In the final days of 2019, a large number of pneumonia cases were detected in Wuhan China. Little did Wuhan Municipal Health know that this was the start of another world outbreak that would spread like wildfire. January 7^ththe Chinese authorities confirmed they have identified the virus as a novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19. 

COVID-19 is swarming the globe. On March 26, 2020 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised the threat level of the spreading virus and named it a pandemic. The spread of this virus raises fear and panic around the world and poses a serious public health risk. With over one million casesin the world and the 275,000 reportedin the United States, the health crisis is not all people are worried about. 

Millions of Americans have been told to stop moving. In over40 states, local and state directives have ordered “shelter in place” or “stay at home” initiatives in order to stop or slow the spread of the virus. This changes how everyone goes about their daily lives and normal interactions. These initiatives include work, school, religious events, and even going to the store. 

This new quarantine has especially been taking a toll on those whose social lives drive their everyday interactions. This includes a majority of students in college who have been sent home. Sophomore student Chandler Maizel at the University of Denver has been struggling with leaving her new home at school for her parents home. 

“Quarantine sucks. It’s a big change to be home with my parents in a smaller space since they downsized when I left for college. Being isolated doesn’t scare me but it is scary to see other people that are being gravely affected by the disease. College was a home and it broke my heart when we left but it took me until online classes started to truly feel how big the change was. COVID-19 is an very scary virus and I wish people would listen to the stay at home orders,” says Maizel. 

Junior student Katie Isler at the University of Vermont can attest to. Maizel’s statement.

“I did feel like college was home, it feels weird being back in the house I grew up in, back to old rules and nothing to do. It feels like I am in middle school again. I should have taken more advantage of the time I had at school,” explains Isler.

Isolation seems crippling. Jussi Tanskanen studies the simultaneous effects of social isolation and loneliness on mortality. The results showed that social isolation predicted and increase in the risk of heart disease, obesity, anxiety, depression, and even mortality. In conclusion Tanskanen reveals the strong evidence for social isolation and loneliness having a pathway to mortality and health. 

Bella Pisano, a recent college graduate now working from home, can attest to the affects Tanskanen mentions in her research.

“Other than feeling tired, breaking out, and feeling less motivated, it’s almost like I have phantom symptoms,” explains Pisano. “I know I’m not sick but I feel sick. I stay inside every day and move from couch to chair to bed isolated.”

William Hammit, in his study on the psychology and functions of wilderness solitude, explains an opposite idea as Tanskanen. Hammit touches on wilderness isolation and privacy. Looking at the dimensions that would be similar, in the case of individual cognitive freedom and social cognitive freedom, intimacy, emotional release, and reflective thought and self-evaluation led those to inhibit individual freedom of choice, tranquility, and peace of mind. 

While Hammit found this research in the wilderness, the results of isolation has not been the same for the college students now home. Maizel explains that the social isolation has ruined the alone time she used to have to spend with herself, relax and take a break.

“Being alone while knowing I’m in isolation makes it less appealing,” claims Maizel. “Before this the time I would make for myself felt like self-care and being able to section out that time for myself was for my mental health. Now because I have so much of that time without having to make it, it feels less relaxing and almost more stress inducing.”

At first it wasn’t being taken seriously. Since the virus had not seriously affected the 
United States it wasn’t taking a toll however now the mindsets are changing Isler explains. 

“I thought this was kind of a joke at first, leaving school and getting an extra week of spring break but it turned out to be a life altering event,” explains Isler.

While this is daunting and isolating, COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere. In order to flatten the curve, social distancing and stay at home orders will stay in place. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and event spaces will close. However, these measures, which have been proven effective in countries such as China and South Korea, will make a lasting impact in the future.

However, others feel as if their whole life plans have been put on hold or ruined due to the stay at home order, online classes, and looming post-graduation jobs. Junior athletic training major at the University of Alabama Patricia Smith feels as if she doesn’t know what to do next.

“I’m scared for my future,” exclaims Smith. “I worked so hard for three years to get into the NFL and now that I’ve done it, there’s a high chance it will get taken away from me. If I don’t complete this internship my entire plan for my future is going to be ruined. It’s scary that something that you’ve been told to plan for since elementary can be ruined in a matter of a month.”

You meet someone special and your young and in love, the next step is marriage. You plan the wedding a year in advance, pick the perfect dress or ask your best friend to be your best man.

The wedding itself represents a life-long commitment to loving your spouse. But, things don’t go as planned and this commitment is cut short by divorce. If the cliché saying “over 50 percent of marriages end in divorce” were true, what makes marriage such a seductive plan? Continue reading →

DENVER – The last several weeks have been hectic to say the very least, both globally and domestically within our own US borders. 

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While diets have always been a priority, the age old New Year’s Resolution is now trending towards a lifestyle change rather than solely a health investment. Time after time, some have experimented with low-carb or low-fat to attain the thin and toned features, however oftentimes they are not well sustained. The vegan lifestyle has many factors that encourage people to maintain their dedication to eliminating their consumption of meat and animal products. 

Since the late 60s, attention to professional sports and college mascots that are offensive to Native Americans has been building. Despite this attention and in some cases, change that follows— for example Seattle University changing their mascot from the Chieftains to the Redhawks in 2000—  many people chalk up the issue to over-sensitivity and excessive political correctness.

The Roper Center for Public Opinion polled people three times over the course of 22 years asking them if the Washington Redskins should change its team name because it is offensive to native American Indians. In 1992, 89% of people said that the name was not intended to be offensive and should not be changed. In 2013, 79% of people said it should not be changed and in 2014 83% of people said it should not be changed.

The coronavirus pandemic includes 190,000 confirmed cases worldwide, a number that is only expected to grow. With the spread of the virus most concentrated currently in locations throughout Europe, many universities are choosing to cancel upcoming study abroad programs, and to send students currently abroad home. 

The last days approaching finals week at the University of Denver, are a little different this quarter. What’s usually a library filled to the brim and not a single unreserved study room, the campus is now blanketed with an eerie emptiness. Thousands of kids are now cramming for their cumulative tests from their hometown. 

There’s no excitement surrounding the festivities of Spring Break next week. Instead kids are fleeing home to be with loved ones to quarantine themselves in a familiar place, leaving DU seemily uninhabited: a ghost town. DU student Mia Winans also thinks campus feels different. 

“The library is empty which is super weird for finals and there’s nothing going on socially. Morale is low.”  

Due to factors such as overprescribing common, medicinally prescribed pain-subduing drugs as well as an increasing supply of fentanyl, deaths resulting in drug overdoses, more specifically, opioid related deaths in the United States have seen a substantial rise in the past few decades. However, as of lately, the trend has flipped.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in deaths resulting from opioid abuse. This includes opioids overall, as fentanyl overdose deaths continue to rise.

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After Hurricane Katrina struck the gulf coast of the United States in 2005, recovery was on the forefront of everyone’s mind in New Orleans. With widespread destruction and an ample amount of flooding, the city of New Orleans as well as the entire Gulf Coast was in disarray for many years following the hurricane. However, when one thinks of Hurricane Katrina now, they probably think of the feel-good recovery stories.