Pandemic in focus

by Maxx Perry

This is a photo that I had taken on one of my last runs at the mountain this year. This was around 7:45 pm. I was planning on coming back up later that week for night skiing but that would not be a reality due to the pandemic.

With the snow still coming down in Vermont everyone was starting to understand the seriousness of the pandemic that had just come upon us. I was taking all of my classes my senior year at one of the local community collages. We were one of the first schools put online due to the pandemic. We got out almost a week before the rest of the k-12.

The Streets of Montpelier came to a halt as all small businesses closed doors. During the week myself and the rest of the people in Vermont would tune in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the week, Governor Phill Scott would hold a press conference on the news. This was where he would change and put in place new guidelines that would be advised to be followed when going in public.

With all the stores closed the town was somber. The news only showing us and telling the worst of what is happening in the world. I found myself and a lot of other people that I talked to that it seamed that the entire pandemic had changed everyone. Everybody had become more fearful and isolated.

This time has shown people that when in a time of crisis, that change is necessary. There was various programs put in place across the state to help feed children who where not in school. There was also other help that was given to other business and families. People here in Vermont, we are pretty spread out so we can distance ourselves and if we are near other people, a mask is used.

People started waiting masks and it started working. As crazy as that sounds, that’s what the biggest change here. The checks; for the unemployed began to come in after, on average over four weeks. People where finding their new normal.

All of the struggle began to thaw as well as the ground around us. We were at a point in the pandemic where we knew it was real. I found myself drifting towards looking at the land around me. I know I will be moving away from this place that I know so well in the fall. It gave me one last chance to witness and not be interrupted by other things in normal everyday life now that they had been eliminated by the pandemic.

Thing’s slowly began to be normal again. The state was looking at guidelines. The push was to find a way to open some small businesses. People in states like Vermont need to work to live. Some peoples entire family finance comes from a single source. People where itching for things to do as the temperature rises. Swimming holes and other outdoor activities like hiking and biking where becoming more common in peoples lives.

I spent the last few months of my high school year at my house where for the last seventeen years I have learned every inch of. This year the pandemic gave me the chance to exercise the beauty of the place I live in. I got to see one of the best springs to date due to the rise in temperature from the reduction of co2 and other greenhouse gasses that were not being emitted as greatly during the pandemic.

With the pandemic and all of the governors regulations put in place and followed by the people of our state. We were able to flatten the curve relatively fast. We only had a few bad areas with a lot of infection, one being Chittenden county due to the Burlington International airport being there, as well as a delayed reaction by authority. I believe that the ability to access nature and be outside and away from populated areas is what helped our state and myself slow the spread of cardiovascular viruses.

I started noticing my style of photography change. I was looking at different things now. I was shooting landscapes. Before I was always bored by landscapes I would always try to put something man made in it. I found a way to use sky to change my perspective on the way I shoot photos. It also helps that I found some nice spots. I knew that I would use them at some point and now that I am taking this class, it was the golden opportunity.

This slow opening allows restaurants and small businesses to open their doors. The guidelines are also allowing parks and other outdoor recreational activities to be opened back up. People are being let free of the restrictions of the lock down. It was a weird feeling, when you are somewhat allowed to do things you were taught to be afraid of for the last three months but that’s the times we live in.

I am glad as I am personally effected by this at my work. I work at a reservoir which we have just been allowed to open as of 6/11/2020. I have seen and heard the ideas that people have about having places to go and spread out from other people. People feel they are open to the activities and restrictions that are put in place. Just to be out of the house is good enough. That is how personal I experienced the pandemic.