For six months now, high alert about the risk of Covid-19 contagion persists within the U.S.A. These journal excerpts reflect thoughts from six different people throughout the same day: Saturday, September 5, 2020. It highlights a shared reality experienced in different ways. –Amalia Mallard, journal curator

“It is 8 AM on a Saturday, and today I will be leaving around noon for the Poconos with 7 of my closest friends. We are staying in a large lake house for three days and two nights. Many would deem us foolish for neglecting quarantine recommendations, however, being recent graduates we considered ourselves deserving of this trip. We agreed to take proper precautions regarding COVID-19, and a number of us were required to be tested earlier this week (many of us have jobs that need this to be done). We feel confident that we should be able to enjoy this weekend without worrying too much about COVID-19." –Alex T

“Although it took me a little longer to wake up and get ready for the day, I still managed to complete my routine with ease. Instead of getting online on my mobile device to see the daily statistics regarding COVID-19, I turned on the TV and listened to the headlines as I was cooking scrambled eggs.” –Can

“I got a call from my old roommate who just moved into the Rutgers-Newark apartments, and he was asking me to go with him to Six-Flags. I was unsure whether I should go because I was wary of how safe the park would be for COVID standards, and whether Labor day weekend would make the park crowded. I also did not want to go because I chose to currently live with my parents who are more at risk for this illness. He was pretty bummed out, but we just talked about other things instead. I also ran for the first time in a week, and it felt amazing.” –Varoon Phondge

“Central Park was packed. We saw several wedding couples doing photos, wearing masks for some photos and taking them off for others. I guess the mask is an accessory now. Sitting on a ledge in Central Park, I could see a few hundred people milling about. We were socially distanced and most were wearing masks, but it felt good to be among lots of people.” –AT

“… went to my aunt’s house to celebrate my sister’s, Allie, and cousin’s, Jake’s, birthday. The party was outside, as my family primarily still gets together outside only. If we do need to go inside for the bathroom or anything else we wear masks. We swam in the pool and then had a bonfire and made smores, which was really fun. We don’t light candles for birthday cakes anymore, as we don’t want any one person’s germs on the cake when they blow the candles out. We’ll let people blow out a candle just not on or near the cake or anyone else.” –NA

“It is 6 PM on this same Saturday. It seems that all efforts of taking proper precautions are completely gone. Some of these people here are very enthusiastic about social distancing and taking the virus seriously. Although I am very undecided about an opinion on the virus, it still seems that they are being hypocritical.” –Alex T