CHARLIE CLUFF

When the global pandemic struck and I left New York City in a rush, I felt unsure of what was to come. Journaling, in the traditional sense, has never been a hobby of mine, unless it took the form of artistic reimagining, but I felt that this world crisis warranted a proper documentation to look back on in years to come. I began my journal as a project to keep myself entertained, but it grew into something more as the weeks went by. With detailed statistics of what was happening in the world outside mixed with the mundane trials of everyday boredom, the journal transformed into a relatable exposition of life inside lockdown.

The journal features images, mostly just taken on my phone, and entries about what happened that day. Some days, I feature the death toll numbers at the top of the page, and others, I leave out because it seemed to be depressing me even further. Throughout it, I talk about isolation, frustrations, loneliness, attempts at socialization, politics, and family. I wanted to be unbiased in my writings and keep them a document of isolation, but in fact, my personality, my troubles, and my understandings of Coronavirus seeped through, creating what I hope to be a meaningful and inspiring outlook that I hope you enjoy.

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