#SaveTheTurtles to #SingleUseOnly

So much has changed in the last five months. 2020 was supposed to be a year where we as the human race work together to continue the decreasing trend towards eliminating waste. However, in the present world of heightened sanitation that mindset has all gone away. Instead of eliminating plastic we now package everything in it, making sure the recipients of what is inside know it has not been contaminated.  It is calming in a sense to know that the things I use have not been exposed, but it's alarming to consider what it is doing to our planet. While living at the beach and in Kentucky, two very different environments, it's sad to see disposable medical masks littering the ground all over both places. Since indoor dining is a no-go in today's world, the university provides us with styrofoam take-out containers for each meal at the dining hall. This is good and all, allowing us to eat outside or in the comfort of our dorm room but it is detrimental to the environment.The amount of trash that will soon pollute our oceans is frightening.  Our lives went from metal straws and #savetheturtles to plastic utensils and #singleuseonly all because of a microscopic killer. 

Trash can outside of Lewis Hall overflowed with styrofoam take-out containers.

Introduction

My name is Mollie Share. I am 17 years old and I am from Atlantic City, New Jersey but attending college at University of Kentucky in Lexington. I come from a middle-class Jewish family. Living in New Jersey while the outbreak first surged was very surreal. Everything was shut down, most people lost their jobs, and curfews were in place. I didn't see anyone outside of my immediate family for months. My mom is a pediatrician and would work long hours in the office or through telemedicine. I would take a walk with her every evening after she got off work to enjoy the fresh air. Except the fresh air wasn't as relaxing as it used to be. We would cross to the other side of the street to avoid walking passed people. We became skeptical of our neighbors, people who've seen me grow up my whole life. No one trusted anyone as we were all fearful to come in contact with the deadly virus. Thankfully no one in my family has contracted the virus but it was a very odd feeling to visit my grandparents in Philly for Mother's and Father's day to only be able to wave at them from the car. Since my mom was still going to work and was working hands on with the virus she did not want to take the chance of giving it to my grandparents. Covid-19 really put into perspective the relationships you had with people and who you are as a person. I finished my senior year of high school online and did not get to experience the milestones like prom, senior trip, and graduation, but I did not let that affect me as looked forward to college in the fall. 

Last week I moved 11 hours away from my home to Lexington, Kentucky, a state I do not know a single person in. It will be an interesting journey making new friends and adjusting to college classes all while living through this historic semester.