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

Xianys Santiago
Interviewer

Lindsay Hawley
Interviewee

April 19, 2022
Greenville, North Carolina

XS: (00:00)
Hi. So this is Xianys Santiago interviewing Lindsay Hawley. So to get right into it, what year are you currently at ECU? And what is your current major?

LH: (00:10)
I am a junior, and my major is biology.

XS: (00:14)
Okay, and what year were you when COVID-19 hit the US?

LH: (00:18)
I was a freshman.

XS: (00:20)
So obviously, a lot of time has passed. What were your initial thoughts when you heard of the news?

LH: (00:26)
I wasn't too worried about it. Because it wasn't really too much in North Carolina, right when we heard about it. So not very stressed out about it or anything.

XS: (00:36)
Right. Did you feel like the time of the outbreak hitting the US would be short? Or did you feel like it could possibly be a longer outbreak?

LH: (00:45)
I definitely thought it would be short. Like we got sent home pretty soon, and then I was ready. We thought we were going to be back by the fall semester.

XS: (00:55)
Yeah. Were you living on campus at the time of the outbreak?

LH: (00:59)
Yeah.

XS: (01:00)
Okay. And you were obviously forced to leave campus? Like you said, how was the process of having to move out? Did you have to bring a parent? Could friends help? Or was it just a limited?

LH: (01:14)
So it kind of depended on where you lived. I lived on central campus. And so they told us after while we were on spring break, is when we're having to get kicked out and stuff. So in the middle of spring break, I mean, a couple of my friends came up and moved out more stuff, because we needed more things. And then later on me and my mom came up and move the rest out because it was kind of limited to just parents.

XS: (01:42)
Gotcha. Okay. Were you working in Greenville at the time that the pandemic hit?

LH: (01:49)
No.

XS: (01:50)
Okay. And are you working now?

LH: (01:53)
Yes, I work at a vet clinic up the road.

XS: (01:58)
What are some restrictions in place at your work? That would probably not have been there whenever? Before COVID?

LH: (02:04)
Um, well, they have to clients have to call and we have to go out there and get them and let them in. They're not allowed to sit in the lobby. And we have to wear a mask in the back and with the clients. The clients aren't required to at the moment, but they were when I first started working there.

XS: (02:24)
Gotcha. Okay, and you got that job whenever you moved back to Greenville.

LH: (02:30)
I got it about a year ago. So it was about a year after I'd moved back.

XS: (02:34)
Gotcha. Okay. How did your daily life change from before to after the pandemic?

LH: (02:45)
Probably, well, like in the height of the pandemic, like once it reached the summer, I started working at home. So pretty much all I did was wake up, go to work. And then the people that I worked with also lived in my neighborhood. So we'd hang out with them for the night and then do it all over again.

XS: (03:02)
Right so the routines were very like limited everyone had to do the same thing over and over. How did your like family and friends and or partners feel about? Feel about everything whenever the pandemic hit.

LH: (03:21)
We weren't too super worried. My my family's not immunocompromised. So it wasn't too scary for us. But we just kind of followed the rules and stuff like that. Like I wasn't allowed to go out with people that I didn't see every day. Which is why it was nice that I worked with a lot of my neighborhood. So I could run across the street and see them.

XS: (03:42)
Yeah, that's awesome. I bet that did help a lot. Did anyone that you know of or do you personally feel like some of the restrictions were unnecessary? At the time?

LH: (03:54)
Maybe feeling it in the moment like you're just kind of like, Why do I have to do this right. But like looking back on it, no one really knew how to react. And it was a different thing. There's it was all new to everybody. And everyone was just trying to figure it out at the same time. Yeah. So looking back on it. I think they did everything that they could really

XS: (04:17)
Yeah. How was the transition from in person classes to online courses?

LH: (04:25)
Horrible I hated moving to online classes. Just because I'm not a very look at the screen and learn right? Yeah, more of a I need to see it with a visual and stuff.

XS: (04:38)
Do you feel like there were any situations where you felt like the professor you felt like you could learn better from a certain professor if he was teaching he or she was teaching it online? Or in person instead of online?

LH: (04:52)
Yeah, definitely. I had one professor and he was just didn't really know how to work any of The online aspects, right. So we never had zoom meetings, you couldn't really get in contact with them that well, and I think would have been a lot easier in person. And then with other professors, it kind of happened as they weren't really teaching, they just send us some material. And we were supposed to kind of teach it to ourselves, and we never really learned anything. Right?

XS: (05:21)
Yeah. That would be like a sucky situation in general. So have you did you change any academic routines at all?

LH: (05:34)
I will definitely say that my academic routines did not do as well as they did in person. Just because I got a little lazy with it.

XS: (05:43)
Yeah.

LH: (05:45)
Because I just like, Oh, I could look it up. No problem.

XS: (05:48)
Yeah.

LH: (05:48)
And stuff like that.

XS: (05:49)
Yeah, I felt like a lot of people didn't realize that not all of the answers are online, like, a lot of people had to figure it out. So that was a big change. Okay, so how were your feelings? When you were able to come back to campus?

LH: (06:05)
I was really excited. I had really missed ECU and being stuck at home wasn't that fun.

XS: (06:12)
Yeah. How long were you stuck at home for?

LH: (06:20)
I was stuck at home for from March to August of 2020. Because I already got an apartment with my roommates, my freshman year before all of it happened. So we just decided to go ahead and move in.

XS: (06:35)
Okay, so how was the entire experience of moving into the apartment while a pandemic was going on?

LH: (06:43)
It was definitely interesting. The Boundary actually required us to wear a mask when we were moving in, like in the hallways and stuff. Since it was 2020. And so we had to wear a mask. And it was very limited on what times you could move in. Like you had to be out of your cars and stuff like that by the time you moved in and stuff.

XS: (07:04)
So it was The Boundary, like strict on that policy after everyone had moved in? Like, did you ever get stopped in the hall by anyone asking you like, it would be a weird thing? Because it's your apartment, and you're paying for it? So?

LH: (07:17)
Yeah, so they weren't actually very strict on it. Ever. Even when we were moving in, they just kind of were like, hey, like, they just had signs posted everywhere that you put on your mask. But I never saw anyone gets stopped for not wearing.

XS: (07:33)
Awesome. And do you like where you are right now?

LH: (07:38)
Um, The Boundary's definitely been a good place. But I'm ready to move out.

XS: (07:45)
Okay, so what are your impressions of the media coverage of the of the pandemic before? And after it arrived in the US?

LH: (07:57)
Well, before they definitely didn't, I don't think anyone really knew the magnitude that it would be. They made it seem like it was just going to be something overseas, that if we just kind of shut down the like borders, like flights in and out domestic or international flights, that we'd be pretty safe from that. And then once I got here, I feel like the media kind of scared people a little bit more. You know, with the whole toilet paper going missing, right? Not having any of that for a while. But you know, it's the media. So that's kind of what they do.

XS: (08:32)
Right. Yeah. I feel like a lot of people wanted to go off of race because of where COVID-19 originated. And I was wondering, do you feel like that was fair to for people to be as harsh as they were to different cultures just because of where it originated?

LH: (08:54)
I'm definitely not I don't think that that's fair. That could have easily happened in the US, right? It could have originated in the US. And all this other things. I just don't think it was very fair,

XS: (09:07)
right. Yeah. Okay, so what seemed normal before that seems strange to you now?

LH: (09:16)
Probably like sharing drinks, mostly.

XS: (09:18)
Right.

LH: (09:19)
Or like, utensils, I guess. You know, like, if you someone you barely knew they're like, Hey, can I have a sip of that water? Like if you're out with friends? Yeah, of course. So definitely that and probably just Yeah, I think definitely be about it.

XS: (09:40)
Yeah, I mean, I definitely felt that too. I was very sharing and not caring about anything Durham wise. But after the pandemic hit there was like a no sorry, kind of situation.

LH: (09:54)
It definitely made me think about it. Oh, yeah.

XS: (09:56)
Yeah. So what are you doing now that will likely seems strange to you later.

LH: (10:03)
Um, you know, I don't really think there's much of anything that I'm doing now that would be strange, right? I'm just because I feel like with the pandemic, it's helped me this sounds gross, but wash my hands more.

XS: (10:16)
Yeah.

LH: (10:17)
And be a little bit more conscious of like when I'm sick and stuff like that.

XS: (10:21)
Right yeah, I don't think it's gross at all. I feel like a lot of people weren't as aware of their decision making as far as cleanliness went until after the pandemic did hit. So how do we already talked about a little bit about masks? But how do you feel about wearing a mask?

LH: (10:39)
It's never really bothered me. At first, it was a little weird,

XS: (10:44)
right

LH: (10:44)
But if you have a good mask, then I It doesn't bother me at all. I forget I have it on a lot of the times. Only time that's really bothered me is when it like itches my nose because the strings loose or something.

XS: (10:55)
Right, Yeah. How do you feel about mask mandates? Like do you feel they're possibly too strict? Or were too strict at all?

LH: (11:05)
Um, I think it really just depends on where you were. I think it's a very good thing that we had mask coming back to classes, like, for our first in person class, I think it's very good. And then I was a little nervous when they decided what needs to be decided to lessen the mask mandate that you didn't have to wear a masking inside anymore, especially after spring break since we were all traveling, so I was a little nervous for that shutdown again. But I don't think there were nothing too crazy or anything like that.

XS: (11:39)
Right. Did you hear any classmates voice any negative opinions about masks whenever the mandate was still very strict at ECU?

LH: (11:48)
Yes. So first semester, I was in a calculus class. And there's a kid that just refused to wear his mask at all. professor asked him multiple times, that kind of thing. And he was just kind of like, I aint dealing with that. And started just cussing like crazy.

XS: (12:05)
Yeah.

LH: (12:07)
But that's pretty much the only time that I really had somebody that truly did not agree with it in class.

XS: (12:12)
Right. Okay. So two vaccines. Did you get a vaccine?

LH: (12:18)
Yes.

XS: (12:19)
Okay. And how do you feel about vaccines in general?

LH: (12:23)
Well, as a biology major, I trust the science pretty well.

XS: (12:27)
Yeah.

LH: (12:27)
I don't think they'd purposely put something out to harm us or make this last any longer, right. And just because it's affected everything. So I don't believe that they would try and do something crazy like that. And I even got my booster vaccine and stuff like that. And

XS: (12:45)
And you didn't have any negative responses to the vaccine, or did you?

LH: (12:49)
So right after I got it, I was okay for the first few hours. And then later that night, I actually got it with my boyfriend.

XS: (12:57)
right.

LH: (12:57)
And so I started feeling that later that night, it was just kind of like chills, headache, just kind of like sort of flu like symptoms.

XS: (13:05)
Yeah.

LH: (13:06)
And he thought I was being crazy for a minute. But then he started feeling that way. And we were in bed for about just a weekend. Yeah, two days.

XS: (13:14)
And as far as the biology behind it, the science behind it. I think that it's safe to say that it's pretty normal to feel a little sick after getting a vaccine that doesn't just go with COVID That's, that's most things correct.

LH: (13:28)
Yes, definitely. So there, everyone's gonna have a different responses to vaccines.

XS: (13:34)
Yes.

LH: (13:34)
And with medications, you know, you can feel these symptoms on medications as well. Same with vaccines, stuff like that. It was a new kind of vaccine. So the side effects while very well tested, when putting out mass produced ones like that the mRNA mRNA vaccine, there could definitely be different responses, but they're supposed to be a little bit better for you, I guess the word is

XS: (14:00)
yeah. Okay. Um, so as far as anti vaxxers Go and the conspiracies that a lot of people have heard, obviously, how do you feel about that?

LH: (14:14)
Honestly, I kind of just let them believe what they want. I come from a very small, very Republican town that is not very keen on vaccines or mask or anything like that. Some of my family included so they kind of talk say stuff about microchips and stuff like that. I just asked them why would the government want to track, you of all people, but was a little crazy.

XS: (14:41)
Yeah. I mean, I feel like a lot of people have heard those same conspiracies, many different places. And it is a bit odd to hear, but you know, people will believe what they they want. It's hard to change certain people's minds.

LH: (14:56)
Exactly.

XS: (14:57)
Um, so did you ever get COVID?

LH: (14:59)
I got it in August of 2020, right after my birthday, which was a little bit my fault because I was not being safe.

XS: (15:08)
Okay. So what was your personal experience while having COVID?

LH: (15:14)
So for me, I didn't have any symptoms. I was one of the asymptomatic people. The only reason I kind of found out that I had it was because both of my roommates got sick. And they're annoying me. So I went home, just to kind of get away from them while they were trying to feel better and got tested anyways, just to make sure. And then right when I got home, my dad fell sick with COVID as well, because he had visited me a couple days before.

XS: (15:43)
Wow.

LH: (15:44)
So it really just affects people different ways, but I felt pretty normal.

XS: (15:48)
Gotcha. Okay. So do you have any high risk family members? And how did the pandemic affect interactions those family family members had with other family members and friends?

LH: (16:02)
So I had two family members that were truly affected by COVID. Well, that both passed from COVID.

XS: (16:09)
Yeah, I'm so sorry.

LH: (16:10)
It's alright. So the first one was my great uncle. He was already immunocompromised, very sick. But he lived in the mountains ended up getting COVID from church. And so the interactions with that was he declined pretty fast. But before kind of that he the only people that would really see him would be my grandma and my grandpa. And so they would stop by bring food and like kind of stand in the driveway, driveway, why him and his wife opened the door.

XS: (16:45)
Gotcha.

LH: (16:46)
And then, like for his funeral, there was very few people allowed. So it was definitely hard on all of us, and then to kind of maneuver trying to grieve together.

XS: (17:01)
Right

LH: (17:01)
while staying apart and safe.

XS: (17:02)
Yeah.

LH: (17:04)
And then the other one was recent, he wasn't very high risk. He was he had Alzheimer's, but he wasn't high risk with sickness and stuff. And so he also got it from the same church,

XS: (17:19)
wow

LH: (17:20)
a couple years, like a year or so later. And he decided not to put his health first and kind of just stayed in bed. And that really is what caused his decline.

XS: (17:32)
Gotcha.

LH: (17:32)
And so we had to he was he ended up being cremated in order to let the pandemic get a little bit better before we had the funeral. So more people could attend and be together.

XS: (17:44)
right. And sure, is hard to see what certain family members had to endure in the really tough times of the pandemic, especially at the height and parts of the pandemic. So on a lighter note, how have your your plans change? Did you have any plans that you might have missed out on? Or plans that are now kind of uncertain?

LH: (18:12)
Yeah. So me and my cousin plan to go to a Justin Bieber concert. In 2019, December 2019, we bought the tickets and everything. Because the concert was set for I think, June or July of 2020. And then obviously, stuff happens. It ended up getting pushed back all the way to 2022.

XS: (18:32)
Right.

LH: (18:33)
But I still ended up missing the concert after holding the tickets for two years. Because of school.

XS: (18:39)
Yeah.

LH: (18:40)
And the timing just didn't line up because it would happen on a Tuesday. Gotcha. So it was a little disappointing.

XS: (18:45)
Yeah, I mean, to hold on to concert tickets for two years, I would be absolutely devastated. So I'm so sorry. so I was wondering how has technology played a role in your lifestyle throughout the pandemic?

LH: (18:59)
I'm definitely more dependent on technology than I was before.

XS: (19:03)
Yeah.

LH: (19:04)
And I know that to say a lot, because with us, we were already pretty dependent on technology with communications and school and such. But with the pandemic, there's a lot of downtime. So, you know, I had to do my schoolwork on online, I had to communicate with family members, through apps and my phone and stuff.

XS: (19:27)
Yeah.

LH: (19:28)
So it definitely made me more dependent on it.

XS: (19:29)
Yeah. And I think that that was a big thing for most of our generation, especially, and those that weren't as knowledgeable of how technology work. Were definitely dependent on us to teach them. Exactly. So there was definitely a big gap between those that took advantage of the time away from outside responsibilities, and those that didn't. Where do you feel like you fell?

LH: (19:57)
I feel I fell kind of in the middle right there. Definitely a pretty good chunk of days that I was like, forget it. I'm going to sit on my phone, relax, binge watch NetFlix, or whatever. And then there were other days that I was like, Man, I haven't done anything in days. Maybe I should go workout or something. Yeah, there's that big Chloe [inaudible] popped up around that time. So I did that for a little bit.

XS: (20:23)
And the [inaudible] thing is, was the girl that got famous from like, the at home workouts? Yeah. I think that I tried to do it one time and completely died. So I was like, No, thank you.

LH: (20:35)
Yeah, she was rough. I did it for about a week. And then I was like, Ooh, maybe I'll continue just taking walks.

XS: (20:42)
So onto a more spooky note. With being home most of the time, after the pandemic, many people found that their homes were being haunted, in the times of the day that they would usually have been out at work or school would be the times that unexplainable things would occur. Have you heard stories about this happening to anyone you may know, or has something like this happened to you?

LH: (21:05)
Personally, no, I have not had any experience with any parent paranormal activity. But my grandma used to call my mom pretty frequently and say that my grandpa's massage chair in the living room used to turn on random times during the day.

XS: (21:25)
Yeah.

LH: (21:26)
Which is slightly impossible as he's been dead for a while.

XS: (21:29)
Oh, wow.

LH: (21:31)
And that the dogs would sometimes just bark at the chair as if somebody was sitting there and wanting to play as well. Yeah, but that was pretty much the only thing that I'd really heard

XS: (21:40)
of, yeah, and not just a little thing either. It's definitely a spookier one. I feel like dogs do no more than us so they can definitely send something. Yeah. Well, just that was the end of the interview. I wanted to thank you for your time and thank you so much.

LH: (22:01)
Thank you for having me.

[End of Recording]