LibGuides: Visions of 2020: Stories of Our Times, from COVID-19 to Racial Injustice: Prompts

Use these prompts as inspiration to create a historical document about your experiences.

COVID-19

How did COVID-19 affect your Spring 2020? The rest of the year?
What was it like to shift from live to online instruction, either as a student or an instructor?
What adjustments did you have to make in your personal life? Family life? Social life? Academic life? Work life?
How did you feel during the week of March 9th, the week Rosemont closed? How did your feelings change in the following weeks?
How did you feel when you were informed the remainder of the semester would be held online? How did you adjust?
Did you have to relocate? When? Where did you live while courses were held online?
Did any of your plans for work change due to the virus?
Were you able to work from home?
If no, how did it feel to work on campus? Were you able to work at all?
If yes, how did you make that transition?

How did you find joy? Comfort?
How did you take care of your health (mental and physical)?
How did you handle your stress?
How worried are you about getting the virus?
Do you know anyone who has gotten COVID-19?
Were you tested for COVID-19 or antibodies? Why? How did you feel while waiting for the results?
Did you change your spring break or vacation plans because of the virus?

What were some of the hardships you experienced due to the pandemic?
How did you connect with people? Family? Friends? Colleagues?
How has the virus (and the precautions taken to prevent it spreading) impacted your daily life?
Are you staying in? What are you doing to pass the time?
Are you going out? Where do you go and what is it like?

How were you receiving campus news updates? How were you receiving local and national news?
What effect do you think social media is having on this crisis?
What are your opinions on how the news media is reporting on this crisis?

Do you think the changes implemented during this time to "flatten the curve" will lead to lasting changes in society? In your life?
What do you think some good or bad long-lasting changes will be when we get through the pandemic?

Have the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Walter Wallace changed your outlook? Your behavior? How?
Did you participate in a march or other type of protest? If so, please describe your experience.
If you protested publicly, did you take precautions against COVID-19?
Did you try to implement systemic change in other ways? How?
How successful were you in your efforts?
Have you ever interacted with the police? How did the interaction make you feel?
How should policing change?

What emotions did the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Walter Wallace bring forth in you? In your household? Among your friends?

How did the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Walter Wallace and Breonna Taylor and responses to them effect your every day life?
Do you think the responses to Floyd's, Weaver's, Arbery's and Taylor's murders would have been different if they hadn't occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Have you experienced racism? If so, how?
What one thing would you like everyone to know about your race?
What book, video, or other resource should white people access to learn about black people in America? Why?
What racial inequities have you experienced?

What is your opinion on how the news media is reporting on the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Walter Wallace?
What effect do you think social media is having on these events?

What systemic changes need to happen in order to "level the playing field?"
How are this year's events similar to or different from the Civil Rights movement events of the 1960's?
Some products are changing their brand names and logos (Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's, Eskimo Pie, Cream of Wheat). What effect do you think this will have?
Are there any other products you think should revise their brands or logos because they are based on stereotypes?
What societal changes will happen because of these murders?

Did you vote in the 2020 Presidential Election?
Did you vote in person, by mail, or use a drop off ballot box? What was your rationale for your voting method?
Were you a poll worker or involved in the election in some other way? What was your experience?
Did you work in a candidate's campaign? What was your experience?
Do you think the outcome of the election was affected by COVID-19? How?
Did you participate in any of the post-election day demonstrations? Describe the "vibe."
If you did participate in these demonstrations, did you take COVID precautions?
Did you vote in a state whose votes were challenged in lawsuits? How did that make you feel?
What are your reactions or feelings about the attempted coup that occured at the Capitol on January 6, 2021?

What is your opinion of the media's reporting of the election process and the events that followed it?
How do you think social media effected the outcome of the election?
Did the election year effect how you use social media? How?
Did you watch the inauguration? On what channel? What did you think of their coverage?
How did the inauguration make you feel?

What societal and political changes will occur due to the outcome of this election and the events that followed it?