UTC's Cooper Tidwell - "A New Normal: A Quarantine Commentary"

Adjustments

On March 13, 2020 I turned 22 years old. A time meant for celebration, laughs and mimosas at brunch turned into uncertainty, panic and a grocery basket full of water, tissues and cleaning supplies. I will always remember this birthday. While drinking my coffee at my favorite shop in Louisville, Kentucky, my heart dropped as I read the morning paper’s headline. I knew this would only get worse.

I have been back in Chattanooga for about 10 days. I have only left the house for groceries, exercise and work. When I got back in town, gatherings with friends turned into groups of four, then two, now it’s just my roommate and I. We both lost our barista jobs for the time being, but we’re staying positive! In moments like these, relationships are so important. It’s hard to see the road ahead when the fog is so dense, but eventually, the fog will clear. 

I’ll Keep Running - Sunday, March 29, 2020

I’ve been a runner since high school. A hobby that I’ve always thought mindlessly of has taken on a new meaning in my life. Since practicing social distancing and staying home as much as possible, running has become my escape. I’m alone with my thoughts for about 35 minutes a day with no distractions, no news articles, nothing.

I ran on campus this morning. On a day like today, warm and sunny, Chamberlain Field is usually flocked with students, but today it was empty. Actually the whole campus was empty. The general lots that I’ve spent many mornings circling for a spot, and the tables outside Starbucks that seemed to make studying a little easier on a pretty day like today, all empty. It’s an eerie feeling to run through a campus that just a few weeks ago looked like a completely different world.

The scene I saw today felt like I was either really early to an event, or that I was left behind in the second coming. I was waiting for someone to jump out of the bushes and tell me this was all a prank and everything can go back to normal! I’m still waiting, but in the meantime I’ll keep running like I did before this started, and like I will once this is over. 

Coping With A Pandemic

Something about this still doesn’t feel real. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m lucky enough to say that Chattanooga hasn’t been hit as hard, or maybe it’s just that my brain doesn’t have anything to compare this situation to. This is our new normal, but I’m not ready for it to be. I don’t think any of us are, but this week was especially hard to cope. 

I’m still grasping how my day can go from lying out in the sun on a beautiful day with my best friend, to her and I wiping down every possible surface on the groceries we had delivered to our apartment.  

I know one day this will slow down, and when that day happens I’ll remember not to take a beautiful day in the sun for granted, or a simple trip to the grocery store. I’ll remember to truly appreciate how precious life is, and I hope society follows suit. 

Meet the Storyteller:

Cooper Tidwell is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga majoring in communication, with a minor in theatre. Mr. Tidwell works as a photographer for the University Echo. When he’s not taking photos, he works as a barista at Mayfly Coffee on the weekends. You can contact Cooper at ndd764@mocs.utc.edu