Hutton sits beside a window, obsessed with a bird, looking up only because there’s a man with a camera standing above him. (Photo by Elian Richter)
By Elian Richter
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
As I sit at the end of the dining room table, I listen as my mother gives a math lesson; it’s her fourth online class today. She is a fifth-grade Montessori teacher and her students are learning multiplication and division.
As I listen, I come to the realization that my Mom has to be the most patient person in the world. She treats each question with the same care and respect as the next, even when they seem a little silly. Teaching is what she was meant to do and it’s easy to tell this is her passion, no matter what’s happening there’s a kind smile on her face and a heart that is radiating love.
When the day comes to an end she assigns a few small pieces of homework and, before signing off, tells each of her students that she loves them and is proud of them.
This morning I sit in the next room over as she decides to play a little joke on her kids. As they start logging in one by one, all they can see is an empty chair and a whiteboard that says “School closed due to sunshine.” She stands to the side quietly giggling at all their different comments. She finally steps into frame and, with a puzzled face, asks them “What are you all doing? Didn’t you hear school is out?” They all burst out in laughter and give her a hard time. Of course, this was an April Fools’ joke.
Maria Hunter, an elementary school teacher, writes a math problem on a whiteboard for her online class. (Photo by Elian Richter)
Sunday, March 22, 2020
With school and work both on hold, the days have begun to feel slightly longer than normal. I’m quickly realizing that the next few weeks might be more difficult than I initially expected and, as each day passes, it brings with it news of how conditions are worsening and restrictions are growing, ultimately meaning that this might be the new norm for the foreseeable future.
When I first learned that classes were switching to an online platform, I was excited. I thought things would be a breeze and, at worst, I would have something to do while sitting at home. Unfortunately, I’ve found the opposite to be true. There’s a strange sense of anxiety that comes with seeing my entire class face to face while they stare back at me from a computer screen, even if their attention really isn’t on me.
Outside of classes, my routine is described best by the word “repetition.” I wake up, surf the Web, listen to music, play guitar, take a nap and repeat until the day is over. When the weather permits, a short walk through town or a hike at Stringer’s Ridge help to break the monotony, but so far it has rained almost every day. Why wouldn’t it, though? Overcast days give a great sense of doom and gloom, which seem to fit the occasion perfectly.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
As the days blur together and the heavy weight of isolation builds, it’s easy to dwell on the negative emotions brought out by the current situation: boredom, loneliness, depression. These emotions are certainly overwhelming at times but there’s also a brighter side to this too.
I’ve recently realized that the pandemic has also brought at least one positive outcome during this strange time; the opportunity to spend time with one of my favorite people in the world, my little sister Waverly.
I always feel like I’m missing so many key moments in my sister’s life and because of that I often feel conflicted about living so far from her. Every time I get to see her it seems that she’s grown another foot and has matured exponentially since my last visit. This has been the longest I’ve been home in over four years and being able to spend this time with my family has meant more than I can put into words.
Elian Richter is a student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga studying communication with a focus in photojournalism. He currently works as a photo intern at the Trenton Daily News in Georgia, as a portrait photographer for Lifetouch yearbooks and as the photo editor for the University Echo student newspaper at UTC. Elian has experience covering events such as USA Boxing, college football, presidential rallies and the Country Music Association awards. After graduating, he hopes to use the skills he’s learned to work as a photojournalist.
