt like I couldn’t do the things that I loved. I had no motivation.”

“During the pandemic everyone has had to shift all social interactions to social media. Unlike real life people tend to present a ‘mask’ of their true self. Because of this, I have deeply felt the lack of real life intimate connection.”

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oment of the pandemic for you?“

“After spending so much time alone/in isolation I have social anxiety I’ve never had. I used to thrive socializing and meeting new people. I now find it inherently stressful.”

“The most stressful moments for me have been the moments when I catch myself avoiding responsibility by slinking back into old habits.”

“I woke up every morning feeling really down and sad. I didn’t know what to do with myself, and my family was constantly wondering why I was in bed all day and not being productive.”

“The pandemic has been really difficult in being productive and prioritizing job searching. The anxiety behind applying myself and being vulnerable has made designing very stressful.”

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“It was early spring when the reality set in that this pandemic was not gong away. I watched all the plans I made for the year crumble away, piece by piece, never failing to be disappointed.”

“One of the most stressful parts of the pandemic was my weight gain. Even though this appears shallow, constantly confronting my changing appearance in the mirror was painful.

So I got rid of the mirror.”

“Getting the phone call that my grandma had tested positive for Covid-19, my favorite person in the world, while being miles away was one of the scariest moments of my life.”

“I would wake up every morning feeling like my brain was jumbled with a million thoughts and feelings. And it was hard seeing other people be productive when I couldn’t get myself to do anything.”

“Adrienne Lenker’s album “Songs” brought me a lot of peace, and has influenced me since its release. I think it showed me that things can work out and beauty can exist in really difficult times.”

“I was using ‘order’ to cope and it fell apart, followed by an overall Ann Arbor stay-inplace order. Over 3 weeks of quarantining my life and momentum dissolved and I really struggled mentally to draw it back together.”

Corona Collective April 2021

FACT:

Covid-19 has caused a significant increase in anxiety, stress,

depression and paranoia.

It is okay to ask for help. You are not alone.

Ho, Cyrus SH, et al. “Mental Health Strategies to Combat the Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Beyond Paranoia and Panic.” Mental Health Strategies in COVID-19, vol. 49, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 155–160.

“This is a dialogue I remember having with my former boyfriend when he and I would negotiate seeing each other during Covid. He was a comforting figure for me during the pandemic, but Covid was a factor for why we had to split.”

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“I got sent home from my study abroad and had to figure out how to get home suddenly.”

“Everyone would just tell me to ‘chill out’ or ‘calm down’ about Covid while they just kept living their lives as if nothing was wrong... like can’t you just take this seriously?”

“I find it difficult and awkward to make new connections with people through my computer screen and find myself very anxious before Zoom calls because I am dreading the awkwardness of my interactions.

“When I spent my last first day of school ever alone in the Northwood quarantine housing because I had COVID... I remember I couldn’t stop thinking that day that it wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

Corona Collective April 2021

“The pandemic has been a constant cycle of panic attacks and sadness but never in public, never lasting for hours. But I continue to put on a smile and nod, ‘I’m okay,’ secretly hoping that one day maybe I will be.”

“Taking the most important test of my life in a pandemic was stressful.”

“The grocery store was terrifying. I woke up at 6 AM to beat the crowds and after buying groceries I would wipe down every single item with Clorox wipes, even produce. I was terrified of contracting the virus.”

“People refusing to not wear masks, especially as a worker in the service industry, was so incredibly upsetting. I would have to tell costumers daily to either come back into the store with a mask or pull theirs up.”

“Not seeing my grandparents for a while was really hard. I tried to write in my journal everyday to cope with what I was going through but sometimes writing didn’t feel like it was enough.”

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MODEL SOFIA STARK

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MODELS SOPHIE LINDEN MEGAN MCMURRAY SOFIA STARK

Chapter 2

Hope on th

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he Horizon

One Big Middle Finger While some students were cautious about the pandemic, many chose to disregard what was happening. To Alexandra, a student living with immunocompromised grandparents, siblings, and parents in the healthcare field, watching everyone continue to party was a big middle finger.

I log onto Zoom to wait for Alexandra, a good friend of mine from home. Alexandra had been home for a large chunk of time due to Covid-19, and was keen to stay there until the virus was truly gone.

When Alex logs on, she is snuggled up in a blanket with her clear glasses reflecting on the screen. She smiles at me and states she was nervous to be interviewed by me, even though we had been close friends for years. After a bit of catching up and listening to each others stories, we dive into the interview. She says she was in California when news of the virus broke out, and how her dad was adamantly telling her to wear a mask.

“I remember my dad telling me to wear a mask, he’s in the healthcare field, to protect myself. So when I was flying home I wore my mask

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on the plane, and I was the only one wearing one. It was an N95 mask and people just stared at me like I had three heads. When I came home I was in school for only a few days before everything got shut down and I had to move back home.

In my head, I definitely thought this was a temporary thing.”

Alexandra continues by saying how her attitude changed when news broke out about Covid, how it felt like chaos all at once. She brings up the uncertainty of it all, how nobody actually knew what was happening.

“When the school sent us an email about Covid shutting everything down, I had a really strange

feeling. So I got on my computer and I went to iMovie. I made a little video diary and I talked about what was happening. I talked about how many people were sick and how many people died, like from that global map tracker. I explained how I felt and how it felt so surreal and crazy.” Alex continues to say how often she updated her video diary, through March, April and May, updating the numbers every time.

“It got to the point where I had to stop because it was making me so anxious because I didn’t even know anything anymore. I didn’t want to know how many people were sick because it was so

sad. It was so much stimulation and all anyone was talking about. I used to have the tracker bookmarked on my computer. The news also made everything really frustrating. I was asking questions that the world world was asking and nobody had an answer.”

Alexandra looks to the side, seeing her dog Rosie had appeared and was waiting to be pet. Alexandra pets her while looking off into the distance, speaking about her loss of trust in what anyone had to say. She stated how the news drained her, bringing down her mood and only existed to make her sad.

“It got to the point where I didn’t even feel like there was a point in even learning about it [Covid-19] anymore or caring about it in terms of what people had to say. I’m wearing my mask and that’s all I know.”

In terms of misinformation, Alexandra speaks a lot about the news.

She claims that she tried to avoid it, but would rather look up the rising numbers and watch the red dots get bigger and bigger on her computer screen. Alex sighs before continuing.

“The hardest part of it all though is staying safe and it was something I was really anxious about because I was living with my grandparents.

The biggest thing about this whole experience that this brought to light is how big of an impact your actions have on others. I remember when school had just shut down and I was like, let’s rage and I went to a St. Patricks Day Parade party. There were like 200 people there- like how dumb?

Because I was going home, to my grandparents, who are old and already sick. It was such an intense guilt I felt after.”

Alex looks away from the camera, and I could see her

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mind wandering back to the guilt she referred to.

“I know some college students have a very different mentality than you do” I begin. Before I go on, Alex starts.

“They feel like they aren’t going to get sick, so they don’t care as much. At first, I was jealous. Like, I wanted to also be able to go out and not care as much but I can’t. It’s not about me anymore but rather about the well being of those people around me who I care about. That was so frustrating. How can you continue to go out when people are dying? It sucks.”

The conversation slowly switches to the positives of quarantine, from crafts to self-reflection. Alex explains how she began appreciating simple conversations over the phone and appreciating being alone. For Alex, it was appreciating the small things that allowed her to

be at ease while being at home.

Then, onto the negatives. Alex dives into the ways the pandemic has frustrated her, how not everyone has been on the same page.

“It’s frustrating that there is not a general consensus of this is what’s happening. It’s annoying to me, being someone who has followed all of the rules and done the right things for the safety of my family, that I have to suffer through a prolonged pandemic because you aren’t following the rules. And you’re having a good time not abiding by them too. It’s like one big middle finger to those of us staying safe. I can’t stress enough how enraged that makes me.”

She pets a cat that has appeared on her desk. She

strokes its fur while shaking her head.

“In hindset, is there anything you would tell yourself before Covid?” I ask and patiently wait while she looks at her cat, perhaps looking for an answer.

“I guess, just your normalcy bias. You assume life is going to go on the way it has.

Like I don’t want to do something now, so I’ll do it next week. Opportunities might not present themselves again in the way that you think, so you might as well take advantage of the ones that you do get. Also, take the positives of every experience you have. Like, when I’m in class, before I would’ve thought how much I don’t want to be here. Now, like how lucky am I to have even been in a classroom and learn in person at all? So lucky to even be in a room full of people.

Try to find one positive because you may never have that same experience again.”

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on trend WHAT WE’RE WEARING WHILE STAYING HOME

STAYING IN IS SEXY Staying at home is in this season, so here’s the latest at-home looks this quarantine has been serving.

SavagexFenty corset top ($69.95); savagex.com. SavagexFenty mask ($32.95); savagex.com. Free People mesh shirt ($48); freepeople.com.

Shein sheer bodice ($7); shein. com. Kitsch face mask ($4); mykitsch.com.

MODELS MEGAN MCMURRAY SOFIA STARK SOPHIE LINDEN

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Top, Free People $48, Jeans, Levi, $59.99, Jacket, LF, $238.

Beauty Tip Pair a bold mesh shirt with dainty jewelry as seen on Sofia from Mejuri ($295).

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Top, SavagexFenty $69.95. Jeans, Brandy Melville, $40. Blazer, Franco Sarto, $150.

Heels, Steve Madden, $99.95

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Top, Shein, $7.

Jeans, Nasty Gal, $27.99. Jacket, thrifted.

Boots, Doc Martens, $180.

Beauty Tip Pair a feminine top with a leather jacket to edge up any outfit.

Seeking Help Payton Bartos discusses her mental health journey throughout the pandemic and the benefits of seeking professional help.

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I sit with Payton in my kitchen on opposite ends of a rounded wooden table. The table is covered in a red and white checkered tablecloth and she rests her manicured hands on it, ready for questioning.

We had been tested, both negative, and had taken all necessary precautions beforehand. We start by covering the basics, where she was when Covid-19 first began to wreak havoc, how her family reacted, and her own initial mental health.

For Payton, many of the Covid19’s stressors she received came directly from her mom.

Payton has a close relationship with her mom and because of that, much of the paranoia that came with Covid-19 got projected onto Payton.

“There was a lot of paranoia, and misinformation. Personally I did not deal with all of that particularly well, a lot of people don’t. It helped that I didn’t truly engage with that much news.

A lot of what I found out was through my family and parents who were watching the news very actively.”

We shift the focus from the news to mental health. Payton says that she has struggled on and off with her mental health and when the pandemic hit, she really struggled.

“Getting out of bed, especially for a single class, I never felt motivated. When I came home for the summer, I approached my mom and said I really need to talk to someone, I need to figure this out. Because what was happening wasn’t working for me. I started talking to a professional about everything that’s been going on and how things got worse with Covid.”

It was refreshing to hear someone speak to getting help, as often times many people look away when it comes to speaking to a professional.

Payton was incredibly honest with her experience, and became incredibly engaged when asked about it. Payton wants to go into the mental health profession, and is a large advocate for speaking to someone about your mental health and getting help.

“I find therapy so helpful. I think everyone should have a therapist. I am taking medicatiMODEL PAYTON BARTOS

Payton speak to the positives was quite eye- opening.

on now and that definitely helps a ton and I’ve been able to develop more coping mechanisms and finally be able to recognize my own mental health struggles within myself.

It’s getting easier to address these struggles. Honestly, I think I definitely would have sought help a bit earlier than I did. But, I’m not disappointed in myself about it either, that was good enough.”

Payton cracks her knuckles and looks back at me. She discusses how therapy changed her mental health and attitude on life, how you pay someone to just listen and how there is so much power in that when you may not have others that are willing to listen.

Speaking of positives, Payton brings up the exciting factors that Zoom has to offer. Being enrolled in online school has been incredibly challenging and negative for many, so hearing

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“I know we hate Zoom and learning over Zoom, but it makes classes so much more accessible. I’m able to go back and rewatch lectures at my own pace and that has really contributed to my learning.

Honestly, Zoom has added a lot to my education that I think will be interesting to see how it continues in the future and after Covid. Like, kids from across the sea can be in the same zoom class. How cool is that?”

Frankly, I had never really thought about Zoom in that way. I had thought of it as a soul-sucking device with little room for learning, but accessibility never dawned on me. The idea that students from all over the world can be in one singular class was mind-blowing. Maybe there is something to be said about Zoom.

Payton disrupts my thoughts and continues.

“I’ve really prioritized my mental health during the pandemic and especially now. Sometimes you just have a shitty day, and that’s totally fine. I want to bring positive mental health and wellbeing to the people in my life because I love and care for them so much.

“When Cade [Payton’s younger

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brother] got sick with Covid, I had a really tough time. He’s a sophomore in college and was hospitalized and put on oxygen because of Covid. Like yes, he was healthy, but he got so sick. I felt like I had to be the moderator between my little brother and my parents and they would put all their stresses onto me.”

She pauses, looks at a notification she received on her phone, coincidentally from Cade. She returns her gaze back to me and we chat more about mental stability. Payton narrates her bad days and how she had to learn to validate her feelings, that sometimes your brain is just having a tough time.

“You’re a worthy human being deserving of help and everything you are feeling is valid.” Payton begins. She hesitates before continuing.

“I feel like its all subconscious stress, which people don’t recognize. Even if you feel fine, theres a good chance you’re not. Trauma has essentially happened to most of us and how we deal with it all is very different. It is a battle to accept that but then also begin to wonder how to move forward and how can I help myself.”

In wrapping up, I ask Payton about any advice she’d give to those currently struggling with

their mental health. She crosses her arms and leans back in her chair, gathering her thoughts.

“Reach out to people. Don’t be afraid to lean on other people for support because a lot of those feelings of isolation and difficult states of mental health are largely stemming from isolation. The ability to reach out to a friend, parent, or professional is really what’s going to help someone get through those feelings. That’s the greatest resource you can take advantage of.”

Party? In a Pandemic?

I interviewed photographer Lucy Carpenter who is a firm believer in having fun while staying at home. Specifically, with themed household parties.

All photos provided by Lucy Carpenter.

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How did you get into photography?

I started taking pictures for fun when I was about 13-14. I would always ask my friends and family to do photoshoots with me, and I loved trying creative ideas with portraits. I ended up saving my money one summer before my sophomore year of high school and bought my first camera. After that, I started taking senior portraits during the summer for some of my older friends. This eventually turned into my full-time summer job, and I still do it every summer back in my hometown and in Ann Arbor. Since then, I’ve also experimented with creative portraiture, fashion and street photography for SHEI Magazine, and product photography for a company called Fomcore Furniture.

What are some ways you’ve managed to stay safe and have fun inside during the pandemic?

I’ve spent a ton of time hanging out with my family and my roommates. Luckily, I was able to live with 9

other girls in a house in Ann Arbor this year, and we’ve made the best of senior year together. We love throwing fun themed “parties” (just us, of course!) on the weekends and having photoshoots.

In this shoot, we did a Euphoria themed party, like the really popular TV show. Euphoria is fun and easy because it’s basically just funky and unique outfits and a bunch of glitter. The show has a bunch of different characters to embody and dress up as.

It was really special watching all of my roommates get excited to dress up and get into character, knowing I would be photographing them. It made the party something to look forward to, which nowadays has been hard to find.

“It was really special watching all of my roommates get excited to dress up and get into character, knowing I would be photographing them.”

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How has photography helped you through the pandemic?

Photography has been my main creative outlet over the course of the past year.

Right when I got home after being sent back from study abroad, I started working on quarantine “kitchen photoshoots” with my sister.

Every day we did a different theme, starting with monochromatic color shoots and moving through different ones like decades, album covers, and elements. I had never really worked with indoor portraiture before, so having a ton of free time to experiment with my sister as a model was really helpful.

I found that I was more creatively motivated when I had time to spend at home,

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and I was able to share my photography on platforms like TikTok. Photography gave me a place to focus my

Has there been a favorite shoot or theme you’ve photographed during the pandemic?

creative energy and move forward with my career at a time when I felt like it would be easy to feel stuck.

I would say my favorite shoots were the color photoshoots that I did at the start of quarantine. It was my first time working with different types of indoor and styled portraits, so I was excited that they were turning out well and that people on TikTok liked them, too.

In honor of it being almost a year since I worked on that series, I decided this past week to recreate the color photoshoots.

Because my sister and I aren’t back at home together anymore, I made it a self-portrait series. I’ve had a lot of fun working as both the photographer and model, and it’s definitely a new creative challenge for me.

Are there any solutions you could offer to others looking to make their own fun inside during Covid?

My advice would be to start exploring different creative hobbies like painting, cooking, reading, writing, photography, etc. You never know what you might take a liking to, and it’s really valuable to find new ways to relax/have fun as well! I also think that COVID has taught me how to have fun by myself, and that’s something that I’ll take away from this even after it’s over. I would also recommend turning to social media for inspiration and to share different parts of your experience (if that’s something that you’re

comfortable with!)

I’ve been able to find a really great online community of creatives, and I think other people can as well.

You can follow Lucy’s work on Instagram and on Tik Tok at @carpenlu.

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“Covid-19 showed me I could wear whatever I wanted and nobody cared.”

MODEL JOSIAH RENTSCHLER

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Top, Thrifted.

Khakis, American Eagle, $49.95.

Bandana, Vintage Fabric.

Hat, Thrifted.

Mask, Old Navy Set of 5, $12.95.

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This is a message of

HOPE!

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a ay t ow yo indful k o It is sider h be m and Con

Musician Spotlight: Kelsey MacDonald

ANOTHER DAY I sat down with musician Kelsey MacDonald to speak about her latest released single, Another Day, that speaks to her mental health during the pandemic.

Kelsey is a senior in college at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre with an emphasis in songwriting.

When did you start writing music?

The first time I ever really started music was with my sister. We would just come up with words to tunes that already existed and would write musicals together.

I started playing guitar in high school and didn’t start writing until college through my program. I saw the seniors perform in the spring of my freshman year and I was so blown away by their music. I came back to school sophomore year and one of my best friends had written some songs over the summer and I remember sitting in her apartment listening to her songs over and over again because they were so good! I started writing with her and slowly we started to write songs but it was very gradual. I would

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Images supplied by Kelsey MacDonald

take months to finish one song.

Once I got accepted into the songwriting program in college, we started having songwriting assignments.

I started writing songs for school and would extend that beyond class.

When the pandemic started and we went online, we were still writing songs but it was so different to share a song over a screen versus being in a space and actually feeling the music that someone created. That was really hard, and everything else the pandemic brought on caused me to feel really isolated. I started playing guitar every single day when I was in quarantine so I’m grateful for that because I’ve gotten so much better and I’ve learned so much.

Another Day, the song I released, came out of that isolation and loneliness of Covid-19 and not knowing how to cope with it except to breathe through it and know it’s going to work itself out. I remember writing it and just feeling so happy with it. It was a song that came to life so easily. I was so hesitant to share it since I wasn’t confident in the music that I was making- I didn’t feel like my music had a place. It took a lot of guts for me to post it on Instagram but everyone really gravitated towards it and I was getting texts from people I hadn’t heard from in months telling me how much people loved and appreciated the message of it and how much it helped them. I’m really glad I ended up posting it because the message of hope and ‘it’s going to be okay’ attitude

is a long stronger through song than just telling people it’s going to be fine.

How was your mental health during the pandemic?

Playing the guitar was definitely a positive coping mechanism for me. I had a lot of outside influences that added fuel to the fire to make me sink into this place of intense anxiety. I was starting to show actual signs of depression and in April of 2020 I can confidently say I was depressed. I did not know how to do what I was supposed to be doing in school online - nobody did. But whenever I was sad I would usually turn to my guitar and play covers, typically Taylor Swift, and then I started changing tunings of my guitar to inspire me. I remember pla-

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ying the guitar everyday until my fingers had huge calluses and indents on them from the strings. I was trying so hard to tell stories through music to escape the world I was living in because it was not something I wanted to think about.

Who are some of your artistic influences?

Taylor Swift is my biggest musical inspiration and I always have her close by.

I love Lizzy McAlpine and she is somebody that I really started listening to at this time because she wrote really sad songs. I was having my heart broken at the time and she wrote sad songs that I could really connect to and express my emotions to. She was a huge influence during that time and she wrote a really good song about the pandemic too. She has such a style that I’ve adapted that’s just her and her acoustic guitar and all these different tunings and intricate picking patterns that have definitely influenced me since hearing her.

In your song, Another Day, is there a set of lyrics that resonate with you the most?

There is the literal meaning of it and people have told me how honest and illustrative it is where people can actually see the picture I’m painting.

Amidst the chaotic time of the pandemic, my family told me one of our huge elm trees in front of our house was getting cut down. I didn’t think it would impact me much but I just put it in the song and it came so easily. The verses are a

stream of consciousness and the chorus reflects how confused and scared I was at the time because I had no idea what was happening. At school I saw my city [Boston] completely shut down.

Everybody that hears the line about fear can picture a road wherever they are and can see it completely empty.

Everyone can resonate with that.

How do you want other

people to react to your song?

if there is a bit more hope now.

I played my producer, Regina Averion, the song in September and we crafted the arrangement to feel like a cry for help but also like a reconciliation and a feeling of winning in the end. In Another Day, you win because I’m telling you you’re going to breathe and get through it. There’s a lot of hope. When people listen to it and hear me going into the chorus, they hear the crescendo of the strings and piano and it feels like you’re winning. It feels like ‘We can do this!’ I want people to feel hope and it’s crazy that I released it now, essentially a year after I wrote it, and things feel the same, even

Are you feeling more hopeful now?

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For the most part yes. I am more hopeful due to the change in politics and those in office now have been doing a better job even though they can still do better and must be held accountable. I feel hopeful in that way because they control the money that could fund testing, vaccinations, and getting the pandemic and economy under control.

On a personal level, I feel a lot of hope. My industry was completely shut down in the beginning- there’s still not a lot of theatre happening but slowly as things start to

get better and restrictions are getting lifted I start to see little flickers of hope and theatre coming back.

The pandemic was terrible for so many reasons but I did discover that I still had creativity in me that I could put into different avenues such as songwriting.

That’s what Another Day is. I say some of the scary things in the moment but the post-chorus of “I inhale and exhale,” is a reminder to breathe. That is me saying ‘I have what I can control and what I can’t is going to exist but what I can control is my breathing.”

STAY HOME

Dr

o N t ow h e r e p U g n i s s e

Betsy Stubbs takes me along with her in her journey to run minor errands, in style.

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Dress, Thrifted.

Jacket, Eddie Bauer, $179.99.

Mask, Set of 3, Baggu, $32.00 Earrings, Zara, $12.99.

Sunglasses, Genusee, $120.00

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“Covid-19 made me realize that I don’t actually need to be going anywhere to dress up and be myself.

I can express myself anywhere!”

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Here’s to Some Good News!

Some good news to distract yourself from the state of the world.

Information taken from www.goodgoodgood.co & https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news

Some Good News Colorado has passed a bill to give anyone in the state 18 years old and under a free mental health screening and up to 3 free sessions with a professional.

The bill aims to give kids the support they need after the impact of Covid-19. This was brought upon from a spike in mental health- related visits at the Children’s Hospital Colorado due to children being isolated from friends and family during the pandemic.

Colorado lawmakers are making mental health resources accessible and a priority for young individuals.

More than 1 in 4 U.S adults (as of April 10th, 2021) are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Additionally, more than one-third of adults have received at least one dose of a twodose required vaccine.

The COVAX program has sent over 36 million vaccine doses to 86 countries.

COVAX is a World Health Organization initiative that pushes for vaccine accessibility by delivering 2 billion free Covid-19 vaccine doses to low and middle income countries.

The U.S is giving an average 3 million

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Covid-19 vaccine does per day, for the first time ever.

This is an increase from the previous month of March, 2021 with 2 million doses per day.

The National Suicide Prevention Line was approved to have a designated 3 digit number of 988.

This number is used like 911 and increases accessibility and reduces the stigma of using mental health services!

More Good News “Wheel of Fortune’ grand prize winner gives money away to charity.

Winner Scott Kolbrenner won $145,000 last night on the game show and vowed to give all of his winnings to a children’s charity and a food bank.

President Biden announced initial actions to address gun violence prevention.

He addressed the use of “ghost guns,” weapon stabilizing braces, leadership over the agency that enforces gun laws, “red flag” laws for states, and more.

Biden stated his administration would be investing in evidence-based community violent interventions to reduce gun violence without incarceration.

Researchers developed a new “bioplastic” that degrades in 3 months.

The “bioplastic” is made from wood powder that matches the strength of plastic. When buried in soil, it broke down in 3 months. The “bioplastic” can also be returned to its original form, allowing it to be reused numerous times.

A mom meets her daughter for the first time after being on a ventilator for 75 days.

Kelsey Townsend officially met her

daughter on January 27, 2021. This was 3 months after giving birth to her while falling into a medically induced coma due to Covid-19.

New HIV prevention vaccine shows 97% success rate.

It was tested in its first phase of human trials and scientists say working on the vaccine could help with other viruses such as malaria and Zika.

A Tech Startup has created a drone that that can plant seeds 6x faster over 40 acres in a single day to speed up reforestation efforts.

The drone, DroneSeed, can also plant seeds post-wildfire within 30 days and can include a number of different species in each drop.

Scientists have found a new environmentally-friendly way to use food scraps in jet fuel.

This approach cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 165% as compared to fossil energy.

Turning this into fuel reduces the carbon emitted from airplanes and the emissions by diverting the would-be food waste from a landfill.

MASK UP

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Just Remember...

Even with good news about Covid-19 and the pandemic, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over.

In order to end this pandemic, we all have to stick together.

Wear a mask. Follow social distancing guidelines. Reach out to people for help and support.

Celebrate your vaccinations and remember that just because you are vaccinated does not mean everyone else is.

Let’s take care of each other.