Chapter 1

March 11, 2020

  It had been a month since I first heard the phrase "Novel Coronavirus" or COVID-19 for short. I didn't take it seriously at first. No one did. It took the NBA postponing its regular season for it to feel real. I texted my friend, Cam, in shock. He shared my concern. The significance of a multi-billion-dollar corporation like the NBA canceling their tv contracts and brand partnerships, after the confirmation of one player having COVID-19, is hard to overstate. 

  Up to that point, everything I had heard had been in passing. I listened to a daily morning news podcast at work with three to five of the biggest headlines from around the country. Coronavirus hadn't lost a spot on the show in several days. Its coverage spread as quickly as the illness itself. Blotter in December. A small column in the international section in January. A headline in February. Frontpage news in March. And it was only the beginning. 

March 13, 2020

  My boss and I were working with a few coworkers on a live broadcast. We essentially host a live stream Q&A with our customers. Someone asked us about how coronavirus might affect our work hours. As a state agency, our services are essential to the well being of the constituency of Georgia, so it was a valid question. Unfortunately, none of us were prepared to answer. We hadn't gotten words from senior leadership, who were still waiting for word from the governor's office. The idea of teleworking had been thrown around all week, but there was no plan set in the stone. 

  After the show, I went back to my desk to get ready to go home. It was later than usual; I typically leave by 12 and it was around 2 pm. I sat to check my phone and see what was trending on Twitter. Sure enough, COVID-19 was at the top. I was in the process of sharing a meme when my boss visited me at my desk. "John said you could work from home," she explained to me. This was newsworthy because, as an intern, it's unusual for non-full-time employees to telework. But I needed the money, and the Communications Team needed my help, so they made an exception, as these were exceptional times. 

  On the way home, I decided to listen to public radio instead of my usual podcasts. NPR was explaining how the virus spread like wildfire across China, Europe, and the US. WABE was describing Governor Kemp's plea for social distancing throughout the state of Georgia. The world was now in crisis. 

  It didn't seem like it when I got to the gym. There were only a handful of people there, but that wasn't uncommon, as I usually workout between 1 and 2 pm. But it was about 3 now since I had left the office late, so I guess I expected more people. The supermarket is across the street, so I usually stop there after my workout for gas or groceries. Like the gym, you could tell this wasn't a normal day, but in the opposite direction. It just felt like there were a few too many people than there should've been. 

March 14, 2020

 My friend, Phil, sent an article in our group chat about a guy who got stabbed with a broken wine bottle at a grocery store over a case of bottled water. Without hesitation, we immediately suggested the apocalypse was upon us. We've all seen the first act of the end of times in movies. Panic in the streets. Riots across the nation. The world turned upside down. Hearing of violence at a grocery store, over water no less, pointed everyone in that direction. It started as a joke, but it didn't end that way.

March 16, 2020

  It was my first day working from home. I did all the same stuff I did in the office. If I hadn't been sitting in bed, I might not have noticed a difference. It was quiet, which may have been the strangest thing about today. I missed the hustle and bustle of the office, but I enjoyed the comfort of my home. It's hard to complain. 

March 18, 2020

  It took a few days, but we finally got some information from work. In short, they explained that we would be working from home for at least two weeks, but we should expect to out of the office even longer. It all depends on what the experts suggest in the coming weeks, maybe months. Emails came from the governor, commissioner, the COO, and the HR department. Everything from how to maintain your health to how to accurately track your hours was explained. Leadership gave us general words of encouragement and well wishes. I suspect they don't plan to see us for a while. 

  In other news, my friends and I discovered how to use group FaceTime, which apparently already existed for years and I was just late to the party. We spoke for a couple of hours. It was our first time seeing each other's faces in months, so it felt good to catch up. Lorenzo has been on the hunt for his first job post-graduation. Jocelyn just moved into her new apartment in the city. Phil, like me, has pretty much been working. Abby, who works at Disney World in Orlando, is home since they closed the parks, another major event that ramped up the significance of this pandemic in the minds of the people. We discussed recent events, future plans, and what life was like in a day in each of our lives. It was a friendly, refreshing break from the pandemonium. We plan to see each other next week, but in the safest way possible, mind you. They say to avoid public groups of 50 or more, so we decided to have a housewarming party for Jocelyn. I'm looking forward to it. 

March 19, 2020

     It's the first day of Spring. I heard on the radio that today is special, as the change in season arrived a day early this year. It's also a leap year, as well as a Census year. 2020 is pretty special. 

   Since the gym is closed, I run outside around the neighborhood for exercise. It's therapeutic, giving me a chance at breathing some fresh air. I see a few people on the street, walking their dogs and enjoying the newfound sunshine. If the world weren't falling apart around us, it might actually be a nice day. 

March 20, 2020

  Camille came over today. She's staying for the weekend. Since she has just gotten into Vet School, we had planned to travel to Athens for her class' big welcoming ceremony. We were going to visit the campus, meet faculty and staff, and maybe even look at a couple of apartments to rent. Lots of plans, all of which came to a screeching halt over the past week. In just over 4 days, universities across America sent their students home indefinitely. The same for K-12. Proms and graduations were canceled, along with entire sports seasons. The NCAA tournament was called off, as was every conference tournament. Schools essentially shut down overnight, and UGA was no exception. March Madness suddenly had an all-new meaning. 

  That being said, we still had a lot of fun doing absolutely nothing, which was always our favorite thing to do anyway, so we managed to get by. 

March 24, 2020

  Trump announced a national State of Emergency. The states' respective National Guards have been mobilized. We've been told it's to help distribute masks, gloves, and other necessary medical equipment, but there's a healthy volume of skepticism is most of my social circles. I don't know if I'm still interested in seeing where this goes. I hope for a swift end.