{"id":31965,"date":"2020-06-05T09:35:32","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T13:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=31965"},"modified":"2020-06-05T09:35:32","modified_gmt":"2020-06-05T13:35:32","slug":"embracing-the-small-moments-all-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing the small moments all around"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_31968\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"503\" data-attachment-id=\"31968\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/nailing\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"750,503\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1584997891&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;71&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.02&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"nailing\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-31968\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing-580x389.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing-610x409.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing-250x168.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/nailing-596x400.jpg 596w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marcus Ratcliff makes a quick cut with his jigsaw. He was constructing a custom closet for his daughter\u2019s room.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>March 21, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a state of shock, I watched as my college was shut down, work moved online, and my entire senior year was effectively reduced to a monitor screen, mouse and keyboard. After spring break, my focus was not catching up with classmates over coffee or continuing group projects. Instead, many faces I\u2019d never had the opportunity to say goodbye to would remain lost to me as I packed my belongings for my abrupt transition to Nashville.<\/p>\n<p>Over the span of four days, I condensed my college experience into medium-sized Home Depot boxes and finished them off with strips of packing tape. On the fourth day, my family helped me load our two vehicles and make the journey back to my childhood home. As we drove through the mountains for what inexplicably felt like the last time, the weight of grief settled on my chest.<\/p>\n<p><strong>March 23, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have been back in Nashville for less than a week, and the adjustments remain surreal. Even still, I\u2019m embracing the small moments all around me: my 18-year-old brother has his first \u201cserious\u201d girlfriend, my mother is redesigning my childhood home, and I\u2019m constantly working on some sort of project with my dad. Investing in these moments and capturing them with a camera helps me realize that, even amidst the current chaos, there is happiness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>March 27, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Today I said goodbye to my great-grandfather.<\/p>\n<p>My mother, grandmother and I stood outside the residential care facility after calling to let the caretaker know we had arrived. Moments later, a woman appeared at the door with three sets of masks and gloves. We put them on in silence before entering the house and walking back to my great-grandfather\u2019s room. The new procedures were in place to protect the residents from the coronavirus, and I felt hesitant entering despite my mask, gloves and hand sanitizer.<\/p>\n<p>Papa was lying in his bed, his usual spot during our visits for the past several months. A man of 89 years, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s and slowly slipped from our shared reality into his own as our visits continued.<\/p>\n<p>My heart clenched in my chest as I watched my mother and grandmother tell him that it was OK to let go; we were strong enough to take care of each other, and he had made sure of it.<\/p>\n<p>My grandmother squeezed her gloved hand around his and told him that his wife was waiting for him. So was his son, Tommy, who died at the age of 18. I felt tears soak into the mask I was wearing to separate my air from his.<\/p>\n<p>Papa had a distant look in his eyes, as if he were trapped between here and somewhere far away, inaccessible to us. He could not speak; even still, I felt the pressure of his hand squeeze mine and felt that there was an understanding between us.<\/p>\n<p><strong>March 29, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Walter Scott Coffey passed away the afternoon of March 29, 2020. In the midst of our grieving, there are other considerations to keep in mind: How will we plan a funeral? How will we honor him? Large gatherings are not permissible, and even funerals are limited to 10 individuals or less.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the unforeseen obstacles surrounding his death, we will celebrate his life and carry on his memory.<\/p>\n<p>I was at my friend Abby\u2019s house when I heard: \u201cThe coronavirus is officially a pandemic. Experts advise keeping two weeks of food in the household at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tennessee hadn\u2019t had a case yet, and we both kind of brushed it off with a nervous laugh, unpaused our show and continued about our day.<\/p>\n<p>A week later, I was no longer laughing.<\/p>\n<p>The virus had shut down countries and was rapidly working its way through the U.S. Its most recent conquest was a Hamilton County resident. My home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>April 11, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I wake up at 8 a.m. I log in for work. I put in my hours of labor and end the day at 4:30 p.m. I do my homework and chores. I shower. I read, watch TV and fall asleep. With slight variations, these tasks are the summation of my new normal.<\/p>\n<p>Amidst the monotony of my life during the pandemic, I can\u2019t help but reflect on the absurdity of it all. One day I was a student a few months from graduation, the next I\u2019ve moved home and am unable to have a family dinner at a Chili\u2019s. The seriousness of the situation does not escape me; however, it\u2019s absurdity allows me to cope: I remind myself that \u201cone must imagine Sisyphus happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sisyphus is the man condemned by the gods to ceaselessly roll a rock to the top of a mountain, wherein he pauses at its summit only to watch the boulder make its descent. He then follows it to the bottom, thus beginning the process once more. This continues for all of eternity.<\/p>\n<p>To some, his punishment may appear horrific: Who could imagine such a prisoner sane, much less happy? Albert Camus, however, describes the myth of Sisyphus as one of victory rather than despair.<\/p>\n<p>He notes that, although Sisyphus is condemned to an eternal punishment, he is still the master of his own fate and thoughts. Thus he triumphs over his punishment. He has equal power to feel despair as he does happiness.<\/p>\n<p>I remember Sisyphus during these unexpected adjustments. We are all required to stay home, yet there is joy to be found in our collective new normal, be it logging on to virtual class meetings, working on endless house projects or cooking dinner for the family.<\/p>\n<p>Although we may not have control over much during this pandemic, we remain autonomous over our thoughts. In the midst of our monotony, one must imagine us happy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>April 20, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The beginning of my time in quarantine felt like a recovery period. The first couple of weeks after moving back home, I was licking my wounds and mourning my losses. My grieving made it difficult to understand the true beauty of having this time with my loved ones. This week, I\u2019m digging a little deeper.<\/p>\n<p>I have grown up in the same house since I was five years old and spent years making memories within its walls. Now, I\u2019m helping my family renovate them. This quarantine has been full of replacing old sinks and rusty doorknobs. I have quickly watched dents from roughhousing disappear beneath caulk, and years of memories fade away underneath a new coat of paint. Most recently, we started a garden.<\/p>\n<p>My family and I spent hours working in dirt left unplanted for the last decade. We redesigned the beds and laid down the new stones, all the while joking and laughing together until the sun set on the land behind us. It has been quite some time since I\u2019ve been able to make these kinds of precious new memories with them, and it is a privilege I will treasure during the rest of my time quarantined with them.<\/p>\n<p><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" data-attachment-id=\"31982\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/alaura\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Alaura.png\" data-orig-size=\"200,200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Alaura\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Alaura.png\" class=\" wp-image-31982 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Alaura.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Alaura.png 200w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Alaura-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>Alaura Robinson is a senior Communication major with a minor in Spanish. She is a staff photographer for the University Echo and pursues photojournalism both inside and outside of the classroom. Post-graduation, she aspires to earn her J.D. concentrating in copyright law. View more of her work on Instagram @alaurabri or contact her at zkr985@mocs.utc.edu.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized\" data-original-width=\"880\" data-carousel-extra='{&quot;blog_id&quot;:9,&quot;permalink&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/blogarchive.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2020\\\/06\\\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\\\/&quot;,&quot;likes_blog_id&quot;:202990556}' itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery\" > <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 880px; height: 386px;\" data-original-width=\"880\" data-original-height=\"386\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 577px; height: 386px;\" data-original-width=\"577\" data-original-height=\"386\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/alaura5\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"573\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"382\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"31976\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1585332282&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;5000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.02&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"alaura5\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-580x387.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura5-600x400.jpg 600w\" width=\"573\" height=\"382\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"573\" data-original-height=\"382\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"alaura5\" alt=\"Ramona Grove holds her father\u2019s hand as he lay in bed. She wore gloves as instructed by the care facility in response to COVID-19.\" style=\"width: 573px; height: 382px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Ramona Grove holds her father\u2019s hand as he lay in bed. She wore gloves as instructed by the care facility in response to COVID-19. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 303px; height: 386px;\" data-original-width=\"303\" data-original-height=\"386\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/alaura2\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"299\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"382\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"31974\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,1150\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1586287956&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;19&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"alaura2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-235x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-801x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-801x1024.jpg 801w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-768x981.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-580x741.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-610x779.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-157x200.jpg 157w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura2-313x400.jpg 313w\" width=\"299\" height=\"382\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"299\" data-original-height=\"382\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"alaura2\" alt=\"Kristina Ratcliff scoops meat from a pan into waiting tortillas. She was cooking dinner for her family, a part of their routine which helped maintain a sense of normalcy during the pandemic.\" style=\"width: 299px; height: 382px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Kristina Ratcliff scoops meat from a pan into waiting tortillas. She was cooking dinner for her family, a part of their routine which helped maintain a sense of normalcy during the pandemic. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 880px; height: 638px;\" data-original-width=\"880\" data-original-height=\"638\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 453px; height: 638px;\" data-original-width=\"453\" data-original-height=\"638\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/sanding-wall\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"449\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"634\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"31979\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"638,900\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1586287559&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sanding Wall\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-213x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall.jpg 638w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-213x300.jpg 213w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-580x818.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-610x861.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-142x200.jpg 142w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/Sanding-Wall-284x400.jpg 284w\" width=\"449\" height=\"634\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"449\" data-original-height=\"634\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"Sanding Wall\" alt=\"Marcus Ratcliff sands down patches of spackling. He was repairing blemishes to the bathroom wall as part of his renovation project.\" style=\"width: 449px; height: 634px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Marcus Ratcliff sands down patches of spackling. He was repairing blemishes to the bathroom wall as part of his renovation project. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 427px; height: 638px;\" data-original-width=\"427\" data-original-height=\"638\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/alaura3\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"423\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"634\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"31975\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"600,900\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1587150371&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;27&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"alaura3\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3-200x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3-580x870.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3-133x200.jpg 133w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura3-267x400.jpg 267w\" width=\"423\" height=\"634\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"423\" data-original-height=\"634\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"alaura3\" alt=\"Kristina and Marcus Ratcliff begin creating a new garden. They were redesigning their front yard during their time in quarantine.\" style=\"width: 423px; height: 634px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Kristina and Marcus Ratcliff begin creating a new garden. They were redesigning their front yard during their time in quarantine. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 880px; height: 588px;\" data-original-width=\"880\" data-original-height=\"588\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 880px; height: 588px;\" data-original-width=\"880\" data-original-height=\"588\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2020\/06\/embracing-the-small-moments-all-around\/alaura1\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"876\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"584\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"31977\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS REBEL T5i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1584816235&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.033333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"alaura1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-580x387.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2020\/06\/alaura1-600x400.jpg 600w\" width=\"876\" height=\"584\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"876\" data-original-height=\"584\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"alaura1\" alt=\"Moving boxes sit atop Alaura Robinson\u2019s childhood bed in Madison, TN. They were everything she had to show for her three years at The University of Tennessee: Chattanooga.\" style=\"width: 876px; height: 584px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Moving boxes sit atop Alaura Robinson\u2019s childhood bed in Madison, TN. They were everything she had to show for her three years at The University of Tennessee: Chattanooga. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>March 21, 2020 In a state of shock, I watched as my college was shut down, work moved online, and my entire senior year was effectively reduced to a monitor screen, mouse and keyboard. After spring break, my focus was not catching up with classmates over coffee or continuing group projects. 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