By Anthony Teig, Ezra Yirgu, and Chris West
Zachary Camarena, a 24 year old attending CSUSB, contracted the coronavirus in late February. After discovering that their son tested positive for the virus, Camarena’s parents did not allow him to return home, forcing Camarena to ask a friend for help.
“The most difficult part of it all, is the worry of the health and safety of my parents” says Camarena, who’s biggest concern was his family’s well-being. For him, it was the only way to protect his family with underlying conditions.
“Both of my sisters, their husbands, as well as my nieces and nephews got the virus as well,” Camarena said. This conflict of exposure to family members, has led Zachary to seek out aid from friends amid turmoil.
Luckily for Camarena, a lifelong friend: Anthony Teig, 21, allowed him to stay over for several weeks during isolation. Teig, having a strong immune system as well as being fully vaccinated and boosted, was fully equipped to take on such a challenge.
Camarena had concluded that his freedom, which he exercised regularly, was infringed upon. Never had he considered just how often that was and his quarantine was a means to reflect on what the cherishable elements to life are.
“What I learned about myself throughout the process was that I have more time on my hands than I think, and I can use that time,” said Zachary. “I kind of noticed how much of a routine I followed, and how habitual of a person I am based on what I would do every single day.” Camarena continued his reflection of tendencies dating back to the start of quarantine. Where matters seemingly were quite simpler from a daily operations standpoint.
“Once you were locked up for basically a whole year, I saw how I would repeat habits or repeat activities on a day to day basis,” he said. Although there is optimism of restoration, the challenge remains to restore his healthy lifestyle that thrived prior to being removed from home.
“Not being able to train, as an athlete, had a huge mental effect on everything.” said Zachary, who has resumed his fitness journey recently. For him, besides his family, there’s nothing more cherishable than his healthy lifestyle. Life is simplest when he’s in daily routine.
The pandemic has required emphasis on taking precautionary measures. The threat to safety has never been more prevalent in his lifespan requiring some adjustments to be made. However, for Camarena, that doesn’t seem to be a grand issue rather a norm at this duration of the pandemic.
“I’m more concerned about my safety and what I put into my body, how often I get sick, and taking care of my overall health as an athlete or a regular individual,” Zachary claims. For him, prevailing adversity when it pertains to health and lifestyle is key to finishing at the university.
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