Marielle Dominguez-Porcayo History Interview


[This text is machine generated and may contain errors.]

Nelitza Dominguez
Interviewer

Marielle Dominguez
Interviewee

April 11, 2022
Greenville, North Carolina

ND: (00:00)
Good afternoon. My name is Nelitza Dominguez, and I'm here with Marielle Dominguez to talk about her COVID-19 experiences. It's currently April 11 2022. So how are you doing?

MD: (00:10)
I'm okay.

ND: (00:12)
Okay, cool.

ND: (00:13)
So first, I'm going to ask you to tell me your age and the grade that you're currently in.

MD: (00:17)
So I'm 18, and I'm a senior in high school.

ND: (00:22)
Okay, thank you. So I'm going to ask you a few questions about the pandemic. Are you ready?

MD: (00:27)
Yes.

ND: (00:29)
Okay. So what is the first memory you have of anybody mentioning COVID-19? And how did you react to it?

MD: (00:36)
So I just remember I was in English class. And I remember, like, our principal, he announced that we school the school day was going to be we're having we're gonna have early release. And then my English teacher, he was like, Yeah, I think we're gonna be out for like, a week or two. And then I was like, what? I was so confused. I was so oblivious to what was happening. And so when me like, left early, I texted my best friend, and I was like, what's going on? And then she said, she told me about COVID. And I was like, huh, so because like, originally, I just remember hearing on like, the news, people were fainting on the streets, but I didn't really think that was COVID related.

ND: (01:14)
Yeah. Okay, so did you take it seriously at first? Or do you didn't think it was going to escalate to such a severe level?

MD: (01:21)
No, I feel like nobody thought it was gonna escalate. as badly as it did. Nobody took it seriously. Everybody thought it was gonna be like, a one month or two. One thing then we're gonna be back. But like, like, yeah.

ND: (01:38)
So when did you first realize that things were getting serious around your city?

MD: (01:44)
Um, I feel like it was two things. I'm like, when the news would like tell us like the death rates, like be like, that's when people started to panic. And also, I like when it started to impact my family. And that's when I started to get worried. And like, I realized things were actually serious, like, both my parents are like, super hardworking people. And they'd always come home super late. And so when my mom would wouldn't have like, work that day, or when my dad would get home at like, three in the afternoon. Usually, he'd get home at like, nine, I started to worry, especially financially, and then I realized, like, how many how like, bad this pandemic was, like going to affect like, people.

ND: (02:25)
Okay, so, um, as a high school student, what were your What was your response to education going virtual?

MD: (02:32)
So, personally, I liked it. Because I have really bad social anxiety. And like, I'm an introvert. So I never liked going to school in person, because I thought everybody was judging me. So like, when we have to do it online, you'd have to turn on your camera. So nobody was watching me. So I felt a lot more comfortable. And like, even like I participate more. I was like, I would never raise my hand in class to answer a question, but I feel like since nobody could see my face, like when the teacher asks a question I'd answer because it's just like, my voice. So yeah, I

ND: (03:06)
was doing things online, like hard to adjust to, because it was like on a computer, and usually you would do things like on paper and stuff?

MD: (03:13)
Yeah, so I am, I'm so used to like using a notebook and taking down notes. But I feel like since you didn't really have to, because it's like all online teachers, but like, give you the notes. I didn't just stop taking I stopped making flashcards I stopped taking notes. Like I just wouldn't do anything by hand ever since everything was online. It was definitely like an adjustment I had to do especially like, like with the way I study because I'm a very visual person, I always have to have things in front of me. In also, like, teachers would say something and go in one ear and out the other. So that was like very hard to adjust to.

ND: (03:57)
Okay, um, did you do you believe that the pandemic has caused any changes to your academic routines besides your study methods? Like as in your attention span, like, has it increased or decreased or has your motivation increased or decreased have your grades being affected in any way?

MD: (04:15)
So I don't think like, I don't think school virtually affected my attention span, that was Tik Tok. But my grades did decrease a lot. I was a straight A student. And then I started getting B's, which I know isn't bad. But like, it's still a big thing. I didn't have motivation at all. I would procrastinate. I would turn in things the latest I could. Like there was like one class that I turned in the whole semesters worth a class in one week. So it was like I still got like an A in the class, which also I'm pretty sure like, that's not good. So that just goes to show like how some people just you can't really learn because a lot of times like people cheated because it was [unintelligible].

ND: (04:57)
Do you think like your teachers were more lenient since it was like pandemic was, I guess?

MD: (05:02)
Yeah, like I attendance wasn't mandatory in most classes. So I just wouldn't go to class. So because like all the assignments were online, and so were the notes. So I wouldn't go to class and I just do the work. And like, I'm don't I didn't have any teachers that didn't allow you to turn things in late because I feel like teachers were under, they understood that not everybody was like, in a good situation at home. And they knew like, I feel like mental health was a big factor played with by teachers like being Sylvania. So.

ND: (05:37)
So when you returned to school, was that like, difficult? Like going back on campus? Like, did it, did you not like that? Or did you prefer it online?

MD: (05:48)
Well, I didn't like it. Because like I said, I'm an introvert. So I also did, I don't think school is I didn't think schools did enough to make sure like, we were treating the pandemic as it was, like, people weren't social distancing, social distancing anymore. Because the by this time, I feel like we all got so used to COVID, like, the severity of the severity of it, like went away. So I didn't like going back to school. I thought it was very unsafe since COVID is not over. But I mean, I guess we kind of move on at some point. Yeah. So like,

ND: (06:27)
So like you mean, like, some people wouldn't, some students wouldn't wear like their masks properly. And

MD: (06:31)
yeah, like those anti maskers like people who are anti mask, I don't understand, like, I understand if you can't wear a mask because of like, like respiratory issues. The other is just like political, I think you should just wear like, it's not going to kill you. It's there to like, do good. So people who I people use the mask to display their political site, like political views, like people who didn't like wearing their mask or like, it's taking away our freedom. I'm like, No, it's not. Everyone should wear it

ND: (07:06)
so like piggy backing, or like, on top of that, like, how do you feel about mask mandates?

MD: (07:14)
Oh, so like I said, I am pro mask, I think that the mandates shouldn't be lifted. Like I said, I understand if you have health issues, and of course, then you shouldn't be exempt, exempt from wearing them. But I like wearing masks for me. Like I said, it helped my anxiety and it helped a lot of my friends too. But also you just feel safer, you feel cleaner, because it isn't landing on you. So I really liked the masks and I think the mandates shouldn't have been lifted, like currently.

ND: (07:45)
Um, has the pandemic impacted your mental health? Your mental health in any way?

MD: (07:53)
Yeah, so now I'm severely depressed. And I have crippling anxiety. Being at home, with my toxic parents, it was not it was a no go for me. My anxiety got way worse. I feel like I got so accustomed to not socializing. So like when I did have to go out. I was like, I don't know how to do this. So yeah, I'm like, but also mental health became like, a lot of awareness was brought up towards mental health because the pandemic, I feel like people were mobile, more vocal about their depression and anxiety. But also, it also like, kind of became taboo. Like, I feel like the word depression lost its meaning, because so many people use it some lightly.

ND: (08:41)
Yeah. Okay. Um, are you pro vaccination? And how do you feel about those who choose chose not to get vaccinated against COVID?

MD: (08:53)
Yes, see, I'm a raging liberal. So I am pro vaccines, just like I am pro mask. I am, like I said, I understand that, why people wouldn't have it. Like, if you're like allergic to it, or something, or like something with your health. I also understand the fear of it, since it's, they, like the vaccine came out so quickly, so I understand the concern towards it. But like, also, the vaccines were made like by just random strangers, they were made, they were made by professionals. And there's like, it's documentation and medical studies and proof that just prove that the vaccine is safe. Now, there there will always be people who like React that to the vaccine, but that's what any vaccine and that's just like a risk we have to take to save the majority. So I think everyone should be vaccinated and I think it's very ignorant for people not to have it. I think it's very inconsiderate of others, like them, like in order to protect A small amount of people that can't have it, the majority has to take it. So it's like you can take it and you don't I think that's very inconsiderate.

ND: (10:10)
Okay, so did you ever get COVID? And what were your experiences?

MD: (10:15)
I never tested positive. And I took tests all the time. Both my parents did get it, but I didn't get it when they got it. But also, there was one point where I was super sick, and I had all the symptoms. And I took a test, but I did it myself. And they came out negative, I still like quarantined and everything, just in case, I did have it. But then I realized that I didn't stick the q-tip up my nose far enough. So I'm pretty sure it was my fault that the tests came out negative. But I still said, I still took precaution. And most of my family got sick. Actually, my family all got sick in the same month. Like all my cousins, and uncles, I feel like it got passed around by the family. But I feel like the whole family is pretty, like, considerate. And we all take enough precautions like we quarantined and didn't go out.

ND: (11:07)
Okay, so what have been some of the most challenging parts of that, the pandemic and your experience with it?

MD: (11:15)
I think that being at home with my parents was only really so hard. Because I have really crazy, I don't have a great relationship at home. So being at home was, is pretty bad. And also like, my views on like, human rights don't align with the parents. And also like, they're borderline racist. So I don't agree with that. So there was a lot of arguing and a lot of shouting, but I just stay in my room for most of the day. And like, I wouldn't even go out to the living room or like to eat, because I didn't want to see them. So for me personally, had affected me not in a good way. But I know that it brought some families close together, like my best friend, she like, built a better relationship with her mom. So I think it's just situational.

ND: (12:08)
All right. Um, so there are people in other countries that would regularly wear masks pre pandemic, like in Asia. Do you think that wearing masks will become a new accustom for some people here in the US, even now that most of the mask restrictions have been lifted? Why or why not?

MD: (12:31)
See, for some people, I think that like me, I'm just gonna wear my mask all the time. But also, I like I really liked that Asian country approach to it like Japan, and like South Korea, they'll wear their masks whenever they have a cold because they don't want to spread it to other people. Because their culture, it's like very considerate. But also that's been for them. They've been doing that for so many years. And for, like for us in the States. That's mask for only a thing for like, well, now it's coming to three years. But since it was a short amount of time that it was with us, I really don't think the majority is going to apply the usage of masks once COVID goes down even more. We already barely people are wearing it. Like at school, I had like one class, where it's only like three people out of 20 that wear it. So I know I'm gonna wear all the time. So maybe

ND: (13:28)
Okay, so this is kind of a long question. But in the past two years, there were multiple world is shifting events, aside from COVID, like the Black Lives Matter protest on a new president, and a possible world world war three, to say the least. So how would you describe Gen Z's reaction to these major events, especially during a pandemic and do you think that- Well, you can answer the first part

MD: (13:54)
okay, so, um, I feel like the pandemic really brought awareness to a lot of things like political issues, I feel like back then, generally, the older generations, they wouldn't get into politics until they were adults now, but now Gen Z, which is still like a really young age group of people. They're like, so involved in politics and spreading the, expressing their opinions and having debates. I think that's really good. Like, for example, like the Black Lives Matter movement. Back then before the pandemic, POC, we're still being discriminated by the police, but it just wasn't being talked about enough. But I feel like during the pandemic, issues like that were more extreme, like more people focused on it, which I think is really good. No, with Gen Z's reaction, I feel like it was both good and bad. I feel like for a lot of things, Gen Z made jokes, and I feel like I know that jokes is a way for coping for a lot of people, but there's like, a limit where it's okay to joke around and then like, you seriously have to take it seriously like, currently, like with the Ukraine situation. It's I don't think it's okay to make jokes when other people's lives are actually being affected and many people are dying. It's easy to make a joke when you're not in the situation. So I understand that but like, and then also Gen Z is also bringing a lot spreading a lot of awareness through social media. So it's both good and bad. It's honestly, yeah, it's just both good and bad.

ND: (15:30)
Okay, so is there anything in general, related to COVID that you would like to let people know? Like, anything that changed in your in your life like?

MD: (15:45)
Like?

ND: (15:48)
we can change the question.

MD: (15:49)
Okay.

ND: (15:51)
How do you rate the response of the public when the pandemic first started, and people started to panic?

MD: (15:57)
Oh, yeah. Okay. So I know that fear, fear causes so much damage in society. When the pandemic first started, everyone was going to grocery stores and taking all the water, taking up all the toilet paper, canned goods, meats. And because of that, there was not enough for other people, like people barely got the people who went to go buy things last, they barely got anything. And so like, that's the only that's when the only restrictions started happening, like only one thing of toilet paper per family. One thing of water per family. If people didn't freak out about it, we that wouldn't have been a thing, like, for example, but that's like, fear has been like an issue previously to like, for example, back, like, during the Great Depression, people freaked out about the recession. So they already go to the banks and take out all their money, and then the banks would crash. That's just an example of fear. And so that same fear happened during the like, towards the beginning of COVID. And it's so irrational and irresponsible. But also, I think it was a learning curve for that. So like, if this was to happen again, or a similar situation, I feel like things are going to be handled way better, and precautions are going to be made a lot sooner.

ND: (17:19)
So what's your opinion on the way the government reacted to the pandemic?

MD: (17:24)
So I think the President Donald Trump didn't take it as seriously as it should have been. He was very vocal that he didn't think COVID was severe, like severe and that he just didn't think it was a big deal. So he didn't take a lot of precautions. The government moves so slowly, with everything. If like, for example, Australia, they handled, they handled the pandemics, the pandemic, so well, they went into quarantine really fast. And so for them, it wasn't as bad. But the government here, it took him so long to make like really good requirements and like, procedures for COVID. I think the political party, that was like their Republican Party just didn't take it as seriously. And so the people didn't take it as seriously either. So I think could have been handled way better. But also, there should, there should have been procedures already made for something like this, like, we should be manifest for the best, prepare for the worst. So we definitely weren't prepared. But, you know, like I said, it's like a learning curve. So now I think in the future, will be better prepared to handle situations like this or very similar.

ND: (18:42)
Okay. I'm almost done. So how does how has technology and social media played a role in your life during the pandemic?

MD: (18:52)
Ah, so, tick tock made my attention span so small. And also my conception of time is now, I never know what day it is; the whole pandemic was like a blur. So but like, also, the use of social media just it was so good, I guess, because they just [unintelligible] spread awareness really fast into a bigger group of people, like, back then certain events wouldn't have reached every crowd, but I feel like during this time it did.

MD: (19:26)
Okay, so is there anything else that you wanted to add?

MD: (19:31)
Yes. So I feel like during the pandemic, a lot of people were able to find themselves, like for me, I came out as bi and I don't think I would have done that if it wasn't for the pandemic. I feel like people also like became just more aware about the LGBTQ community and did more research on it. So I think Oh, also a lot of people they used the pandemic to get fit. So I feel like everyone, you either used this time to improve yourself or find yourself or you didn't. And like for me, I changed so much like I got so many new interests like Kpop and anime, which I wasn't into before. And I also got really into reading. So, and I know a lot of people who also got into similar interests. So I feel like I felt the pandemic was really good for like the Kpop industry because they, they gained so many fans, and that's just really good for the Korean economy. So, yeah.

ND: (20:27)
All right. Thank you so much. That concludes our interview with MD: and ND:, the interviewer

[End of Recording]


Title
Marielle Dominguez-Porcayo History Interview
Description
Audio recording of Marielle Dominguez-Porcayo being interviewed by ECU student Nelitza Dominguez-Porcayo about his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. - 2022-04-15
Extent
Local Identifier
UA95.24.15
Permalink
https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/65564
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Cite this item
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