Christina Hendreson: All about me
Hi everyone! My name is Christina Hendreson. I was born in Chicago, Illinois and now live in Decatur, Georgia. I have two dogs that I love very much, Slim and Lizzy. I enjoy doing math, more specifically algebra. I also enjoy art like drawing, painting, reading books, or visiting art museums. I have enjoyed reading books in the past year and have been reading consistently. My current read is Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. My goal this year is to read at least three books every month. I don’t have a favorite genre of music; I will listen to whatever. I could say that I mostly listen to K-pop and RnB. My favorite music artist is probably BTS, and my favorite song by them is Save Me. I don’t do any sports right now, but I did competitive gymnastics for six years. It’s hard to think of my favorite movie because there are so many, but Howl’s Moving Castle or Divergent come to mind. My favorite genres are sci-fi and coming-of-age films.
I am a Junior in High School and am taking dual enrollment classes at Perimeter College. So far, I have no major yet, but I am interested in Sports Medicine or something with Tech or Statistics. I want to be very successful and earn lots of money. I plan to learn French and try a foreign exchange program for a French-speaking county, maybe France. I want to experience a different way of life other than in America. I also want to travel to other countries like Japan, South Korea, Egypt, Brazil, etc. In the end, I want to make sure I can have a lot of money to do the things.
Christina Hendreson: Before Covid
“Masks Required” message being displayed on the destination sign of a TriMet bus, Sep. 2020.Before I realized Covid-19 was big, I went on with my same routine. Rising before the sun would shine, getting ready quickly because I always woke up late, going to high school for long periods, having tiring gymnastics practice, and trying to get my homework done in the time when I wasn’t doing anything. On March 12, 2020, I had school just like I always did, but this day DCSD told students that school would possibly be closed because of the new deadly virus. This was shocking to hear because school would close for nothing: Well that’s what it felt like. My school reminds me of a plain, dull building where you get locked up and can never escape – A prison. Time goes on and on and never seems to end. This day was more pleasant than others because we had a cheese day in French class.
We were learning about food and cheese culture in France, so everyone brought in something to have a cheese-like potluck. There were many kinds of cheese and other foods, like some blue cheese that smelled like it was decaying and very pungent; one taste of it and my senses were filled with dirt and old flavor. As known, this type of cheese has literal mold in it. To get rid of the horrid taste of the blue cheese, I tasted every other cheese, crackers, and jams that were there. My classmates and I all chatted and enjoyed this chance of trying new types of cheeses. In my last class of the day, I had an eye-opening conversation with my human geography teacher about his own opinion of this new virus. His face showed worry, and he knew that Covid-19 would escalate and become an even bigger problem.
Weeks before Georgia or even the United States (as a whole) were worried about the Coronavirus, countries like China were already having deaths and going on lockdown. By Feburary 2020, borders of countries were now being closed, and no one could leave or enter. I, myself, didn’t know most of this was happening. My family mentioned Covid a little bit, but I never watch the news. It started to spread to more countries, like in Europe.
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From my perspective, Italy and China had the most cases globally. Suddenly, cases in Georgia were a thing, then in Atlanta, then in Dekalb County. The United States was now leading the world in covid cases. Businesses all around had signs saying it was required to wear a mask to enter or that they were closed due to Covid.
Christina Hendreson: Blog Post #3
I first started realizing things were bad when we didn’t have school. School being canceled was a shocking (also happy) thing to happen. This was March 13, 2020. Everything past this point was different. It wasn’t good or bad, just different. Just to go to the grocery store, everyone had to wear a medical face mask. Not even just the grocery store. Going outside in public places with more than a few people, going to restaurants, or entertainment places. All of these required a mask to be worn. At first, it was very suffocating but after 2 years of wearing them, you barely notice. During the peak of the pandemic, March and April of 2020, places were starting to close down. Some of my favorite resturants and areas to hang out, like parks, just weren’t open anymore. At some point, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) advised not to go out in groups of people. This is when quarantine happened. People couldn’t leave their house unless going to the grocery store or getting basic needs. I felt so isolated during this time. Of course, I have my mom and aunt who I lived with but I couldn’t see my friends. Socializing is a big thing I need and without seeing people I didn’t know what to do. I had recently quit gymnastics when quarantine happened, but I was regretting it deeply. My sleep schedule in the spring and summer started to get very unhealthy. I would watch tv shows all night, as last at 5 am and then wake up well into the afternoon the next day, 2 pm.
Many things during this time were depressing, but I picked up new interest since I had so much free time. I started to watch a lot of television. I just got into anime and was watching about 1 show a day. There are so many genres that I just couldn’t get bored. I would listen to music every second of every day; Hip Hop, Pop, R&B, and KPOP. I discovered Kpop during this time as well. This genre was just so fun because of the many sounds used and different languages. When watching the music videos, pops of vibrant colors were everywhere as well as amazing dance moves. I also know that some of my friends, that I texted, never went outside or got any fresh air. Unlike them, I still had a dog that I had to walk at least three times a day. Going outside during the summer was a good getaway from the boring indoors. The yellow sun burned down on my skin and felt as if it was close to the Earth. For some reason, last summer felt like the hottest summer I’ve ever experienced.
Christina Hendreson: Blog Post #4
The pandemic had been going on for some time and everyone had to wear masks. As more time went on, it was becoming more so a routine. Having to social distance was such a simple task and wearing a mask felt like nothing. New vaccines for covid came out in Decemeber of 2020. There was much controversial over these because some people felt that they were unsafe because of how fast it was made. In 2021, places were opening and said “no mask required”. To me, not wearing a mask in public felt very odd, so no matter where I went I still wore a mask. In this new year people were basically trying to forget that covid existed but it was still really bad throughout the whole world. This whole time hasn’t been that bad for me but it aldo wasn’t the most fun time. I hated doing online school(school through zoom at home because we couldn’t go back to school)and felt like it was useless and didn’t help at all. The best part was coming back to inperson school. I got to see my friends again and actually learn in a real helpful envirolnemt. The only catch was that we had to wear a mask the whole day. I think that going into the future by a few years, covid will still be a thing. Meaning that we are going to have to live with covid forever. Maybe people will stop wearing mask as a whole and just treat covid as a common sickness. Maybe people will learn to build a tolerance so it doesn’t effect us so badly.
Christina Hendreson: Photo Analysis – Essay 2
The Coronavirus Pandemic affected how everyone lived. From being able to go out in a big space with others, having to sit away from friends and family, or not being able to use public facilities. If asked how it felt living during the first part of this pandemic, a common word of loneliness or isolation would probably be used. The four images show isolation during the Covid Pandemic. From church chairs being distanced from each other to a subway ad separating essential workers from everyone else and two snaps of Times Square in NYC of before covid full of life to during when no one was there. These images show that because of covid many things in our past known lives have changed like not being able to go out in crowded groups.
The image is of chairs being separated in a church so that everyone can social distance and be apart basically. This was taken June 22, 2020, and is titled “Spaced seats in a French church during Covid-19 pandemic”. In this image the chairs are spaced in rows and windows so people can see through gaps between other chairs. Church is supposed to be a loving place where others come together but this photo looks almost the opposite. There is so much empty space that it feels isolated and lonely. The lightning of the photo is dark with lots of neutral colors. There are a few patches of sunlight peeking through that could represent hope. On the very back wall there is a cross, and it is also lit up by the sunlight. It looks heavenly and like the photographer meant for it to happen. We can feel pathos from this photo because of the dark lighting, empty space, and few patches of sunlight. It gives off a sad and cold feeling and possibly haunted with the old architecture plus empty space
The image of the subway sign displays the way essential workers and non-essential workers were treated differently during the pandemic. The sign is a bright yellow and white color that has big black bolded words. It could catch attention of commuters rushing to get on their train. The sign says “Essential worker” big at the top then follows which yes or no. If yes, then it’s okay to ride the subway but if no you shouldn’t even be there and should “go home.” The company “Safe Travels” has their logo at the very top of the message. Their goal is to “shut down the New York metropolitan area” to keep essential workers safe and they would limit how many tickets were sold for the subway. By knowing the overall goal of this company, people may want to listen and support the cause of keeping essential workers safe. This image goes deeper into the social class levels and the work expectation in America – essential workers must work and put into dangerous environments. This photo was taken about a month after the first lockdown (peak pandemic). (This also shows how different groups of people were separated in the pandemic – isolated – these people had to go work and were allowed on the subway, but non-essential workers had to just stay home and be isolated as well.)
In 2020, roughly 125,000 pedestrians entered Times Squares each day. On the busiest days, Times Square has pedestrian counts as high as 450,000.” (Timessqaurenyc.org) Looking at the empty photo we see not one person or car in times square. All the billboard signs are still on and showing ads and many colors. The photo has a gray “filter” over it and looks very gloomy. When no one is there, it gives off a sad and lonely feeling. The sign that sticks out the most says “We are all essential” – The whole movement promoted small business, which were hit hard in the pandemic. In contrast the busy photo is livelier. The colors are more vibrant; red, white, blue, yellow, blue. And they are hundreds of people. The colors are drawing people in, to go shopping or to stay longer and eat and sit down. Not only are there people walking, but there are also taxis and buses in the streets.
These four pictures come together to make us think and reflect on how covid separated everyone. Because of Covid many had to stay inside or social distance from others meaning we couldn’t hang out in groups. While some people had to stay home, essential workers could go out. This shows a level of separatism of a cultural stance in America. It was all based on what people’s needs were. Some felt theirs were religion and that they would risk their safety to feel close to God, and on a personal level, others in their church environment. This shows how several people got to a point of hopelessness that they needed to change their lonely surroundings with some hope. While some felt that they needed money and were going to work their essential jobs. Even if that meant being the most exposed to the virus. A price that comes with working an essential job means not being able to see family and friends, with the thought of them being exposed to the risk of covid. Others felt that doing public events wasn’t worth it. Including traveling to the busiest city in the U.S (New York). The bright lights and inviting signs weren’t enough to keep everyone together.
From the church chairs being distanced, the subway sign telling essential workers to ride and others to go back home, and the before and during of Times Square, all these images represent a different way of isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Christina Hendreson: Lost Seasons: Gymnastic
Before covid, I did gymnastics competitively for about 6 years. I decided that the season for 2019-2020 would b
e my last. In that year, I was still going on with my day-to-day life. I would rise before the sun would shine, get ready quickly because I always woke up late, go to my high school for long periods, have tiring gymnastics practice, and try to get my homework done. Even with this going on, I wanted to do well and end with good scores at my gymnastics meets during that season. I was going to stop doing gymnastics because it is such an intense sport that took up a lot of my energy and time. I had practice 4 days a week, taking up 20 plus hours. I had limited time to do my high school work and hang out with my friends. Gymnastics is a spring sport, so the competition season is usually from January to April. Covid conflicted with this because everything shut down in the beginning/middle of March.
My last meet was very significant for me because it was so fun. I didn’t expect it to be my last, but COVID-19 hit, and I had to end gymnastics early. I went to New Orleans with my grandpa for the weekend. I competed at my meet with my teammates and got awards and medals. During the rest of the time, I explored the city with my grandfather and teammates. It was almost Mardi Gras, so there was lots
of partying. My gymnastics friends and I went shopping and walked down French Quarter. In the heart of the city was a Mardi Gras Parade that we went to. It was so crowded, and everyone was on top of each other. I can’t imagine being in a crowd like that anymore after covid happened. There were tons of floats and loud music. Everyone was cheering to the point of yelling. Beaded necklaces were flying everywhere, waiting for people to catch them. After that trip, I returned and started practicing to get ready for the summer. Summer practices were intense and even longer than the regular school year schedule. So, once it was all over, I was relieved.
The first months, maybe even up to a year after quarantine started, I was so down that I couldn’t do gymnastics anymore. This confused me because I wanted to quit so bad earlier that year, but now, I suddenly wanted to return. It made me think about starting it up again, but I remember how much energy it took out of me and that I wouldn’t be happy. Life after quitting gymnastics felt free. I didn’t have the massive commitment of going to practice every day and had more time. We were in the middle of a pandemic, so I couldn’t go out with my friends, but I could take a break. I stayed home, took my dog out on walks, and started to get into new interests. New interests like watching a lot of television. I just got into anime and was watching about one show a day. It sounds unhealthy to watch at least one show a day, but I had nothing else to do. I got into so many genres and shows that it felt like unlimited choices to choose from. I would also listen to music almost every second of every day. I discovered K-pop during this time. This type of music was just so fun because of the many sounds used and different languages. When watching the music videos, pops of vibrant colors were everywhere, and fantastic dance moves. I was able to stay entertained.
Coming to a whole 2 years since I quit gymnastics, I came to terms with it. Right now, I feel content. I joined my high school gymnastics team, and it was the fun that I needed gymnastics to be. I was still allowed to do gymnastics and compete with less pressure on me. Gymnastics will always be important to me and hold a special place in my heart. I met lots of people that I’m still friends with and amazing coaches that are my role models. Even with my last season ending early I can still remember the good things as well as the bad.