Portraits from a pandemic

by - April 21, 2020

As part of a unique science communications course taught by learning support librarian Abeer Siddiqqui, students are using photo essays to capture the ways in which their lives have been transformed by COVID–19. 

Covid Portraits
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From leaving campus and transitioning to virtual learning to navigating their social and family lives in completely different ways to redefining their relationship with the outside world, students have experienced rapid and unprecedented disruptions to their everyday lives.

Now, a group of Science students have captured their experiences in a series of photo essays documenting the unique ways in which they have been impacted by COVID–19.

The project is part of Life Science 4E03 – Science and Storytelling, a science communication course that introduces students to creative storytelling mediums and platforms.

“One of the main themes of this course is that storytelling and sharing narrative can be a way of processing what’s going on around you,” says course instructor Abeer Siddiqui, learning support librarian at McMaster University Library and an adjunct professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science, who developed the project in consultation with her students.

“Students were feeling so much stress and anxiety, and even heartbreak,” says Siddiqui. “But there was also a glimmer of hope, and they wanted to express that.”

She encouraged her students to explore any aspect of the COVID–19 pandemic, provided they practised proper social distancing. Students then shared their photo essays with each other during a virtual class on Microsoft Teams, an experience that Siddiqui says was meaningful for both her and her students.

“Seeing the feedback and support that they got from each other was just so heartening,” she says.”

“I also realized how much of my experience is also their experience. It felt really good to tell students that we’re all in the same boat.”

The following is a selection of photo essays created by students in Life Science 4E03 – Science and Storytelling:

Image from quaRoutine: How COVID–19 Changed my Daily Routine by Archana Gugathasan “Self-isolation has taught me that sometimes it’s okay to slow down and take care of yourself.”
“quaRoutine: How COVID–19 Changed my Daily Routine” by Archana Gugathasan

 

Image from Fear of the Unknown by Pauneez Sadri “As I stare out the door, the thing that scares me the most is not knowing when I will see my family again. I miss them already.”
“Fear of the Unknown”by Pauneez Sadri

 

Image from The Invisible Business Destroyer: Owning a Business During the Pandemic by Thiviya Srikanthan “A pandemic does not stop bills from coming.”
“The Invisible Business Destroyer: Owning a Business During the Pandemic” by Thiviya Srikanthan

 

Image from A Daily Life in Quarantine by Simran Singh “My family and I try our hardest to follow rules and help flatten the curve.”
“A Daily Life in Quarantine” by Simran Singh

 

Image from Everything is Going to be Alright: A COVID–19 Survivour (so far) by Abdullah Ali “I keep my blue disinfectant wipes behind my back and hope for the best.”
“Everything is Going to be Alright: A COVID–19 Survivour (so far)” by Abdullah Ali

 

Image from Return to Shallot by Madison Nikolaesky “In this moment, I feel like we are all the Lady of Shalott, desperate to engage with the outside world in any way we can.
“Return to Shallot” by Madison Nikolaesky


Image from The COVID–19 Experience: Stock up, Stay Inside and Wash your Hands by Ainsley Smith “While we all wait for the world to go back to 'normal', all we can do is stay resilient, keep (virtual) communication lines open, and stay inside!”
“The COVID–19 Experience: Stock up, Stay Inside and Wash your Hands” by Ainsley Smith

 

Image from COVID–19: Doing What it Takes by Dilan Wright “You never really appreciate the freedom of walking around the city…until it is taken away from you.”
“COVID–19: Doing What it Takes” by Dilan Wright

 

Image from A Week in the Life of an Isolated Student in Burlington, ON by Arshia Kazerouni “We should focus on what we can control, and do our best to work as a team to mitigate the effects of the virus.”
“A Week in the Life of an Isolated Student in Burlington, ON” by Arshia Kazerouni