Letter to Yourself

Submitted by NYSL Staff on Thu, 06/25/2020 - 15:30
two stationary items including a card that says thank you on the cover and a pen next to them.

A common journaling exercise is to write a letter to yourself. It allows you a moment to think about where you are in your life, how you’ve gotten there and where you hope to be. If you find that you’re facing a blank page and aren’t sure what to write, consider composing a letter to yourself.

  • Letter to your past self: When writing a letter to your past self, think about where you were when the news of COVID-19 first appeared. What advice would present-day you tell past you? Are there any pitfalls you experienced that you would warn yourself about? What moments would you tell your past self to cherish most?
     
  • Letter to your future self: When writing a letter to your future self, think about everything you’ve gone through so far regarding COVID-19. What would you like your future self to remember about this time? What do you hope the world looks like for your future self? What lessons do you want your future self to have learned by living through this moment in history?

Expressing Yourself Through Poetry

Submitted by NYSL Staff on Wed, 06/17/2020 - 15:24
blackout poem example, words exposed from black background

Some people may find it daunting to record their thoughts in long prose but poetry can offer a creative outlet to express thoughts and experiences.

Poetry as a way of recording historical moments has a long tradition. Some examples include “Million Man March Poem” by Maya Angelou and “Will V-Day Be Me-Day Too?” by Langston Hughes. Both poems highlight a moment in time and the authors’ thoughts about what that moment means to them as well as what those moments mean in a larger context.

There are many ways to write poems. Short or long, serious or light-hearted, poetry is a flexible art form. Your journal could be all poems or you may wish to sprinkle them in as inspiration hits.

One way you can try creating a poem is through blackout poetry. Cut out an article from a newspaper or magazine and use a pen or marker to black out all the words except the ones you want to be the text of your poem.

Social Media as a Starting Point

Submitted by NYSL Staff on Fri, 05/29/2020 - 15:12
Picture of a smartphone screen with social media icons including Facebook and Instagram.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started to spread throughout the world and eventually came to New York not everyone began to create a journal of their thoughts. However, many of us did turn to our various social media accounts. We raised questions and concerns. We shared our worries and, as time went on, our creative solutions to quickly changing situations. We posted pictures of new working environments, our furry co-workers, our changing routines, anything we thought worth sharing. All of this is a place to begin your journal or add to an existing journal.

You can look back on your old posts, write down noteworthy thoughts in a journal, take screenshots and include them in a digital journal, or even print or organize images you've shared. Knowing what you know now you may wish to respond to your posts, adding to and expanding your initial thoughts. Have things gone the way you thought they might? How different do you feel now compared to when you first posted about the pandemic?

Empty Spaces

Submitted by NYSL Staff on Mon, 05/11/2020 - 14:45
Picture of empty parking lot of a movie theater.

As you record different changes you notice in your everyday life, also think about the places you went to before the pandemic. What do some of those places look like now? Maybe you see a movie theater with empty parking spaces, a shuttered storefront, an empty restaurant, or quiet streets that once teemed with people shopping or patronizing restaurants and bars. What has caught your eye or caused you to pause and think about the time before and what may change in the future?

The Importance of Community

Submitted by NYSL Staff on Fri, 05/01/2020 - 14:40
Image of a mask and the supplies needed to make a mask including scissors and a measuring tape.

In these uncertain times, with so many people feeling isolated under stay-at-home orders, community has become an important part of how New Yorkers are coping with the COVID-19 crisis. Individuals are doing their part to serve their community by making masks, donating food and money to those in greater need, and generally coming together through online channels and social media to organize relief efforts, big or small.

As you document your experiences, think about ways that your community has been supportive during NY's PAUSE period. What has someone in your community done for you to make this difficult time a little bit easier? What have you done to aid your friends and neighbors who may be struggling?

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