~Genuine Pandemic Vibes~

Hey everybody! My project is very personal to me. I very often spend my free time doing research on whatever I deem important at that time. For example, a little while ago I was very frustrated with a concept known as ‘purity culture’. So, I spent a couple weeks and many hours learning about the causes, reasons for, and disadvantages of ‘purity culture.’ For me, attempting to understand “how the heck society be” helps validate my experiences and my feelings in a larger context.

My project will be a twist on that pattern. Almost every study I do ends with a self-reflection on how my thoughts have evolved after study, and if I am personally impacted by that study. (Going back to that example: Why does purity culture matter at all to me as an individual? Because due to being exposed to the darker parts of that way of thought, during low points of self-esteem there is a voice in my head telling me God says the worth of my body & my personality is determined by the relationships I have with men.)

The reaction this country has had to the pandemic will force us to think and impacts each one of us. My archival project will be titled “Genuine Pandemic Vibes.”

I plan on assembling a page with reflections and context to those reflections. To illustrate what that may look like, I know that I’ll be providing the page with some reflective pieces about my personal concerns & hopes about the college application process as a ’21 graduate. I’ll provide context to that reflective segment with proofs that SATs and ACTs have been awkwardly rescheduled, that many schools are thinking about expanding their online learning platforms, etc.

I will add and address blogs, podcasts, or other forms of expression that I find have a “genuine pandemic vibe” on the page. Reflections that I have found outside of the WW community will most likely be the bulk of the content on the page.

Yet! If YOU would like to add your own reflection to this project, I encourage you to. I find myself lighter and freer after writing my thoughts down. (Like, my best advice for any time is to write or draw when you are at an emotional peak). Unfortunately, I do not think that it would be appropriate to feature purely anonymous additions – I will post any reflection without an author noted if you would like, but I would require any participant to divulge their name to me and Ms. Smith because I would like a consent form filled out.

I still encourage you to reflect! And share if you would like. I am deeply struggling with the pandemic, yet at a place where I am comfortable sharing some of my own ~genuine pandemic vibes.~ I will not be sharing all of my thoughts, and I do not expect you to share any at all. But say you want to shout out that your gym is also closed, call/text/email me. Frankly, “reflection” to me is a nice way of saying “edited rant.” If you’ve got even 5 sentences to say, I will take a great honor in hearing them and providing a platform for those 5 sentences to stand.

Oh and btw. Yes, this project is weird and awkward and has many problems. Please comment. I need help. Tell me if this is bad. Also tell me if you think this will work.