COVID Diaries: Quotidian Snapshots of Life during the Pandemic

In her personal essay, “COVID Diaries: Quotidian Snapshots of Life during the Pandemic,” Elizabeth Bogumil, a PhD candidate specializing in medical sociology, reflects on her first 74 days of social distancing under Los Angeles’ Safer at Home order, starting on 10 April 2020 and lasting until 15 May 2020. Using her diary as a means to “punctuate time,” Bogumil captures the shifting perceptions of COVID-19, both in herself and others, throughout the lockdown, particularly focusing on her experiences of self-isolation. Initially documenting the altered passage of time brought about by pandemic measures, her entries gradually delve deeper into the challenges and triumphs she faces. Addressing the struggle to maintain a sense of community amidst limited physical contact, Bogumil connects the early days of the pandemic with subsequent phases through nostalgia, remarking on how we now yearn for our pre-COVID lives while also anticipating future nostalgia for the temporary pause provided by quarantine. Through her record-keeping, Bogumil illuminates the unexpected positive outcomes that arise from the pandemic, unveiling the significance of even the smallest details of daily life. The essay is illustrated with personal photographs.