Where We Are Today: The Conclusion

Looking back on the pandemic throughout creating this project reminded me of the many aspects that made up COVID-19, and how deeply we felt it as a society. The collection of experiences and major events seen within the showcased artifacts across this website also shows how different our lives became and how quickly we were forced to adjust. While we can mostly agree that we've "returned to normal" since then, revisiting this time has made me realize that none of us ever truly went back to being the same version of ourselves that we once were. 

What stood out to me the most was how many people turned to creativity to cope with what was happening around us. Art became such a mainstream way to express our fear, boredom, and hope when words themselves just weren't enough. In the process of creating my own project, I discovered other amazing pieces of work that had similar goals of telling our story during a crisis. Together, they were able to offer a comfort and visibility to others that felt isolated or unheard at the time. 

Reflecting on my own memories alongside these resources has helped me see my experience as a part of a larger shared history rather than an isolated moment. Although each person's story is a bit different from on another's, there is something truly grounding in taking the time to recognize how much they overlapped emotionally and through the challenges we faced.

Moving forward, my hope is that we continue to hold space in our memories, our hearts, and our communities for these stories. While the pandemic has been deemed to be "over", it was large enough for it to still linger amongst us. The lessons it taught us about health, connection, and care are still paving the way for our future. Remembering them is just one of the many ways to honor what we lived through and to help imagine a more compassionate world ahead.