Quarantine has been a struggle for us all, but I do not know anyone who has had it worse than my dear friend Katie Julian, also known as KJ. She is a sophomore lacrosse player here at Stonehill from Albany, New York. She has spent a total of 44 days of this past school year in an isolation dorm all by herself with no human contact. I decided to interview her because she has probably had one of the worst experiences in the Q and I needed to get intel on what her time has been like.
Me: What has been the most awful part of this quarantine?
KJ: Not being able to socialize or really go outside. I was locked up in my room for the beginning of the semester in the fall for 14 days, now it’s probably been 11 so far. This one has been the worst because the food is usually cold when it gets delivered to me.
Me: What were some things you did to entertain yourself and get you through this difficult time in your life?
KJ: I do a little workout on the Peloton app, talk to friends and family, schoolwork, and I watch a lot of stuff on Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu.
Me: Why have you been thrown into quarantine so many times?
KJ: I was put into quarantine two days before school started because my test came back invalid. Then I had to quarantine the first two weeks of school because my suitemate tested positive. Then it was another two weeks before school ended because my friend on my team tested positive. Finally, I was put into quarantine on Tuesday, February 2 because my other suitemate tested positive.
Me: In total how many people would you say you’ve been in contact with who were positive?
KJ: In total, I’ve been in contact with 14 people who have tested positive and I have tested negative every single time.
Me: How is this impacted you athletically?
KJ: Athletically it’s negatively impacting me because it gets me out of shape even though I’m trying to work out in my room but I’m extremely limited. Especially because I’m in isolation without half my stuff. When I get back to practice, I feel like I am just extremely out of shape and always behind.
Me: What’s the first meal you’re going to get when you’re out of isolation?
KJ: Well I can’t order any food because our campus is in lockdown, but if I could my first meal would be Chipotle because it’s just so good.
Me: How are you doing mentally after being alone for this long period of time, completely isolated in a confined dorm room for weeks?
KJ: Well, the first time I was in quarantine, stuff was really hard, but I think by my second time I think I figured out what I need to do to keep busy and keep my mental health in check. I understand that this is what I have to go through with coming in close contact with someone who tested positive, so I’ve learned to just accept it and push through all the mental challenges.
Me: Have you started any new hobbies since you been locked away?
KJ: I haven’t started any new hobbies in quarantine because it’s kind of hard since I have limited resources and I can’t really do anything. Like I’m stuck to my room, I can’t go outside, can’t see people, I can’t even talk to people through a window.
Me: Who really helped you get through this quarantine experience?
KJ: My teammates have definitely helped because they’ve been staying in contact with me, asking me if I need anything, and they’re always willing to bring me food or pick me up food that I ordered from the Hill or in the dining hall. Also, my coach has been reaching out asking if I need any help and has been checking in on me. My family definitely has had a huge role in keeping me sane because I’m always talking to someone in my house every day whether it’s FaceTime or a phone call. They’re always checking up on me, telling me the news and what’s going on at home, so that definitely helps.
Me: Has Stonehill helped ease this process?
KJ: Stonehill has been very helpful and informative on everything and they’ve been checking up on me every day making sure I’m feeling okay and that everything is getting to me when I need it. They’ve definitely been really helpful, and I appreciate it.
SHAPE \* MERGEFORMAT
Since speaking with KJ, she has been able to go home back to New York to finish out the rest of her quarantine. She has been a trooper through this whole process and has had an experience like no other person I know at Stonehill.