WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020
FEATURES
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A11
COLUMN
Social distancing has us Zooming through the pandemic
L
iving through a pan- some of our work from
demic has many side home, fi guring out what
effects, but one par-
slice of home to show peo-
ticularly relevant to 2020
ple can be tricky.
is knowing what the
My fi rst video
inside of professional
conferencing not
acquaintances’ homes
with family or friends
look like.
was as a guest pre-
Video chatting
senter for a class of
with co-workers,
journalism students
teachers, professors
from my alma mater,
and clients provides
where classes have
Jade
glimpses into liv-
now moved online.
McDowell
ing rooms and kitch- NEWS EDITOR
We were using
ens that under nor-
Zoom, which I have
mal circumstances
heard provides dif-
we would never visit. We’re ferent backgrounds you can
also getting a peek into the
use to blur out what’s actu-
abodes of late night televi-
ally behind you, but I was
sion hosts, news anchors
not confi dent enough in my
and politicians.
Zoom profi ciency to try
For those of us privi-
getting fancy. I ended up
leged enough to do at least
stacking some empty shoe
boxes on top of a chair in
order to bring the laptop
level with my face while I
sat on my couch, in front of
a wonderful abstract paint-
ing of the New York City
skyline that I purchased at
the point in my life where
I decided that I was too old
to keep using posters taped
to walls as my only home
decor.
Some video conferences,
such as the ones we’re con-
ducting with candidates for
the May election, I’ve done
from the offi ce. But for my
9 a.m. briefi ng with East
Oregonian staff each morn-
ing I’ve just settled for leav-
ing the laptop on my lap
while I sit on my couch
at home. Setting it on the
COLUMN
G
CRYPTOQUIP
one else is drinking water so
maybe I shouldn’t either. I
just dropped my pen on the
ground, but everyone else
will notice me duck out of
the frame to get it, so I’ll
just leave it there.”
Other complaints people
seem to have about work-
ing via video chat is peo-
ple not muting themselves,
but as someone who is used
to regular conference calls
over the telephone, I feel
that this happens less often
over video when people can
visually see the symbol on
their screen showing they
are muted. Also, it is eas-
ier to quickly identify the
culprit behind those errant
sounds and shame them into
silence when you can see
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Seniors deserve a graduation
rowing up in a
their dream degree, or even
small town, you
graduating!
look forward to big
Yes, COVID-19 is a
exciting events and new
horrendous and horrible
things happening.
virus, but it is affecting
When everyone thought everyone mentally, physi-
of the year 2020,
cally, and through
we thought it was
their hopes and
going to be full of
dreams too.
amazing, — wait,
We seniors have
no — extravagant,
worked so hard for
new, exciting path-
this moment, and to
ways. Just like the
get it thrown away
Nevaeh
1920s, it would be
like trash? I think
Cubbage-
full of parties, hap-
not! We deserve
Thorp
piness and feeling
to have this grad-
alive.
uation, especially
Now looking back, none since it means the end-
of those truly happened.
ing of our childhood, and
Instead we got threats of
the beginning of our next
world wide wars, and now
chapter. We dreamt of this
a deadly virus that has no
moment for so long and
vaccine. The only part that worked incredibly hard
is happening is everyone
for this. Restless nights
trying to feel alive while in and days of studying, tak-
quarantine.
ing classes to challenge
While most people are
ourselves and even taking
in their kitchens doing
classes that we are already
work, or sitting back
supposed to take and work-
watching Netfl ix or Dis-
ing hard on them. No mat-
ney+, students are taking
ter what type of student
advantage of this moment
you are, we deserve to
of no school. We love that
have a graduation. As one
we have no school, but it
unknown has said “Gradu-
leaves us stressing out and
ation is an exciting time. It
freaking out (mainly high
marks both an ending and a
school and college stu-
beginning; it’s warm mem-
dents) about our classes,
ories of the past and big
grades, and whether we
dreams for the future.”
are able to graduate or
Also, it gives seniors a
move up toward that next
chance to show our fam-
grade. This also means
ilies what we accom-
that so many hopeful peo-
plished; we completed high
ple may not get, or will
school and matured. A lot
have to wait even lon-
of us worked to pay for our
ger for, advancing, getting
graduation cap and gowns,
kitchen table would be eas-
ier, but a sink full of dirty
dishes feels like the wrong
background for a staff
meeting.
(As a side note, I have
noticed that not going any-
where has greatly decreased
the amount of laundry
I’m doing, but the num-
ber of dishes has multiplied
exponentially.)
I don’t know about any-
one else, but seeing myself
displayed on screen during
video conferences makes
me far more self conscious
than normal, in-person
meetings:
“My ear itches, but I just
scratched it 30 seconds ago.
Will it look weird if I do it
again? I’m thirsty, but no
and all that goes with it.
We deserve to have this
moment, whether it is on
the day the school planned
it or on another day when
it is safe and healthy to do
so.
This is so important to
me because I am a senior,
and I have dreamt of the
moment I walk across the
stage and say goodbye to
my dearest friends and
childhood and say hello to
adult life and the new chal-
lenges that will push me to
become a better person to
society and become more
successful. It gives me the
chance to prove those who
doubted me wrong, to see
that I have succeeded at
this and I will overcome
any other challenges as
long as I keep a positive
mind and a hard working
soul!
This is our time, our
chance to prove all those
who doubted us, the class
who was born at a horri-
ble and horrendous time
in 2001, and now living
during another time that
took our shine away again,
to show that we will rise
up and be the greatest. This
class believes in them-
selves and the world and
will do whatever it takes
to make this world or even
our community a better
place!
Nevaeh Cubbage-Thorp
is a Hermiston High School
senior.
Things I miss from
before COVID-19
School plays, dance
competitions and prac-
tices, watching my brother
play baseball, hanging
out with friends, are all
things I miss from before
COVID-19. It has been
really hard adjusting to
staying at home and no
longer being able to do my
activities.
My life was jam-
packed before this and
now I have no idea if I
will even be able to go
back to my activities I
have worked so hard for,
until next year. I am very
unhappy having every-
thing shut down and not
being able to do things
that I love.
I wish things would go
back to normal.
I even want school to
come back.
Reagan Stanek is a sev-
enth-grader at Sandstone
Middle School.
what everyone is doing.
The internet has been full
of humorous or cute exam-
ples of people’s children or
pets interrupting their video
conferences, but sadly, I
have no cute children or
dogs or cats to hold up to
the screen (I don’t have any
ugly ones either).
That may be a good
thing, however, considering
I saw a tweet from a NASA
employee this week stating
that her department had a
serious conversation about
how to prevent cats from
accidentally commanding
spacecraft from people’s
home offi ces.
I promise, there will
be no cats writing for the
Hermiston Herald.
TELL US
YOUR STORY
We are collecting
stories from
students and teach-
ers about COVID-19’s
aff ects on the school
year. Submit guest
columns, letters or
video clips (shot hor-
izontally) to editor@
hermistonherald.
com with your name
and contact
information.
‘Heroes Work Here’
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
A “Heroes Work Here” sign was erected at Guardian Angel Homes in Hermiston last week.
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