Tancy Rooffener, human health and psychology senior, Emory University

The past few days I have tried to keep myself busy by doing activities with my little sister. We have recently started following work out videos which has been challenging and fun. I feel closer to her and find joy in pushing each other and hyping each other up during a workout. Light stretching and yoga before and after the workouts make a huge difference.

I feel so much better afterwards. I think our workouts are beneficial as they boost our immune system and mood and keep us strong so if we are to get sick, we can recover more quickly.

Later in the day I usually help my parents around the house, cook some lunch for everyone, and then walk my dog with my mom through the neighborhood. Our neighborhood is quite calm and near a big lake. Only a few people come out and walk and usually at different times in the day so we rarely see others during those walks. Whenever we do see others, everyone keeps some social distance and waves hello to each other. It feels comforting being at home with my loved ones, and if I am honest, I was getting a bit burned out in Atlanta as a senior. Everyday was starting to feel the same. Although I love my school, I felt simultaneously more frustrated and zombie-like as each day passed. During moments like these, I quite enjoy being quarantined at home because I can spend some much needed time with my favorite people.

Today I woke to the smell of my mom baking homemade banana bread. I think she is trying to keep herself busy because she feels the most anxious in our family about the COVID-19 outbreak. She consumes the most media and news out of all of us and receives messages from our family in China every day asking if we are alright and to protect ourselves. My mom was talking to me recently and said:

“Tancy, our world is sick. Everyday I am living in a constant state of anxiety about the future. I am worried about your grandparents in China. Your grandma was recently admitted to the hospital for high blood pressure.”

I tried to put her mind at ease and reassure her that everything would be alright, but how could I be sure of that? This whole pandemic has made me realize the importance of family even more than before. At the end of the day, family is what you have to keep your company during a quarantine and provide support to you.

I understand how my mom feels helpless to some degree about my grandparents, if she or my dad were in another country during this outbreak I do not know what I would do.

Hearing their voices is bittersweet and my mom almost always tears up even when they sound fine and cheery through the phone. In the midst of this all, the warm banana bread my mom makes for us all reminds me that I am loved and I am fortunate.