Photo Essay: Absence and Presence in the Crisis

by Sophia Alexandrou

In a few short months, our world has changed. We have gone from a world that is bustling with activity, to one filled with empty spaces.

Empty swing sets give off a very ominous tone, almost reminiscent of a ghost town.

An extremely long line at the grocery store shows how worried people are about leaving their houses. They want to gather as many supplies as they can to minimize their grocery store trips. Both of these things show how the virus has caused people to be more worried about the things they need to survive and less about the things they find enjoyable.

Zoom has become one of the most used apps since the start of the widespread quarantine. Five months ago, barely anyone even knew what it was. Zoom has allowed us to stay connected with our communities.

All around us, we see places where people used to be able to stay connected but can no longer.

The roads are empty, the parking lots are empty, the schools are empty, but the grocery stores are full, and everyone is on Zoom. It has really become a strange situation, a new reality.