What has brought you the most joy OR been your biggest challenge during the pandemic?
In this time of great distance and change, both physical and emotional, the experience of loss in one form or another seems woven into each of our unique experiences. However, those who have endured times of great hardship before us often seem to recall the bright moments that made life worth living despite it all.
One thing we, as college students, have lost is the proximity of our fellow New Schoolers. It seems fair to say that The New School in particular offers its students refuge, a community of wildly unique yet similarly “weird” individuals. We at The New School Free Press were inspired by the online communities built by the likes of Humans of New York, Tiny Love Stories and CoronaVirus Confessions. Perhaps we can dig even deeper into how our unique experiences inform who we are, what we value and why we all ended up at The New School by exploring what has defined our COVID experiences.
Send in your submissions to New School Diaries here.
Content Warning: This series may, at times, discusses depression and suicide. If you or a loved one struggle with this, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Other resources include:
- NYC Well – text “WELL” to 65173, call 1-888-NYC-WELL (692-9355) or use this chat feature to ask for help.
- NAMI (Nation Alliance on Mental Illness) helpline – 1-800-950-NAMI or in a crisis, text “NAMI” to 741741.
- And the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Layna Williams
Journalism and Design Major, Lang
Third-year
Currently in Los Angeles
I moved to L.A. in August to be with my boyfriend after months of long distance because of COVID. It was a huge relief, but I don’t have a lot of friends here besides him so it was pretty lonely— until November. On the weekend of my birthday, we adopted a stray dog named Joni. She was very lethargic and unhealthy, but so sweet and gentle. We could tell she was just so worn out from life and needed love. Over the last few months, we’ve watched her grow into her personality, becoming quirky and funny as her health has improved. She’s a great hiker and passenger for long drives. It’s been healing to have something to care for besides myself. Having her has soothed my loneliness a lot, and I imagine hers too.
Illustration by Rebecca Mesonjnik