Editor’s note: “The new normal” is a continuing series that looks into how members of the Los Medanos College community are coping with a shelter-in-place order amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Los Medanos College student-athlete Holden Burcell’s first year of community college was interrupted by the COVID-19 virus, making him among countless others worldwide whose lives have abruptly changed because of the pandemic.
Initially, the transition from in-person classes to online instruction wasn’t too hard on him.
“It’s been weird, but I was already taking an online class so it wasn’t too difficult,” said Burcell, who is studying kinesiology.
However, a more difficult challenge later presented itself to him, his extracurricular activities being canceled.
Burcell is a member of the LMC football team and the track team at Diablo Valley College. Now, he and his teams practice remotely.
“We all have to do our workouts at home and we meet on Zoom calls,” he said. “But, [the shelter-in-place orders] have definitely made it harder to get in-game shape.”
Additionally, neither he nor his teammates have received any word on when practices and games will be rescheduled.
One part of Burcell’s routine which hasn’t changed much is his job at Wingstop. Burcell is considered an essential worker, and his 40 hour work weeks have certainly proved that.
With continued uncertainty about when social distancing and shelter-in-place orders will no longer be considered necessary, LMC students like Holden Burcell will continue to navigate their “new normals.”