Kyle I’ve been staying with my in-laws for a month now. It was tough for my partner and I to decide to leave our apartment without knowing when we’d return but we’re grateful to have a place to stay outside of the city and his parents (and mine) are happy to know we’re safe. Without work, I’m really not sure how I’d occupy my time. It’s been nice to still have that outlet and that connection to what used to be my ordinary day-to-day. It’s all so strange. I’m just taking it day by day and doing my best to stay above water and be gentle on myself and those around me. Easier said than done.

Matthew The hardest part of the pandemic was looking the men who work for me and telling them that we were closing down in May. My team means so much to me. The second hardest thing is combating negative thinking and fear. I have to remind myself every day to focus on gratitude and be as productive as I can during this time. The greatest hidden gem of this time is getting to spend extended time with my parents and partner Kyle. It's also been a wonderful opportunity to focus on some creative hobbies.

Ilaria And then something completely unexpected happened. Clearly I was not planning the last trimester of my first pregnancy to be in lockdown and with so much uncertainty about the future due to a global pandemic. But yes here we are, this is a new reality for everyone. As -mom to be- I've been so anxious and scared every single day, every single moment in the past couple of months. What can I actually do now I asked and keep asking myself? I have to be optimistic as much as I can, I need to think that everything is going to be just fine. This is for my baby boy, yes for him, he is growing day after day inside me and I'm so grateful for this. I continue to be hopeful that this too shall pass, and that we will be able to resume back to our lives.I have found some what of a strength of what it means to be a woman and soon a mom. It's hard, yes it is, and we really need to have faith in things to get better. And our babies give us light to believe that it will. Don't give up hope We gonna get through this.

Korie I was the one that got him sick, wasn't I?! The Monday after Gov. Cuomo declared New York in a state of Emergency due to Coronavirus, my company was still mandating that we work from the office. My body aches began halfway through the day while still at work. Once home, I checked my temperature which was normal, took a hot shower and plopped my achy body into bed. I slept for 22 hours, waking up intermittently to a physical pain that hurt my body to the core, like an attack on my limbs and organs. My boyfriend came to care for me during those first days of sickness. Five days after being exposed to me, he began to feel fatigue, and two days later his fever spiked. I was still home recovering so we had little communication, but I know he was bed ridden. He tested positive for Covid-19. His fever lasted 12 days total and about half-way through his illness he developed severe ice pick headaches, which lasted several days. During that initial week apart, I felt helpless and my thoughts went to the worst as the virus began attacking his brain. Thankfully, with some sleep and strong pain medications, the headaches went away. We followed the mandated 14-day self-quarantine, but it was a psychological struggle to stay positive throughout that time. After 22 long days we finally saw each other again, in person. He lost a lot of weight but he was on the mend, and we felt blessed to come out of this pandemic with our health and with each other. There are so many stories out there of struggle, loneliness, and sadness with the passing of loved ones. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone during this time.

Giorgio It would be easy, predictable even, to talk about how the pandemic is destroying years of work – the financial worries and all the "bad” this situation is creating for us, from work to feelings, stress, and many fears. Yes, fears. I – usually strong and brave – am afraid. Not of the virus, but of what the virus is taking away from me, of the impossibility of experiencing certain moments and spending time with certain people. These are all things that are taken so often for granted, but that today feel as necessary as breath, the same breath that the virus is taking away from you. And so, instead of feeling sorry for myself about work and money, I focus on life, on my son, on the future. I focus on the deeply beautiful thoughts of my family, of my friends, and I find comfort in the knowledge that nothing and no one can ever take these thoughts away from me. Maybe the pandemic, more than changing my life, will change the person I am, the way I relate to life and family. It will pass, they say, but what will certainly remain in me is having finally realized what really matters in life. So thank you, virus, for showing me that I can be a better person.

Aurora Feeling safe in my nest, this is the main emotion that embodies what this quarantine meant to me. That sense of feeling protected from the outside world. It’s like going back to my childhood, when I was building a pretend house with umbrellas and playing within those walls was giving me a sense of warmth and stillness. I haven’t felt trapped at home honestly. I feel safe, calm and serene. I have a six month old baby and in a normal situation, I would be in the office all day by now. Working from home is giving me the gift of enjoying moments with him and my partner that I would have missed otherwise. I also have bad days, when the idea of not knowing when I’ll be able to see my family in Italy, makes me nostalgic but then I think this is just a temporary situation and I picture the first hug I’ll give to my mom and my brother after such a long time. It will be even more special. It will be like breathing spring air after a long winter.

Vito This pandemic has changed my life so much... in so many ways. I am a very sociable person, who loves and needs to be in contact with others, it is this aspect of my character that has led me to work in the restaurant business. I'm a person who needs to be with people. Everything that's happening scares me. Total chaos. A lot of things have changed for me, even in the family aspect... just think that I can't even have my wife by my side, she is in another country and at the moment there are no flights and consequently I don't have the possibility to have her here with me during this difficult period. I feel very sad for young people, especially when I think about my 16-year-old daughter, I am worried about her future. She, like me, loves being among people, going to school and to volleyball practice. I hope for a cure as soon as possible, so that everything can return to normal, but with new awareness.

Alicia A lot of thoughts come to my mind when I think about what’s going on. My main one is that it’s scary. Is this world going to be the same after this? When am I going to be able to hug my mother or my daughter again? My daughter works in a hospital and she fears I could get sick from her, and I share the same fear towards my elderly mom. But one thing I can say this has taught me is to enjoy the simple things and not take things for granted. To enjoy my house more, my backyard, spend more time with my pets. I’ve gotten to know myself more as well. I hope at the end of this, if there is an end, that everyone appreciates everyone in their lives in a whole different way.

Giulia I work in the food and hospitality industry as a PR professional, and I'm spending my days trying to figure out a way to help my beloved clients and friends. I've always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes of a restaurant, something that has been forgotten or taken for granted by many. I really hope diners will have a greater appreciation for the hospitality industry and what goes into making and serving food. People realized that restaurants were more than just places to eat. They are culture bearers and community gathering places, and I hope that consumers will remember those restaurants and companies who treated their customers and employees well. This is a moment of truth for many across the world.

Cher I’m happy to slow down but I miss hugs from family and friends. People I often take for granted. It’s made me realize that in the grand scheme of things, we are not in control of our lives. We can’t possible control what happens to us. We can only control how we act. No one could have possible foreseen this and no matter how secure and stable our lives are, it can all be taken away from us in a nano second. Without warning. It’s made me appreciate the present more because it made me realize more than ever that we can’t control the future. Only today.

Audrey Moments like these bring me back to the girl from Indiana. It forces me to live in a simpler time with life moving much, much slower. A world I thought I left behind. I believe my husband and son thrive in these times breathing fresh air abundantly while exploring outdoors; however, I find myself stumbling upon an old friend—unsure she is my choice of friends since I had shed that skin years ago to thrive in a cosmopolitan life. Only time will tell if she is good for me. There is one thing I’m certain of, I love and miss my city for which I have lived for 15 years. It’s quite difficult to decide if it’s time to say goodbye.

Steve I am mostly grappling with the changes that my unborn son will face. I am Trying to fathom the idea that he will be classified as the "Corona Boomer" generation, and what that actually might mean, with what challenges or implications to his life. I do my best to look at it all in the most promising light. I think of so much positive progress that will yield from people getting together and moving ahead strategically. I imagine that my unborn son might be deemed as the first born generation to take their very first breath with the cleanest air, with the lowest pollution rates for the first time in modern society. These tragedies often serve as a fertilizer, giving inspiration to harvest brighter ideas, smarter thinking, and a new found appreciation for simplicity, that I feel has gotten completely lost in recent times. Sometimes I lament that my very first son born will not know and experience so much of what me and his mom had experienced as children growing up during what will be deemed as the "pre-corona period". Maybe our entire civilization as a whole needed this brake stop of our norm which we've created, in order to bring us to this reflective point of realization. Reminding us to take the time to remember how precious time is, how much we are polluting, how all we do has an impact on the future, how we all really matter and make an impact on what actions we take. Maybe it really required this immediate global pause to lead us to these truths of what really matters and empowers us to take new steps to lead a life that brings these changes to a lasting reality.

Anonymous This is such a surreal time. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. A time of so many paradoxes. I try to imagine what life in this city, and what life around the world, will look like once this is over. I wonder how this time will be historically remembered, and personally remembered (luckily Im keeping a journal!) But mostly I feel a heightened sense of daily gratitude, that I get to spend another day (in paradise).

Stephanie Everyday the most overwhelming feeling is that I wish I was with my family in WA. We call and text more often then we ever have in the 7 years that I’ve lived here, but being on the opposite coast & so far away has made this experience so much more stressful & lonely. I wish I was home to make sure they are all okay & they have everything they need. I could do the grocery shopping for my Grandparents & Brother who are all immune compromised. I could be taking my Aunt, who is a nurse, pre-made lunches & dinners on the days she has long shifts. The worry I feel for them is more than I feel for myself, even though I’m here in the worst hit city. What I’ve come to realize is, family is most important & it’s time to go home.

Kevin I never could have imagined the current circumstances: living and working exclusively from home, alone. The possibility of being alone with my thoughts for so long would have terrified me only weeks ago. Yet, I’m making it work. In many ways, I feel like I’m meeting myself for the first time. What I’m learning isn’t always profound or rewarding; often the self examination and exploration is uncomfortable. The person that I am and the person that I want to be are the only voices in my head these days. But rarely is it quite there; there’s always a host of questions. To ask, and to answer.

Shelby Being forced to stay home has been a mixture of emotions for me. Some days I feel heavy and can’t stop thinking about how devastating this pandemic has been to our entire World. Thinking about people suffering and dying, about their families not being able to even have a funeral for them, about the people struggling financially or losing their jobs, about the healthcare and essential workers risking their lives everyday and some of them not being able to go home to their families at night. It’s extremely heartbreaking and I have days when I just cry and allow myself to be sad for Humanity. But other days I chose to stay positive and hopeful. Staying home has forced us all to slow down, and especially as New Yorkers that’s something we’re not used to. I’ve realized that life is so much more simpler than we think and that I don’t need all the things I thought I did. It’s been nice to wake up and have slow mornings, to teach my son math and see how smart he is, to find fun creative ways to make the day go by, to cook and paint with my husband and just feel close and safe with each other. Finding joy in the small moments is good for your mental health. And to try and not think too far ahead. Just taking things day by day is so important, especially when the future right now is so uncertain.

Maria What we’ve been through over the last months across our planet connects us in a unique way to our ancestors. People before us had to battle with plagues and epidemics in pretty much the same way we now fight COVID-19. Today we have superior science yet social distancing and isolation remain the most powerful weapons. Knowing that humanity has prevailed many times before, that after the immense tragedy and loss we bounced back gives me great hope. We will hug again, kiss again, we will be together again.

Simone I stay secret, it stays unseen. You sense it. On naked streets you observe it. Heavy, invisible, bulky.
Look around, and it's not there. But you see it, you observe it in people's movements, people's deeds, people's talks, in theirs awakening. Immune, protected, but somehow not sane anymore.

Karolina During these last weeks, now more than ever I have I come to appreciate my home - New York. I never doubted the greatness of this city and state but there is something unbelievably special about NY and NYers in a time of crisis. A place made of some of the hardest working, compassionate, kind and caring people I know. And it makes me proud to be a New Yorker. I know we will get through this difficult time and we will be better and stronger for it.

Verdiana Listening to the stories and words of others lightens the weight of isolation. Ideas and dreams keep us alive and planning for the future makes us more immune to overcoming this sad and surreal moment that we never expected. Take care of yourself, spread love!

Anonymous As an Italian living in NY I was very aware of what to expect as I heard the first hand stories from my friends in Italy, a couple of which also work in Hospitals in Milano. I started to stay home a week before the lockdown and told all my employees to work from home. Having started my business from home from 2003 till 2006 this was not a new thing for me and I quickly went back to my old habits...however the main difference this time is that I have a wonderful child and wife. Both of which I get to enjoy more in this situation. My wife surprises me with delicious lunches every day and I get to play soccer and other games with my son for about an hour on the roof of our building after lunch. It’s definitely not easy to get as much work done from home, but I am not complaining like a lot of people are reporting on social media, as I try to make the most of the extra time with my family. I am also blessed that my company and business can continue to operate during these times even if at a slower pace. When everything goes back to normal I will miss these times spent with my family.

Yulia There was a lot of noise before this happened: internal and external. Right now it's very quiet, so quiet that all you can hear is birds singing outside. For me it's just one very long day with late evening walks in the empty park, where I find the greatest pleasure in taking in the smell of the blossoming trees. Once again I'm reminded that there is always too much excess in life, unnecessary thoughts and actions, but at the end of the day you may still find yourself alone, embraced by silence. We should never take for granted other people and cherish our connections with family and friends, spread love and kindness. Wherever we go we need to continue smiling beneath our masks, the eyes will show if you are smiling.