[This text is machine generated and may contain errors.]
Olivia Wang
Interviewer
Esther Gonzalez
Interviewee
April 19, 2022
Greenville, North Carolina
OW: (00:00)
Hi, my name is Jinying Wang, and my friend used to call me Olivia. So today I'm going to conduct an interview for my oral history. And there's one guest that I'm inviting today. She's my friend. Her name is Esther, and let's just, yeah, we are just listening to her stories and let her introduce herself.
EG: (00:22)
My name is Esther Gonzalez, and I'm a sophomore here at East Carolina University. My major is computer science.
OW: (00:32)
All right, yeah, I think we can just let's get started about our other questions. So what is what is your affiliation with University?
EG: (00:42)
I'm a student.
OW: (00:43)
Yeah. So what's your department?
EG:
A computer science.
OW:
Okay. So you just told us about your year and the majors. So how was the pandemic discussion, and all the work that you have done that is kind of different, different from the previous years that you attended at ECU?
EG: (01:07)
So for the pandemic, it did bring a lot of change. School wise, my classes got moved to online when the pandemic started, which was different for me, because I had never took an online classes. A lot of stuff were closed, such as, like resources that I could use at school. So it was definitely
OW: (01:33)
yeah, they all shipped to online, right?
EG: (01:35)
Yeah
OW: (01:35)
like try harder in order to adjust.
Yeah. So how did you learn of decisions? To close campus? Well, cancel activities?
EG: (01:47)
So we were mostly informed through email, like the chancellor had informed us that we would be taking classes online for the safety and health of the students and staff.
OW: (02:02)
Okay, so what was your experience of actually leaving campus? And what kind of help did you have? What were your thoughts and emotions as you were leaving?
EG: (02:14)
So I didn't want to leave. But I had to, I didn't have a choice.
OW: (02:20)
Yeah.
EG: (02:21)
But I was able to stay in Greenville and
OW: (02:25)
still really close to campus.
EG: (02:27)
I was still close to campus. So I still felt sort of like a school spirit. But I didn't have much resources because I couldn't go like to a class and ask professors questions that I had. So my education was probably slowed down.
OW: (02:47)
Yeah, and also a lot of like, facilities are shutting down. So it's really, which is really inconvenient.
EG: (02:54)
Yeah, very inconvenient, and less resources available.
OW: (02:57)
Yep. So where are you living right now?
EG: (03:00)
I live at the apartments called the Bauer.
OW: (03:03)
Okay. So Oh, okay. It's next to the stadium. Right?
EG: (03:08)
Correct. It is across from the stadium.
OW: (03:10)
Okay. So what's your daily life like for you? And how is the affected by current restrictions? What? What adjustment have you had to make your usual routines?
EG: (03:24)
So my daily life is mostly school and studying, and like chores at my apartment. For in terms of COVID, and restrictions, I would say that there's well less things to do. Probably seeing less people. And any help that I have, I know that there's purple pantry that recently discovered that it gives out food and it's really needed in times like during the pandemic, when you don't want to go to the grocery store a lot, or when you can't
OW: (04:08)
and also feel like friends, friends are not that close as before, right?
EG: (04:12)
That's true. Like, friends have less time for each other, mostly because they're worried about the pandemic or they're worried about school.
OW: (04:23)
Yeah, so how has technique technique, technology played a role in your life during the pandemic, either in the class as a way to gather and share information or for entertainment?
EG: (04:36)
Technology has played a huge role in my life during the pandemic. It has certainly been a helpful tool. Without technology, I would be very bored at home. Thankfully for technology, I have access to my classes, to my schoolwork
OW: (04:55)
or for entertainment.
EG: (04:56)
Yeah, thankfully, technology provides me entertainment, such as like television shows
OW: (05:03)
social media
EG: (05:04)
social media. That's true. Yeah, and technology has been a huge important tool for the pandemic because it helps us do things remotely instead of face to face.
OW: (05:16)
That same for me. How you how are your classes going? You know, what kind of messages have you received from professors? How are other students handling the changes? How are you handling it? How have your academic routines changed?
EG: (05:35)
My classes are going very good. Thankfully, I have everything online that I can look back to. Messages from my professors have been positive, they understand that we are in a pandemic. And they understand that on not all their students can be in class every day. And not and sometimes not all the students will be feeling great.
OW: (06:00)
And they're slowly understandable.
EG: (06:01)
Yeah, they have been much more understanding than before COVID came up. And they've been more laid back on like, due dates, like they're more understanding. Other students are handling the changes, well, I mean, I know most of us are a little grateful that the pandemic came around to help us with the grades and stuff because professors are laid back with the grading sometimes.
OW: (06:27)
Yeah, for me, it's more like a financial difficulties than you guys do.
EG: (06:32)
Yeah. And my academic routines haven't really changed much just more of using technology, which is different than before COVID when everything was like pencil, paper and books, but now everything is less materialistic, so we don't spread germs.
OW: (06:50)
Yes. Like paper free.
EG: (06:52)
Yeah, that's true.
OW: (06:54)
Okay, so next question is, are you involved in student organizations, sports, work, labs, how has the pandemic affected them?
EG: (07:04)
I'm involved in ACM, which is the computer science majors club. I can't currently remember what ACM stands for. But we meet and we discuss such as like hackathons, and any tools we could use for coding and programming. The pandemic hasn't really affected them because we would only meet like once a week, which is a little bit
OW: (07:37)
so are doing that, still doing that like a once a week?
EG: (07:41)
Yeah, it's every Wednesday.
OW: (07:43)
So do you have a job on or off campus? What kind of work did you do? And how has that been affected by the pandemic lockdowns and the quarantine?
EG: (07:57)
So I have a job off campus, but it is not in Greenville. It is out of the town. It has it did become affected by the pandemic when the pandemic first came around, they did have to shut down the place that I worked at. Because where I worked, we would have a lot of customers which would risk the spread of a pandemic. So, yeah, but as for now, things are probably back to normal.
OW: (08:27)
that's good news.
EG: (08:28)
Yeah.
OW: (08:29)
So how are your friends, family, partner or other important people in your life doing?
EG: (08:36)
Everybody in my life is overall really great. None of my family members have gotten COVID Thank god.
OW: (08:44)
Yeah, that's really
EG: (08:44)
Yeah, neither none of my friends tested positive for COVID. We tend to stay safe and masked up.
OW: (08:53)
That's really good. Okay,
so the next next question is, are you doing any community work as a result of the pandemic- shopping for neighbors, donating blood? other community work?
EG: (09:09)
Yeah, so I have donated blood before. And during COVID I still did.
OW: (09:15)
Wow.
EG: (09:16)
Because I know that there's people in the hospital that would need it. Shopping for neighbors sometimes.
OW: (09:26)
Yeah. To the people. Yeah.
EG: (09:28)
Yep. treat everybody with kindness because we're all going through a pandemic. If a neighbor needs help, then I'll help them. Because I'll never know when maybe I'll need it to.
OW: (09:37)
Yeah.
EG: (09:38)
and care for the neighbor.
OW: (09:40)
So next time, if we got something they can help us as well.
EG: (09:45)
Yeah.
OW: (09:46)
So what are your impressions of the media coverage of the pandemic, both currently and before it arrived in the United States?
EG: (09:55)
So before the pandemic arrived I actually wasn't aware of it. It was just more like scientists were saying that we could possibly have a pandemic. I didn't believe it because I didn't want to believe it. I never thought that we would end up in a pandemic.
OW: (10:14)
Yeah, me either because I saw China's still far away from us.
EG: (10:18)
Yeah, like it's overseas. I was like, There's no way it's gonna get to us. And eventually it did. And I was like, wow. And ever since the pandemic came, it never went away from the news. Like, the news talks about it like almost every day
OW: (10:37)
it's been two more years, right.
EG: (10:38)
Yeah, it's been two years and is still talked about, even though it has calmed down. But the media coverage has been, I want to say exaggerating, because it's trying to make you scared. It would always report the number of people that are hospitalized, when that's not really news and
OW: (10:59)
all the toilet paper.
EG: (11:02)
Oh, yes. And that just freaks people out and makes people panic. And then they run to the grocery store and take everything. So it's I don't think the media covered it positively. I feel like it had a negative impact.
OW: (11:15)
Yeah, I do agree with that.
EG: (11:17)
Yeah.
OW: (11:18)
Yeah. So what what seemed normal before that seems strange to you now? And what were you planning to do that is now uncertain?
EG: (11:30)
I feel like society changed how we interact in public. Back then I remember people used to stand so close to each other in line, or people used to like share like water fountains and stuff like that. And now, it seems so unhygenic to me to even stand, like so close to someone in line or to drink from a waterfountain and like, now, I will definitely never drink from a waterfountain again
OW: (11:57)
Yeah
EG: (11:58)
like I did before. Because it's like, your mouth is just so close to the waterfountain. And that carries a lot of germs.
OW: (12:05)
Yeah, I totally understand that. Like, like for my dog. Like I used to really welcome into the strangers whenever they want to pet my dog. But now when when I didn't wear my mask and they're approaching to me, I just kind of want to run away, because I don't want to get a chance to talk to them so close.
EG: (12:23)
Yeah, it's definitely like it makes you more, the pandemic made us more aware of how germs are easily spread. Yeah, like it definitely opened my eyes to that. And back then it would seem strange to even wear a mask. But now it seems normal. And I probably will wear masks often for the rest of my life.
OW: (12:44)
Oh?
EG: (12:45)
Yeah, that's true.
OW: (12:48)
So so how have you plans changed? What did you missed out on? What were you planning to do that is now uncertain?
EG: (13:01)
My plans have changed significantly. Before the pandemic started I wanted to be a teacher at an elementary school. But now I don't want to be a teacher anymore. Because looking at the potential future in education, we might possibly be online in the future. It's just more convenient. It's easier. And
OW: (13:26)
yeah, you can teach people overseas so easily.
EG: (13:29)
Yeah, correct. It's so accessible when it's online. And I just didn't really see a feature for myself in education. I saw more of a future in expanding technology. So I decided to follow my passion and change my major to computer science, which is hopefully more useful and better paid degree than teachers. And
OW: (13:52)
good for you
EG: (13:53)
Thank you, especially during the pandemic. I don't know if you saw that there were teachers that would be like so stressed out because they're underpaid. And they had all this responsibility. That to create everything that was once easy to show in person
OW: (14:11)
they all have to shift all the things online. So complicated for them.
EG: (14:16)
Yeah, this shifted onto a screen, and it would must be harder for them. And yet, they weren't really appreciated, and they're still underpaid. So it just discouraged me from wanting to become a teacher.
OW: (14:28)
Oh, I see what you mean. Okay, so the next question is kind of sensitive. But yeah. So how do you rate the governmental response to the pandemic, local, state, federal and what is the basis for your evaluations?
EG: (14:45)
So rating the government's response to the pandemic, If I were to rate it on a scale of one to 10, I would possibly rate it A seven maybe Six so pretty high. I liked how they had a mandate for mass. I think that was a good thing. But I feel like they did bring it around a little late.
OW: (15:13)
They should have definitely brought it early on in the pandemic and not spread like this quick.
EG: (15:19)
Yeah, correct. And hopefully it wouldn't have, like, gotten so wild and spread as much as it did. If everybody would have worn mask during the first like, say 10 cases. Yeah.
OW: (15:29)
Yeah. And it's also good for the elders, because I heard a little bit elders say they affected by this situation.
EG: (15:36)
The elders were heavily affected. So again, I don't think they had the best response. There definitely could have been a better response from the government. But I'm glad that they had a vaccine fairly quickly. I'm glad and thankful that they had it accessible to everyone, and it was free. And I'm glad they had options for the vaccine as well. Yeah, I mean, they had some positive response in some aspects. But there was other aspects where they failed greatly. Would you like me to evaluate?
OW: (16:14)
Yeah.
EG: (16:14)
yeah. Okay. Let's say they could have also, like I said, they could have brought that mask mandate earlier on. I know, this is a very controversial topic. I'm about to speak on but the vaccine, maybe it should have been mandated for everybody.
OW: (16:32)
Yeah, like two shots for everyone.
EG: (16:34)
Yeah, maybe that would have been a good response. I know that there's still people that doubt the vaccine. Personally, who worked for me, I got it when it first came out. And I haven't gotten COVID I haven't gotten sick.
OW: (16:47)
Yeah, if everyone has two shots, then the variation might be might not be like this much. Right?
EG: (16:53)
Yes. Correct. And most of the people that end up on the hospital are unvaccinated. So I feel like the government should should have had a heavier push on the vaccine mandate.
OW: (17:04)
Yep. Okay, so our next question is, what was it like to return to campus?
EG: (17:11)
Returning to campus was something different for me because it was my first time on college campus. Whenever we were able to return because whenever I started college, it was, it was during 2020 When COVID was at a rise. It did feel new to me. It felt strange whenever I saw people without masks. Although we were required to wear masks in buildings. We weren't required to wear it outside.
OW: (17:42)
So the majority of your college life is like during the pandemic, right?
EG: (17:46)
Yes. Half of my college life will be live, was, will be lived during the pandemic. Yeah, it was strange, like whenever I didn't see people outside like mask. And it was strange being in a classroom where you had to wear a mask, especially where all my years, my 12 years of public education I never had to wear a mask. I was used to being in a room where I could see everybody's face and I could see my teachers and my instructors face. But the mask definitely made it it could make it harder to pay attention too because you don't see the professor's mouth moving.
OW: (18:23)
Yeah, but for me, sometimes it's good because I don't need to wear makeup. I don't need to worry about that stuff
EG: (18:30)
oh, yes, yeah.
OW: (18:32)
Oh, okay. So how do you feel about wearing a mask? Or how do you feel about mask mandates?
EG: (18:38)
So I am glad they had the mask mandate like I've felt like a positive push on the government because it did decrease the spread of COVID I enjoyed wearing my mask. I still wear it if I'm in like in a public setting with a lot of people. Yeah, I'm personally fine with wearing a mask. I never had a problem like other people did. And I probably still will wear my mask often.
OW: (19:04)
Okay, so, did you get a vaccine? How do you feel about the vaccine?
EG: (19:11)
I did get the Pfizer vaccine. I still have to get my booster. I haven't gotten it yet. But I do plan on getting that.
OW: (19:18)
You mean the third one?
EG: (19:20)
Yes, the third booster shot. I feel positively toward the vaccine. I did do my research before I got it. I didn't just want to inject myself with anything but I trust science. Yeah,
OW: (19:33)
I think Pfizer is better because like I got the Moderna and I kind of has like a strong symptoms after getting the shot. So
EG: (19:41)
yes, people did.
OW: (19:43)
Yeah.
So the next question is, how do you feel about wearing I think I already have that. Okay, so did you get a, so my question is, did you ever get COVID? What was your experience like? How did you get a long COVID?
EG: (20:03)
Thankfully, I never got COVID
OW: (20:07)
So what was that like? you don't have that experience?
EG: (20:11)
Yeah, I'm glad I don't didn't have get to experience COVID Because people that did get it, they seemed like pretty ill you know, there are people that even died from it. But thankfully, I kept myself safe masked up and kept my hands clean. And I did not get COVID
OW: (20:29)
Does any of your friends get a COVID?
EG: (20:32)
No, none of my friends or family.
OW: (20:34)
That's really good.
So is there anything else you would like people to know?
EG: (20:40)
I would like people to know that COVID changed a lot of people's lives. It yeah, changed society as a whole. I don't think you
totally agree.
Yeah. I don't think it will ever be the same like it was before COVID. It changed a lot of things.
OW: (21:00)
Yeah, I'm getting older.
EG: (21:02)
Yeah, and it did teach us a lesson too. Yeah. Taught us lots of lessons.
OW: (21:08)
Yeah, life is hard and we just need to cherish. What do we have?
EG: (21:13)
Yeah. COVID To teach us to cherish what we have. Because not everything is promised.
OW: (21:19)
Okay. I think this is a nice interview and talk we have today. Yeah, thanks for being my interviewee.
EG: (21:28)
Thank you for interviewing me. I enjoyed this.
OW: (21:30)
Thank you.
[End of Recording]