COVID-19: The new normal in my life

A lot has changed over the past few weeks in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. A life that was once constantly on the go now finds itself at a virtual standstill trapped within the walls of my home. My wife is six and a half months pregnant. Our first child is on her way, and I have no idea how I’m supposed to protect either of them.

My situation isn’t especially unique, but that doesn’t mean it’s not scary. For the time being, I’m fortunate enough that my job allows me to work from home and continue earning a paycheck, but there are already questions within the company about how long that will last for many.

When I’m not working, I’m continuing with my education at the University of North Texas and the Mayborn School of Journalism. I’m a non-traditional student who just turned 30 and is now attempting to change his path despite a raging current of opposition. It’s as if I’m crossing a rickety bridge, doing everything in my power to make it to the other side before the damn thing gives out. These days, the boards groan louder with each slow, deliberate step, cracking and splintering whenever I try to rush.

It was never easy balancing a full-time job and school schedule, but now with an uncertain economic future and little one on the way, it feels just a few degrees hotter in the pressure cooker.

Deadlines are tighter with work now thanks to a shrinking number of client requests and management’s need to offer reassurance in the face of potential layoffs. Classes have moved exclusively online, with some making the transition more easily than others, and the same seeming mountain of work to scale each week. Workspace has become class space and no matter how stressed I feel, I cannot escape the confines of these walls.

In a lot of ways, I’m lucky. I get that. More than 3.2 million people have filed for unemployment insurance since this pandemic began, and, thus far, I haven’t needed to join them in doing so. But I also know that the “downtime” everyone else is talking about, binging Netflix shows and playing video games, among other things, is a world away from my typical day, even during a shelter-in-place mandate.

The only real “time” I’ve gained each day is the 40 or so minutes that totaled my round trip into the office each day. It’s a little, sure, but hardly a reprieve from the seemingly non-stop grind of school and work.

The one thing I do know is that, in times like these, all any of us can do is keep fighting. I don’t know how long this pandemic or possible economic depression will last but I do know that there’s no other path but forward. Keep working, keep studying, and take care of those who matter most.

Everything else will take care of itself.