No doubt that COVID-19 has changed how we look at life. One defining trait of being human is to be able to learn from our situation, our history. As a museum, we want to help our community to do just that.
We have a suggestion for you: start a diary. There is so much that is changing and it affects each of us in different ways. There is also so much to learn and share with others to help us navigate together the challenges we face.
Keeping a diary will:
- Help you remember and document what happened during this historic time.
- Help understand what issues can be overwhelming by reflecting on them in the small day-to-day events.
- It gives you something to do!
Tools for keeping a diary:
- The old-fashioned way: paper and pen! Using a daily calendar that has space for a sentence or two can work well.
- There are a number of apps for your phone or computer. A few free apps (with options for premium versions) that we like are Day One and 1 Second Everyday. Both have great tutorials and suggestions to get you started.
- Use a word processing application that you are comfortable with and save it on your computer.
How do I get started, you ask? One step at a time. Here are some tips:
- Decide on what method you are going to use. If it is not working, try another. Your method of keeping a diary needs to be a comfortable way for you to express yourself.
- Take a photo and write about it. This is a good way to document what is happening around you. Consider adding the location, who is in the picture, and why it is important to you. Recording a voice memo works, too!
- Don’t pressure yourself. Keep it simple. One sentence is a great start.
- Pick a time AND place to make a diary entry and stick to it!
Much of history is lost because it is not documented. We believe each person’s history needs to be collected. Keeping a diary during this historic time is one way to ensure your experiences are part of our community’s story.