In the midst of the world’s most pervasive virus in the past hundred years, daily life has fundamentally changed for hundreds of millions of people. With COVID-19 indelibly marking society as it has, what has daily life been like for one of the many families who have adhered to the strict lockdown measures put in place in the United States?

The Kane and Schwartz family consists of Michael Kane, Alison Schwartz, Brian Kane (20), and myself, Alec Kane. As a family predisposed to enjoy being out of the house, whether it be to work, participate in sports, or other leisurely activity, the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard to grapple with.

For me, the switch to virtual schooling has come with a steep learning curve. Without the in-person interaction, my favorite component of the school, hour-long classes, has become a daunting experience.

For my brother, Brian Kane, who plays tennis at college, the forced transition away from campus has been even harder. In addition to playing on the tennis team, Brian is also a member of a fraternity, and holds a part-time job. All of their events are currently canceled. Brian is still trying to stay optimistic, however, saying “It certainly hasn’t been fun coming home from college, I had much more independence, but it’s nice to see [our family] – for now”.

As for Michael Kane, a lawyer and avid tennis player, and Alison Schwartz, a travel agent who enjoys capitalizing on Philadelphia’s artistic and cultural offerings, their transitions have been frustrating as well. While Michael is still trying to “keep his routine”, by “waking up… working… and going to bed at a normal time”, the lack of physical activity (Michael plays tennis 4 times a week) has added to his stress. 

Alison Schwartz has enjoyed the “extra time with her family”, but has lost much of her business as travel restrictions have been enforced. Alison, who also frequents the local museums and restaurants, is also looking for her own release as she temporarily is unable to follow her passions.

Even with the sense of unease that has consumed the rest of the world, the Kane/Schwartz family still recognizes the privilege they have as they remain with those they love the most, safe in their home, and are just hoping for a better tomorrow.